A Parish Born for the Coal Miners of Shiloh
The story of Corpus Christi Catholic Church begins with a coal mine and a horseback journey. In 1912, Father John Grootens, an assistant at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Belleville, recognized that the farmers of Shiloh had transportation to attend Sunday Mass while the coal miners who worked the Shiloh mine had none. With Bishop Janssen's permission, he set out to build a church for them. The bishop purchased two lots from Lizzie Rasp for $160 on which the church would stand and four more from Joseph Rasp across the street for $425 that today serve as the parish center and parking lot. A $500 grant from the Extension Society came with the condition that the new church be named "Corpus Christi" in honor of the Blessed Sacrament.
To retire the parish's early debt, the community built a chicken barn and raised chickens. The parish was organized in January 1913, and Mass was offered in the Shiloh town hall until the new church could be built. The foundation was dug in March 1913, and on July 30, 1913, the church was formally dedicated. Thirty-four families made up the founding congregation. The bell in the bell tower is the very first bell that called Catholics to prayer in the Belleville area. It originally hung in a small chapel on the Stadauer farm several miles north of the city until that chapel closed in 1844, around the time the first phase of the Cathedral of St. Peter was completed. The bell later hung at St. Agnes Orphanage in Belleville until that institution closed in 1913, the same year the bell came to Corpus Christi.
Joseph Ribitzki was the first person baptized in the parish on January 18, 1913, and Hilda W. Schubkegel was the first child baptized in the new church on March 18, 1914. Bishop Henry Althoff celebrated the first Confirmation on May 2, 1915, for a class of twenty-six. The parish built a parochial school in 1913 with forty-one students in eight grades, but it operated for only one year because the financial burden was too great. A religion class continued on Saturdays and Sundays, and in the 1930s children began attending St. John's Orphanage for instruction. The parish contributed financially to a new school at St. John's in 1960, and after the Diocese closed that school in 1983, Corpus Christi became a full partner with St. Clare and St. Nicholas parishes in O'Fallon in operating St. Clare School, where its children attend today.
After nearly a century in the original church, the parish moved in September 2011 into a new building that holds more than four hundred people. The original church was renamed Grootens Hall in honor of the founding pastor and now houses three classrooms for the Parish School of Religion. The new building holds a remarkable collection of sacred pieces gathered from other Catholic communities. The cross on top came from the old Corpus Christi. The etched glass panels in the sacristy and reconciliation doors, the pink marble of the altar and ambo, and the altar of repose came from St. Catherine Laboure Church in Cahokia. The statues of Mary, the Blessed Virgin, and the Sacred Heart came from the Meredith Memorial Home in Belleville. The tabernacle was rescued from the basement of the chancellery. The Stations of the Cross were originally used at St. Joseph Church in East St. Louis and were refinished by Eileen Albrecht. The cherry wood altar, ambo, credence table, and chairs were built by Joe Bonfiglio from wood donated by parishioners, and the pews were obtained from two different churches and refinished by the men of the parish before installation.
From thirty-four families in 1913 the parish has grown to three hundred sixty-five households. A list of pastors mounted near the entrance traces the lineage from Father Grootens (1913 to 1914) through Father Albert Zuroweste (1931 to 1935, who later served as Bishop of Belleville from 1948 to 1976), Msgr. James Margason (2004 to 2022), and the current pastor, Father Paul Wienhoff, who took up the role in July 2022.
The Partnership with St. Joseph in Lebanon
Corpus Christi shares its pastor with St. Joseph Catholic Church in Lebanon, Illinois, and the two parishes operate together in many areas of parish life. Each maintains its own office and bulletin, but they share a Liturgy Committee, a Youth Group, an OCIA program, and joint responsibility for the Joseph House outreach for McKendree University students. Several outreach efforts are organized together, including back-to-school backpacks for the Griffin Center, Angel Tree gifts through Catholic Urban Programs, Box of Joy shoeboxes, and donations of diapers and other items for the Pregnancy Care Center.
The partnership's vision statement reads, "Together we are a dynamic Eucharistic community sharing our Gospel values while being dedicated to our faith and service." Holy Week, Penance Services, and the Partnership Mass and Lunch rotate between the two parishes. Events such as the Outdoor Mass and Blessing of Pets and the Musical Stations of the Cross are held for both parishes at one church each year. A weekly email is sent through a shared Flocknote account to all parishioners with email addresses on file, and a special joint parish flyer is published at the beginning of Advent and Lent covering all upcoming liturgical and community events.
