One Bread, One Body
St Joseph, Hopedale, was established as a mission of St. Mary, Delavan, in 1909.
In the Hopedale community of pioneer days there were only a few Catholic families. They attended Mass in Tremont or in private homes. In 1909, Fr. Andrew A. Stapleton, the pastor of St. Mary's Church in Delavan, organized St. Joseph's Parish and began to offer Mass every other Sunday in the village town hall. In 1910, he began to solicit funds for the erection of a church building.
The church was built in 1911, at a cost of $8,207.20, and named in honor of St. Joseph. Fr. Stapleton celebrated the first Mass in the new building on June 25, 1911. The Most Reverend Edmund M. Dunne, Bishop of Peoria, dedicated the church on July 2, 1911. Fr. White was the celebrant of the Mass with Fr. Medcaff and Fr. Irish acting as deacon and sub-deacon.
Fr. Stapleton continued to serve as pastor of both St. Mary, Delavan, and St. Joseph, Hopedale. A tradition that continues to this day.
The congregation then, as now, was made up of Catholics from Hopedale and the surrounding communities.
Fr. Andrew A. Stapleton (1909-1917) was a native of Ireland and was a principal of a school in India before coming to Peoria and being ordained as a Catholic priest. He was appointed pastor of St. Mary, Delavan, in 1905. In 1909, he organized St. Joseph Parish, Hopedale, and the church was built under his direction in 1911.
He served as pastor of both St. Mary and St. Joseph until August of 1917.
There are nine beautiful stained glass windows in St. Joseph, many of which were donated by early pioneers.
The Good Shepherd
Donated by
Johanna Morrisey & Children
St. Michael the Archangel
Donated by Charles Griesemer
St. Aloysius
Patron Saint of Catholic Youth
Donated by Paul Graf
St. Patrick
Donated by the John Murphy Family
The Assumption of Mary
Donated by
JC Smeiz and Children
St. Joseph & the Child Jesus
Donated by H.S. Griesemer
Sacred Heart of Jesus
Donated by John Griesemer
Christ the Teacher
St. Cecilia
Patron Saint of Music
Donated by
Margaret Morrissey
Thank you for looking us up. Check back often to see what's happening!
February 7, 2021
Congratulations to Tyler S. who received the Sacraments of Reconciliation and his 1st Holy Communion today.
January 3, 2021
The Family Formation Zoom session with Msgr. Nolan is scheduled for Wednesday, January 6, at 6:30 PM. Topic is Vocations and Holy Orders. Enrolled families should check their email for the link.
January 2, 2021
2021 contributions envelopes are available for pick up. They are in the back pew, on the left side as you come in. If you have a neighbor or relative who hasn't been able to come to Mass, please help us save postage and pick up their envelopes for them. Thank you.
June 13, 2020
St Joseph's will have mass in the Hopedale park, weather permitting, at 4:00 pm. Drive up communion will be from 8:30 to 9:00 am on Sunday, June 14, 2020.