St. Patrick, Irish Grove

Irish Grove is one of the oldest Catholic settlements in northern Illinois, and home to one of its oldest Catholic churches, St. Patrick. Father Remigius Petiot, then Father Samuel C. Mazzuchelli’s assistant at Galena, and later pastor there, offered the first Mass at Irish Grove in 1841, at the home of Michael Walsh. Later, under the direction of Father Petiot, a log cabin church was built at Irish Grove. Both Father Petiot and Father Mazzuchelli, O.P., attended the Irish Grove church.

There are conflicting reports about the early history of the Irish Grove parish. It was attended by priests out of New Dublin and Freeport for several years. Father John Cavanaugh, later pastor in Freeport, came to Irish Grove twice a year, at least as early as 1847. Later, Fr. James Fitzgerald visited Irish Grove and liked it so well, he decided to make it the center of his priestly work. He built a house in the church yard, but died on one of his missionary journeys and it was never used as a rectory. Later it was removed from the church property. Fr. P. McLaughlin attended the parish from 1855 to 1859 when Father Thomas O’Gara came to Freeport and had charge of the surrounding missions. Father O’Gara built a second church at Irish Grove in 1862. It was in that year the Father Michael J. Hanley took charge, and Irish Grove, in the same way as Durand, was attended from Freeport until 1872, when it too, was transferred to Pecatonica.

Father Eugene Gray lived in Davis and served as pastor from 1885 to 1889. Perhaps he comes as near as being a resident of Irish Grove as any priest before or since his time. Until then, all the priests had come from other places to attend the spiritual needs of St. Patrick, Irish Grove.

The third church at Irish Grove was built by Father Michael J. Sullivan who was pastor at Pecatonica from 1894 to 1899. In 1909, Father Daniel A. Feeley (1909 – 1913) was appointed the first resident pastor at Durand with Irish Grove as a mission. Since that time, the history of the parish corresponds very closely with the mother parish.

On September 28, 1942, the centennial of the parish at Irish Grove was celebrated with a Mass offered by Bishop Edward F. Hoban. In 1973, during the pastorate of Father Aloysius J. Neumann (1972 – 1984), a lot across from the church was purchased to be used as a parking lot. This was a much-needed improvement in the church property. Father Neumann also directed a remodeling of the church’s interior.

Father Karl P. Ganss (1984 – 1995), Pastor, and the people of St. Patrick Parish welcomed Bishop Arthur J. O’Neill who celebrated the 150th anniversary Mass on September 20, 1992. During the pastorate of Monsignor Eric R. Barr (2000-2014), well-supplied, running water and a bathroom were added to the church.

Rev. Matthew M. Bergschneider is currently the pastor. Families currently registered at St. Patrick parish are included in those registered at St. Mary in Durand.

On September 10, 2017, St. Patrick celebrated their 175th anniversary with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Davi J. Malloy, followed by an outdoor meal, cemetery walk and entertainment.

Below are older images of the second and current structures. They were taken from The Golden Jubilee Souvenir: The History of Catholicity In Stephenson County, Illinois Freeport: F. Chas. Donohue, Book and Commercial Job Printer, 1896, available for free download at www.archive.org.