Mass, Reconciliation, and the Livestream
Saturday Vigil Mass is celebrated at 4:30 PM at Corpus Christi, and Sunday Masses are at 9:00 AM at Corpus Christi and 10:30 AM at St. Joseph in Lebanon. The 9:00 AM Sunday Mass is livestreamed on YouTube, and the recording remains available to view for forty-eight hours after the celebration. Holy Communion is offered under both species at the parish, and choosing whether to receive from the cup is a personal decision.
Daily Masses rotate between the two parishes. Tuesday and Thursday Masses are at 8:00 AM at St. Joseph in Lebanon, and Wednesday and Friday Masses are at 8:00 AM at Corpus Christi in the chapel inside the parish center. A second-Friday Mass at 10:00 AM is celebrated at The Colonnades in O'Fallon for residents who cannot easily travel.
Reconciliation is heard every Saturday from 3:30 to 4:00 PM in the Reconciliation Room of the church. A communal penance service is scheduled on the fourth Monday of each month from 6:00 to 7:00 PM at St. Joseph during the school year. Appointments can also be made by calling the parish office or rectory. A Prayer Hour with Adoration and Benediction is held on the first Thursday of each month at 7:00 PM, and the Rosary is prayed on the second Saturday of each month at 4:00 PM.
Welcoming Every Family
First-time visitors to Corpus Christi find a parish eager to be a welcoming community. Ushers and greeters open the doors and distribute bulletins, and worship aids are available at the entrance to help visitors follow along. Visitors need not be self-conscious about when to sit, stand, or kneel: most simply follow the lead of the parishioners around them.
Modest and respectful attire is the only guideline, and the range of clothing worn by the regular congregation reflects the variety of personal styles in the parish. Some prefer their finest, while others come in what feels comfortable; both are equally at ease in the pews.
For non-Catholic visitors, Communion is reserved for those who share the Catholic belief in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Those who do not receive are invited to come forward with arms crossed over their chests to receive a blessing from the priest.
Families with small children find changing tables in both the men's and women's restrooms stocked with diapers and wipes. Bags of books and "What do you see in Church?" flip booklets sit in the Gathering Space for children to borrow during Mass. Children's Liturgy of the Word is offered at the 9:00 AM Mass for children ages three through second grade from mid-August through Mother's Day, with no registration required. Children of all ages are also invited to bring a donation forward to a bowl at the altar after Communion.
For those with hearing impairment, assisted listening devices are available with options for connecting to personal hearing aids or for use with earbuds; ushers and greeters will assist. Visitors who use mobility aids can reserve seating in the front pew on the left side as they enter the church, and Communion can be brought to the pew with the help of an usher or greeter.
Forming Children and Youth
Corpus Christi partners with parents as the first teachers of the faith through its Parish School of Religion. Classes meet on Sunday mornings from 10:00 to 11:00 AM for children in kindergarten through eighth grade, using a small-group discussion model with textbooks approved by the Diocese of Belleville Office of Education, supplemented by craft projects, cooking activities, games, and service projects. First Reconciliation and First Communion are typically celebrated in the spring of a child's second-grade year. Confirmation is offered every other year in odd-numbered years for students in seventh and eighth grade, as well as high school students who have not yet been confirmed.
Family sessions are held throughout the year for parents and children to gather around faith-based activities. Children's Masses are scheduled throughout the year, with students providing liturgical ministries for the 9:00 AM Mass. Stations of the are scheduled during Lent, and Advent and Lent collections support local charities. All adult volunteers and employees who work with children have completed diocesan training and Illinois and DCFS background checks.
The youth ministry serves students in grades seven through twelve. Activities are both social and spiritual in nature, and meetings rotate between Corpus Christi and St. Joseph in Lebanon. Past events have included game nights, movie nights, cookie baking and decorating, a flashlight Easter egg hunt, a pumpkin decorating contest, Mother's Day crafts, ornament making, BBQs, gingerbread house building, a candy cane hunt, lap blankets for a nursing home, and bonfire evenings. Youth also help with church events including the annual Easter Egg Hunt, Boxes of Joy, the Chicken and Pasta Dinner, the Fish Fry at St. Joseph, helping with food at Joseph House, and Christmas decorating.
