A Parish at the Heart of Edwardsville
St. Boniface Catholic Church stands on North Buchanan Street in the heart of Edwardsville, Illinois, one block from the Madison County Courthouse and within walking distance of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's downtown footprint. The parish began in 1869 when German-speaking Catholics in the town asked their pastor at the Church of the Immaculate Conception for a church of their own. Ground was purchased in 1866, brick was made in 1867, and on January 1, 1869, Rev. Anton Rustige was appointed the first pastor of St. Boniface. The cornerstone was laid on June 2, 1869, by Very Reverend Peter Joseph Baltes, then Administrator of the Diocese of Alton, and the church was officially dedicated in August 1873.
More than a century and a half later, St. Boniface has grown into one of the larger parishes in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, with a school, a preschool, a high school it helped found, a Hispanic ministry that fills the church every Sunday afternoon, and a campus that includes the 2003 church building, the historic 1912 school, a parish center with gym, and a parish cemetery. The parish today draws families from across the Metro East and from multiple surrounding communities.
Mass Schedule and the Sunday Spanish Liturgy
The weekly Mass schedule opens with the Vigil Mass on Saturday afternoon at 4:15 p.m. Sunday brings three English Masses at 8:15 a.m., 10:15 a.m., and 5:15 p.m., and a Spanish Mass, the Misa en Español, at 12:15 p.m. The Hispanic ministry began in January 2011 with a single weekend Mass celebrated by visiting Spanish-speaking priests, and it grew steadily enough that the liturgy moved from the chapel into the main church. Rev. Paul Habing was appointed to serve the Spanish-speaking community in 2015.
Daily Mass is celebrated Monday at 5:45 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday at 8:00 a.m., and Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. The Sacrament of Penance is heard on Wednesday evenings from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. and on Saturday afternoons from 3:30 to 4:00 p.m., or by appointment through the parish office. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is held in the chapel every Wednesday from 8:00 a.m. until 6:30 p.m., closing with Evening Prayer.
St. Boniface Catholic School and Fr. McGivney Catholic High School
Catholic education has been part of St. Boniface since 1871, when a combination rectory and school was built with classrooms on the first floor and the pastor's residence on the second. A new school building was dedicated on Thanksgiving Day 1882, and the larger 1912 school, still in use today, was dedicated in January 1913. Generations of Edwardsville children have come through those classrooms.
St. Boniface Catholic School now serves students in grades K through 8 at 128 N. Buchanan Street. The school principal is Laura Kretzer, with Linda Hobbs serving as assistant principal. The building was extensively renovated for the parish's 150th anniversary year in 2019, and the project included the installation of an elevator to make the school accessible throughout, asbestos abatement, and a more secure entrance. A free breakfast program, the Bluejay Backers donut Sunday, and Scrip gift card fundraising are all part of the school's regular rhythm.
St. Boniface Catholic Preschool, located at 133 North Fillmore Street, serves the parish's youngest learners. Director Katie Foppe oversees parish school administration, and the preschool shares the parish's bilingual approach to faith formation.
Father McGivney Catholic High School, located at 7190 Bouse Road in nearby Glen Carbon, opened in August 2012 with nineteen students in a temporary wing of St. John Neumann Catholic School. Father Jeffrey Goeckner served on the Founders Board and was appointed chaplain in 2012, then as the first president of the high school when its permanent building opened in 2015. Joseph Lombardi now serves as principal. By 2019 the school had graduated its fourth senior class, with 240 students enrolled, ACT scores well above the national average, and a student body that was five percent minority and ten percent non-Catholic.
Faith Formation for Every Age
The Parish School of Religion, known as PSR, serves public-school students in kindergarten through fifth grade, with classes meeting Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. at St. Boniface School. Children arrive under the Clock Tower no earlier than 6:15 p.m. and gather in Legacy Hall, the school gym, before being escorted to their classrooms. Second grade is the year of preparation for First Reconciliation. Following the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois' Restored Order, adopted in 2017 and implemented at St. Boniface in July 2021, third grade is the year of preparation for both Confirmation and First Holy Communion, celebrated together in a single liturgy at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield. PSR is offered in both English and Spanish, and Jo Niebur coordinates the program. A bilingual option is also available for the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults.
Middle school youth in grades six through eight meet on the second, third, and fourth Sundays of the month from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. using the Life Teen Edge program, with adult mentors and high school leaders guiding discussion and games. The high school youth group meets on the first Sunday of the month from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. for fellowship, prayer, and pizza, and high schoolers often serve as discussion leaders for the middle school group.
