One Bread, One Body
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January 22, 2023
The Hopedale Mennonite Church has invited St. Joseph, as well as other area churches, to gather and make comforters and quilts to be donated to global neighbors dealing with conflict & disaster. They will meet 1/21 and 2/4 from 9AM - 4PM. Lunch provided both days. No skills necessary. Come and go as you wish. For more info, contact Pat 309-825-3607.
We are in need of Lectors, Ushers, & Altar Servers. Let the office know if you're able to help with any of these positions. 309-244-8516, Monday & Thursday
St. Joseph will join the public skating at the Morton Roller Rink on Sunday, 2/19, from 2-4pm. Admission & skate rental details can be found on their website, mortonrollerrink.com. If 10 ore more people go there will be a discount, but we need to call ahead for that. Please let either Jeff or Lisa know if you'll attend. Call Lisa with questions, 309-241-2957.
ADA Update: Goal: $15,127 Pledged $14,053.30
The Garden Food Pantry in Hopedale is open on the first and third Thursday of each month from 3:30 to 5 PM. Donations of nonperishables items can be dropped off on Sunday mornings at Living Hope Community Church located at 326 NW Jefferson in Hopedale. Questions contact 309-241-7330.
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.
Since the Middle Ages, muti-colored stained glass windows have been used in churches. Bible scenes and images of the Saints provided meaningful visual aids to people who could not read or write or those with different languages. The beautiful art, formed from Bible readings, helped them to meditate and to pray and continues to do so for us today.
There are 9 beautiful stained glass windows in St. Joseph
Donated by
Johanna Morrisey & Children
St. Michael isn't a a saint, but rather he is an angel, and the leader of all angels and of the army of God. This is what the title "Archangel" means, that he is above all the others in rank.. St. Michael has four main responsibilities or offices, as we know from scripture and Christian tradition. The first is to combat Satan. The second is to escort the faithful to heaven at their hour of death. The third is to be a champion of all Christians, and the Church itself. And the fourth is to call men from life on Earth to their heavenly judgment.
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.