Our Lady of Peace Catholic Parish sits on Plainfield Road in Darien, Illinois, a western suburb in DuPage County, and is served by the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception (M.I.C.), the religious order founded in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The parish is the spiritual home of an active and varied community: daily Mass and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, a weekday food pantry, a seniors' group with a decades-long calendar of themed parties, and more than two dozen ministries organized around prayer, formation, and service. It is also a parish in the middle of building a New Parish Center and shaped throughout by a Marian identity that runs through every page of its life.
Mass Times, Confession, and the Saturday Livestream
The parish gathers for the Sunday Eucharist three times: 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., and 12:00 noon. The Saturday Vigil Mass is celebrated at 5:00 p.m. and is broadcast live on the parish's YouTube channel, allowing the homebound and those traveling to keep the day holy from wherever they are. Morning Mass is offered every day of the week at 7:30 a.m., Monday through Saturday, and the Eucharist is exposed in the church immediately after each weekday morning Mass for the praying of either the Chaplet of Divine Mercy or the Holy Rosary together.
Reconciliation is heard twice during the week. On Fridays the line forms from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., and on Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Holy Days of Obligation follow their own rhythm, with a Vigil Mass at 7:00 p.m. and two Masses on the day itself at 7:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Eucharistic Adoration at the Heart of the Week
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is the devotion that most clearly sets the tone at Our Lady of Peace. Full Exposition is held in the church every Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 7:00 p.m., with parishioners signing up as registered adorers so that the Blessed Sacrament is never left alone during those hours. On the other weekdays, after the 7:30 a.m. Mass, the Eucharist is exposed for communal prayer of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy or the Holy Rosary, then returned to the tabernacle.
About every other month the parish hosts an evening called Eucharistic Encounter. Through sung worship, meditation, and praise, the hour opens hearts to the Lord, and it closes with what the parish describes as touching the hem of His garment - a quiet moment in which individuals approach the altar for private prayer and blessing before Jesus truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. The parish points to a line from St. Gertrude the Great (1256 - 1302): "Every time we look at the Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, our place in Heaven is raised forever." Diane Ray coordinates the ministry of adoration.
The Deacon Paul Food Pantry
Every Wednesday morning from 7:00 to 10:00 a.m., the parish opens the Deacon Paul Food Pantry to families in the surrounding communities. The pantry's goal, in its own words, is to improve the well-being of our neighbors by providing reliable access to nutritious food in welcoming environments through the generosity of volunteers, parishioners and community partnerships. Groceries and personal care items are distributed with dignity, and new volunteers are always welcome. The pantry sits inside a wider parish commitment to outreach. Our Lady of Peace points its members toward two neighboring ministries on its outreach page: City of Refuge in Chicago and Hope's Front Door in Downers Grove. The Dignity of Life ministry organizes the parish's participation in the 40 Days for Life campaign and supports local pro-life organizations with prayer, education, and advocacy.
Prayer Groups for Every Stage of Life
The parish calendar revolves around small, named communities that meet at regular intervals. The St. Teresa of Calcutta Prayer Group, listed on the calendar as the Mother Theresa Prayer Group, gathers every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Marian Chapel at the back of the church for the rosary and intercessory prayer for the parish, the country, and the world. The Legion of Mary meets every Thursday at 1:30 p.m. in the parish center, working to grow in holiness through imitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Eucharistic Apostles of The Divine Mercy meet on the first Friday of each month from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. in Parish Center Room 109. St. Monica's Prayer Group meets on the third Saturday morning of the month at 8:30 a.m.
Two ongoing ministries serve specific moments of family life. The Catholic Moms Group welcomes mothers of children sixteen and under, meeting twice a month to pray, socialize, and explore how to pass the Catholic faith down to the next generation. Seven Great Dates is a marriage-enrichment series scheduled several times a year on Monday evenings. The Healing Ministry, trained through the Encounter School of Ministries, offers prayer teams in the Church Hall on scheduled evenings, and those who would like a session can also make an appointment.
Faith Formation: K through 8 and the Journey to Catholicism
Religious Education for children in grades 1 through 8 is organized through the parish office and staffed by catechists and aides who help young parishioners see the faith as relevant, fun and meaningful. Pope Francis established the Lay Ministry of Catechist in the Catholic Church to honor the work these volunteers do, and the parish welcomes new catechists each year.