Young Adult Catholics, or YAC, hosts twice-monthly events for Catholic adults ages 18 to 39 from across the Metro East, and St. Boniface partners with neighboring parishes to support Totus Tuus, a week-long summer Catholic youth program for students in first through twelfth grade. Catechists and assistants are always needed; those interested can contact Jo Niebur through the parish office.
Adult Faith Formation and Spiritual Life
Clyde Nosser, the parish's Adult Faith Coordinator, oversees a wide slate of opportunities. Adult Faith Formation classes meet on weekday mornings and evenings throughout the year and are followed up with Saturday morning retreats, a speaker series, and seasonal social events. The parish subscribes to FORMED, a Catholic streaming service that gives parishioners free access to video studies, audio presentations, movies, youth content, and eBooks.
Lectio Divina, holy reading of the Sunday Scriptures, meets every Thursday at 8:45 a.m. in the lower level of the church. Marthas and Marys, a women's spirituality and support group, gathers every Tuesday morning during the school year after the 8:00 a.m. Mass in the Acorn Room; the group chooses a book each season and shares conversation, prayer, and a good deal of laughter. The Code, a men's group focused on missionary discipleship, marriage, fatherhood, fraternity, industriousness, intellectual adventure, physical fitness, and societal transformation, meets on Wednesday evenings from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m. in the Oak Room under the leadership of Brad Bolt. The Men's Weekly Scripture Discussion, led by Deacon Rob Sgambelluri, gathers on Monday evenings to talk through the upcoming Gospel reading. Pub Theology brings a Catholic speaker to a local restaurant or bar once a month for a relaxed evening of faith and conversation. Living the Eucharist is a Lenten parish renewal experience that forms small faith groups within the parish. Individual Spiritual Direction is available by contacting the parish office. Drinking and Dining with Dominicans, a newer series, brings a Dominican priest to a local establishment each month for an evening of fellowship and teaching.
After Care, the parish's grief support program, meets on the first Wednesday of every month at 10:00 a.m. in the lower level of the church. It is a peer-led social and spiritual group facilitated by trained bereavement ministers and is open to anyone in the area who has experienced a loss. Private grief counseling appointments can also be arranged through the parish office.
The Sacraments at St. Boniface
Baptism is normally celebrated during Mass, with private baptisms arranged through the parish office. Parents are required to attend a baptism class before the celebration, and classes are scheduled throughout the year in both English and Spanish. Children preparing for the sacraments of Confirmation and First Holy Communion do so through the PSR program in third grade under the Restored Order.
Couples wishing to marry at St. Boniface are expected to be registered parishioners or the children of active parishioners, and to be practicing Catholics. The parish asks that the pastor be contacted at least six months before the proposed wedding date, and only the pastor can set a date once he has determined there are no impediments to the marriage. Weddings are usually celebrated on Friday evenings or Saturday afternoons.
Funerals are scheduled in consultation with the family and the funeral home. When the deceased was a non-practicing Catholic, the service is generally held at the funeral home. Funeral Masses at the church are usually followed by a luncheon for the family in the lower level of the church; the family provides the food while a church committee sets up and serves. Anointing of the Sick is available to parishioners who are seriously or critically ill or facing surgery, and is arranged by calling the parish office.
The parish welcomes those interested in learning more about the Catholic faith through OCIA, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, formerly known as RCIA. The process runs from September through the Easter Vigil and culminates in the reception of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist for the unbaptized, or Confirmation and Eucharist for already baptized Christians. Classes are open to all parishioners, including those simply wishing to renew and deepen their understanding of Catholic teaching. A children's version of the process, OCIC, is offered for children ages six through thirteen. Quinceañera is also celebrated at the parish, with registration available in both English and Spanish.
Music, Liturgical, and Hospitality Ministries
Music at St. Boniface is led by Jill Griffin, the Director of Worship and Music, with Emily Moore directing the parish choir. The Adult Choir sings a blend of traditional and contemporary liturgical music at the 10:15 a.m. Sunday Mass and at special liturgies such as Confirmation and First Communion. Rehearsals are held on Wednesday evenings from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. from the last week of August through the Feast of Corpus Christi in mid-June. Membership is open to all men and women of the parish ages thirteen and up.
The Children's Choir, open to students in grades two through eight, provides musical leadership at one weekend Mass each month and at special celebrations such as Christmas Eve and Easter. The Handbell Choir, founded in 2008, is a select group of eleven ringers playing three octaves of English-style handbells and lends its music to weekend liturgies once a month and on major feast days. The Teen and Young Adult Choir leads the music at the 5:15 p.m. Mass on the first and third Sundays of the month, with rehearsals held just before Mass. Instrumentalists, including wind, string, and brass ensembles, round out the music ministry for weekend and holy day liturgies.