Older teens are encouraged to attend the Quest retreat for freshmen and sophomores, the TEC (Teers Encounter Christ) retreat for juniors and seniors, and the National Catholic Youth Conference held every other year in odd-numbered years. Camp Ondessonk, a Catholic summer camp in the Shawnee National Forest founded in 1959 by Monsignor John T. Fournie of the Diocese of Belleville, is also promoted as a faith-forming experience for the parish's young people.
Sacraments Across Every Stage of Life
Infant Baptism is celebrated following a one-session preparation program through the Parish Office. First Reconciliation and First Communion are typically celebrated in the spring of a child's second-grade year following Easter. Confirmation is offered every other year for students in seventh and eighth grade who have been baptized and have received First Communion; high school students who have not been confirmed are also welcome to join the PSR class.
Couples wishing to marry at Corpus Christi are asked to notify the parish at least six months before their proposed wedding date. The parish priest is also happy to meet with individuals who have questions about annulments following a civil divorce.
Anointing of the Sick is intended for those suffering serious or chronic illness, emotional illness, or the infirmities of age, and it can be received before surgery or a serious hospitalization. The sacrament is celebrated communally each spring and fall and can be arranged through the Parish Office at other times. Communion and Anointing of the Sick can also be brought to the homebound by request.
For those interested in becoming Catholic, the parish offers OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), a gradual process of formation for unbaptized adults and children over the age of seven, as well as for baptized Christians from other denominations and for Catholics who have never received Confirmation or First Eucharist. Sessions begin in September.
The funeral rites offered through the parish follow the Order of Christian Funerals. The three rites include a Gathering in the Presence of the Body, a Vigil, and the Funeral Liturgy, with the family encouraged to assist in choosing scripture readings, liturgical ministers, and music. A Funeral Planning Guide is available to help families begin thinking about the service, and a Funeral Luncheon is offered in the parish center following the funeral.
Music and Liturgical Ministries
Music ministry at Corpus Christi is led by Music Director Dr. Andrew Cowell. Cantors lead the congregation in song at Masses and other services, and instrumentalists play piano, guitar, organ, drums, or whatever talent they bring to the music program. A Winter's Aire Concert with wine tasting and a silent auction benefiting Operation Orphan is held the first weekend in December, featuring a different choir or band from the St. Louis area each year.
Liturgical ministries involve nearly every part of the parish. Lectors proclaim the Word of God and must be at least in fifth grade to participate. Servers assist at Sunday and Holy Day Masses beginning in third grade after First Communion. Ushers and greeters welcome those who attend Mass, take up the collection, carry up the gifts, and distribute bulletins. Eucharistic Ministers must have received Confirmation and assist with the distribution of the Body and Blood of Christ; some take Communion to the homebound on a weekly basis. Environmental Art volunteers decorate the worship space for holidays and special liturgical events. The Live Stream Team helps broadcast services on YouTube.
The Liturgy Committee is a joint committee of Corpus Christi and St. Joseph, meeting about two hours per month to plan special liturgical events throughout the year, encompassing music, environmental art, and liturgical ministry.
Care for the Bereaved, the Homebound, and the College Student
Care Ministry at Corpus Christi includes Bereavement Ministry, the Funeral Luncheon, the C3M (Corpus Christi Card Ministry), Homebound Ministry, and the Prayer Chain. Bereavement Ministry reaches out at the time of a death and in the months that follow. The Funeral Luncheon Ministry provides a meal following a funeral in the parish center and welcomes cooks and helpers.
The C3M Card Ministry keeps in touch with college students, deployed military, the sick and homebound, and the Diocese of Belleville's seminarians through mail, email, and homemade cards for birthdays and holidays, plus exam goodies for students and seminarians. The ministry also reaches out to students from McKendree University who participate in the Joseph House. Homebound Ministry mails bulletins, devotionals, and birthday cards to parishioners who cannot attend Mass and visits them as requested; the Eucharist can be brought to those who wish. The Prayer Chain is open to anyone, parishioner or not, who would like prayers offered.
Parish Organizations and Service
The Ladies Club is a social, service, and spiritual organization that promotes Christian fellowship among the women of the parish. Members sew and clean altar linens, decorate and clean the church, help with funeral luncheons, run the annual rummage sale, host Joseph House, make fleece blankets for sick parishioners, host the annual Box of Joy collection, and organize the Ladies' Night Out and the Courtyard Dinner.