For adults considering the Catholic faith, O.C.I.A. (the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) walks inquirers through the journey of becoming Catholic. The parish also supports a Youth Ministry for older students. The Men's Group follows the program That Man is You, a 26-week cycle that combines contemporary research with Catholic teaching and the wisdom of the saints to form male leadership in the modern world; it meets in two 13-week sessions. Be Formed, a diocesan 90-day discipleship for men and women, builds on a similar rhythm of weekly small-group meetings, video, prayer, and fellowship.
Sacraments and Pastoral Care
Parents preparing for a child's baptism begin by contacting Deacon Frank Vonesh. Both parents must be registered members of the parish and must attend baptism preparation classes, which are held on Wednesday evenings in the parish center. Baptisms are scheduled on Sundays at 1:30 p.m.
Couples planning to marry at Our Lady of Peace are asked to contact Deacon Larry Fudacz at least nine to twelve months before their proposed date. The parish notes that for marriages between a Catholic and a non-Catholic, or for ceremonies to be held at a non-Catholic church, special instructions, permissions, and dispensations will be needed, and the longer preparation window exists precisely to allow that paperwork and formation to proceed at the right pace.
The Anointing of the Sick is offered by calling the parish office; a priest will respond in a timely manner based on availability. The Bereavement Ministry walks alongside families through the loss of a loved one. A Bereavement Minister meets with the family to plan the Funeral Liturgy (selecting one Old Testament reading and one New Testament reading along with the sacred music), attends the wake and funeral when possible, and follows up with monthly mailings for a year to support the grieving process. A separate Grief Support Group, facilitated by Deacon Frank Vonesh, is a six-week, spiritually based program for any Christian adult who has lost a loved one; it meets one evening a week, with sessions offered each fall and spring.
Knights, Seniors, and a Parish That Stays Busy Together
The Mayslake Council 4053 of the Knights of Columbus meets at Our Lady of Peace every other month on the first Wednesday of the month, beginning in September. The council's mission is empowering Catholic men to live their faith at home, in their parish, at work and in their community, and any man of the parish is welcome to join.
The Younger Than Ever Seniors group is open to registered parishioners 55 and older and fills the calendar with themed luncheons, live entertainment, games, and movie matinees with popcorn. Recent gatherings have included a Chuck Wagon Party, a Mardi Gras afternoon, a 70s Groovy Party, a St. Patrick's Day Party, a Senior Sock Hop, a Circus-themed afternoon, a Senior Appreciation afternoon, and a Maui luncheon.
Behind the scenes, a number of quieter ministries keep the parish running. Greeters and ushers welcome worshippers at every weekend Mass. Eucharistic Ministers distribute Holy Communion during Mass and also bring the Eucharist to the homebound and to those in nursing homes. Lectors prayerfully prepare to proclaim the Word. Collection counters carefully reconcile the Sunday offerings each week. The Art and Environment ministry transforms the sanctuary for each liturgical season with flowers, banners, and displays. A Blood Drive ministry, partnered with the City of Darien, has hosted drives for over forty-five years and stages two to three events each year.
Be Formed, the Capital Campaign, and the Week Ahead
The parish points members toward a wide range of Catholic media and resources, including Relevant Radio, EWTN, catholic.com, and the parish's own subscription to Formed.org. A New Parish Center Capital Campaign is underway, and a separate Planned Giving and Bequests program walks parishioners through estate planning, including sample bequest language for wills and revocable trusts. A stock donation form and stock donation instructions are also available, with proceeds directed to the parish and the wider mission of the Diocese of Joliet.
At the parish office at 709 Plainfield Road, the staff and Marian Fathers continue the rhythm that has shaped this Darien parish: weekday Mass in the morning, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament through the day, a packed calendar of prayer groups and ministries by evening, and a Wednesday morning pantry that opens its doors before the sun is fully up. A Mass intention form, a Flocknote sign-up, and a request form for sacrament certificates are all available, and the Saturday Vigil Mass is livestreamed for those who cannot be in the pews.