St. Joseph the Worker

Welcome to the St Joseph the Worker Parish website! As pastor here, I am glad that you are inquiring about our faith community. 

The parish of St. Joseph is vibrant & active. The faith of this community is obvious, and it is a vibrant, celebrated, & revered faith. People put their belief into action in many ways. I am overly impressed with the outreach people have to the poor, the food pantries, & the needy. Volunteers are always coming forth to help whenever & wherever possible.

If you would like more information about the parish, or if you would like to be a member, that would be great. We would be glad to "have you in the pew" at our Masses, worshiping & celebrating the Lord's presence. Please know that if you have any questions, call the parish office at any time. We are here to assist you in any way possible.

May St. Joseph the Worker intercede daily for you & your needs.

Enjoy the website!!!

Father Joe

FR JOE'S ARTICLES

FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK

Often, when we hear about people becoming Catholic, our first thought is that they must go through RCIA – Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. While it is true that some people need to go through RCIA to become Catholic, not everyone needs to go through the process.   Our Diocese has emphasized over the last few years that RCIA is primarily for those who have not received baptism.  Those who have not been baptized then go through the process of RCIA, which entails discernment, prayer, and study in which they prepare to enter the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil.

For those who have already been baptized in another Christian faith tradition, RCIA is not required for becoming Catholic.  Instead, the Church encourages those individuals to meet with their local Catholic Pastor and discuss joining the Church with him.  Based on that conversation, the Pastor and the individual will formulate an individual plan for receiving the person into the Catholic Church.  The amount of time depends on the person’s readiness and familiarity with Catholicism.  For some people, the process is simply a matter of meeting with the priest a couple of times, and sometimes the process is attending a class like catechesis for Adult Confirmation.  It all depends on the individual baptized person’s circumstances and background. The baptized person would then enter the Church during a regular Sunday Mass.

So, if you, or someone you know, is interested in becoming Catholic, simply have them call MC Garriott, 217-341-0428, or Fr. Joe, 217-483-3772, for more information.

The Parish Office will be closed on Monday, July 4^th.

There will be 8:30am Mass.

PRAYERS for an end to abortion on demand have been heard in the overturning of Roe V. Wade.  May the hearts of people in our country turn from the destruction of life to the promotion and protection of ALL life. May we pray for an end to violence & crime erupting from this decision, which decreases the value of life itself.  Let us pray: “God, giver of ALL life, fill us with a profound and deep respect for those around us, whether in the womb or outside the womb.  Let us believe that all life is to be valued, because that life comes from You.  AMEN.”

Open preschool registration is underway! 

If your child will be 3 years old by September 1, 2022, you can register them for our preschool.  Go HERE to find registration information and forms.

Our 4-5 year old class is currently full, but we are taking paperwork for our waiting list.

During this time, we hope you will continue to support the parish through prayer, service, and through your generous giving. We created a secure online program  using a credit card. We appreciate your continued generous stewardship of the past through this current challenge of the now and the near future.  Click HERE to donate.