The Men's Club meets on the third Monday of each month from 6:00 to 7:30 PM for faith, food, and fellowship. Members serve as adult funeral servers, assist with the Partnership Mass and Lunch, and serve as prison pen pals. The club is also a strong supporter of Our Brother's Keeper of Southern Illinois, collecting new and gently used belts and funds to purchase backpacks.
The Corpus Christi Book Club meets on the fourth Thursday of each month from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM and is open to readers of all ages. The Cornerstone Catholic Scripture Study meets on Thursday evenings in the parish center, with new sessions starting in mid-September following the annual rummage sale.
Outside organizations meeting at or supported by Corpus Christi include the Knights of Columbus, the St. Vincent de Paul Society (which serves those experiencing poverty in the local community through phone calls and home visits), and the Serra Club of St. Clair County, which promotes and supports vocations to Catholic priesthood and religious life and meets on the first and third Friday of each month at Corpus Christi.
Outreach Near and Far: Joseph House and Operation Orphan
Joseph House is a Monday evening outreach for students from McKendree University in Lebanon. Held during the school year in the rectory at St. Joseph's, the program welcomes students for fellowship and food at no charge. Corpus Christi and St. Joseph alternate hosting duties, and parishioners provide a meal each week; a sign-up sheet is posted in the Gathering Space. In 2026, the two parishes were awarded the Martin Luther King Humanitarian Award from McKendree University for this partnership.
Operation Orphan supports the mission of Father Matthias Nyakatura, who served as Corpus Christi's pastor from 2003 to 2004 and continues his work supporting the education of orphans and seminarians in Uganda. A silent auction fundraiser is typically held in conjunction with the annual Winter's Aire Concert, with all proceeds going directly to Uganda. An "Operation Orphan Change" bank sits in the Gathering Space for loose change throughout the year, and donations can also be made through WeShare.
The parish participates in Catholic Relief Services Rice Bowl during Lent, with twenty-five percent of donations retained for the local community. Boxes of Joy, affiliated with Cross Catholic Outreach, are collected at Corpus Christi and St. Joseph from September to October. Feed a Family meal donations are accepted monthly, and the Men's Club partners with Our Brother's Keeper of Southern Illinois for backpacks. During Advent and Lent, the parish supports Catholic Urban Programs Angel Tree gifts, and back-to-school backpacks are collected for the Griffin Center.
Schools, Music, and Parish Life
Corpus Christi is one of three partner parishes in St. Clare Catholic School in O'Fallon, an elementary school serving students from kindergarten through eighth grade. The school's mission is "to teach our children to know, love, and serve God and prepare them to be responsible members of the world community," with ViewSonic Boards or Smart Boards in every classroom and a one-to-one iPad program for third through eighth grade. Students participate in music, choral, band, and art programs, with over twenty extracurricular activities available.
The Good Shepherd Preschool, affiliated with St. Clare and located on the campus of St. Nicholas Church, offers a faith-based program for three- and four-year-olds with full-day hours from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM, an alternate 1:30 PM pickup, and extended care from 7:30 to 8:30 AM and 3:30 to 5:30 PM. Enrichment programs include cooking, art, music, and weekly Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
For older students, the parish supports families considering Althoff Catholic High School and Mater Dei Catholic High School, both diocesan high schools in the Belleville area.
Stewardship, Giving, and Parish Leadership
The four pillars of stewardship at Corpus Christi are Hospitality, Prayer, Formation, and Service. Online giving is available through WeShare, allowing one-time or recurring donations to the Sunday collection, building fund, crisis fund, debt reduction campaign, and special collections, as well as Operation Orphan and Joseph House. Donations can also be mailed to the parish office, dropped in the collection basket, or sent directly from a bank or credit union. A Qualified Charitable Donation option allows donors to direct their Required Minimum Distribution from a traditional IRA to the parish tax-free.
The parish is led by Pastor Father Paul Wienhoff, Director of Religious Education and Youth Minister Michele Stroot, and Music Director Dr. Andrew Cowell. The Pastoral Council meets on the third Tuesday of odd months at 7:00 PM in the parish center and includes committees on Buildings and Maintenance, Communications, Outreach, Education, Finance, Liturgical, Social, and Youth Ministry. The Finance Council meets two to four times a year to advise the pastor on the financial affairs of the parish.
The parish office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Friday from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM. The church is located at 205 Rasp Street in Shiloh, Illinois, and is a community of faith where, as the parish puts it, "one in Christ, all are family."