Cantors proclaim the Responsorial Psalm at weekend Masses and special liturgies, and the parish schedules cantors to lead congregational singing both individually and in small groups. The music ministry also includes the Spanish choir, Cipriano, which rehearses weekly.
Other liturgical ministries include Altar Servers (open to students from fifth grade through high school after a short training session), Children's Liturgy of the Word (which reflects on the Sunday readings with school-aged children in the chapel during Mass), Greeters, Readers, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Sacristans, and Ushers. The ushers ring the bells of St. Boniface, St. Jacob, St. Joseph, and St. Clara before and after Masses, continuing a long-standing tradition in the parish.
Parish Life and Stewardship
St. Boniface lives by a strong stewardship culture. The Stewardship and Volunteer Coordinator, planned as a new part-time position through the parish's 2026 Living Our Legacy capital campaign, will help parishioners share their time, talent, and treasure across the many ministries of the parish. A Stewardship Online Form is available for those wishing to sign up.
Parish organizations include the Finance Council, the Pastoral Council, the Daughters of Isabella, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the Knights of Columbus, the St. Fiacre Gardeners, the Quilting Ministry, Heavenly Helpers, the Breakfast Ministry, the Visitation Ministry, and the Auction and Golf Tournament committees. Respect Life is an active parish ministry that participates in the diocesan 40 Days for Life campaigns in Lent and again in the fall at the Hope Clinic for Women in Granite City. GriefShare, the parish bereavement support program, complements the After Care group.
The parish also partners with outside groups that meet on its campus. Cub Scouts and Brownies use the Bona Lounge and other spaces for regular meetings. Mount La Verna Fraternity, a Secular Franciscan fraternity, gathers in the Acorn Room.
The Living Our Legacy Capital Campaign
Building on the 2017 Preserve Our Past, Form Our Future campaign, the parish launched Living Our Legacy: Renewing Our Worship, Strengthening Our Mission in 2026. The campaign's largest project is the installation of a fully refurbished 1954 pipe organ acquired through the Wick Company of Highland, Illinois, to replace the aging electronic organ in the church. Other major projects include cleaning and repainting the church ceiling, renovating and expanding the lower-level kitchen for funeral luncheons and parish gatherings, constructing a flexible additional meeting space adjacent to the Oak Room, building a maintenance and storage building at the parish cemetery with twenty-four-hour camera surveillance, replacing flooring and renovating restrooms in the 1912 school building, repainting the 1912 building's classrooms and hallways, and growing the parish school endowment.
Four years of pastoral staffing are also part of the campaign: a part-time Spanish Ministry Coordinator, a part-time Stewardship and Volunteer Coordinator, a full-time Youth, Young Adult, and Family Minister, and a full-time Pastoral Associate who will serve the homebound, nursing homes, and hospitals while coordinating adult faith formation, OCIA, marriage preparation, and Tribunal services. The total projected scope of the campaign is more than two million dollars.
Parish Staff and Leadership
Father Jeffrey Goeckner has served as pastor since July 1, 2007, and also serves as Dean of the Alton Deanery and as President of Father McGivney Catholic High School. A native of Bishop Creek, Illinois, and a 1995 graduate of Mundelein Seminary, he was ordained for the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois in May 1995. Before coming to St. Boniface, he served as Parochial Vicar at Our Lady of Lourdes in Decatur, as chaplain and faculty member at Saint Teresa High School, as pastor of Saint Elizabeth Parish in Robinson and Our Lady of Lourdes in Oblong, as pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Effingham, and as parochial administrator of St. Brigid Parish in Liberty and St. Thomas Parish in Camp Point.
He is assisted by Permanent Deacons Scott Keen and Rob Sgambelluri, Transitional Deacon Padrick Mulligan, and Deacon Emeritus Daniel Corbett, who also serves as a Tribunal Advocate. Patrick King is in formation as a deacon candidate. The parish office is led by Sarah Kreke, the Parish Office Manager and Administrative Assistant. Dale Renken is the Operations Manager, supported by a team of campus maintenance staff. Jessica Goebel is the Bulletin Editor and Communications lead, working with John Lednicky, the parish's tech specialist and communications partner. Ryan Hentz manages parish campus maintenance with Nathan Braun, Dustin Berry, and Nick Dettenmeier. The Director of Development is Emily Gates. Sue Papajcik serves as Parish School Financial Officer, Safe Environment and Volunteer Coordinator. Chris Warren is the Campus Safety Coordinator. The parish's safe environment reporting procedures follow the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois' guidelines.
The parish also partners with the Creighton Model FertilityCare System. Sue Deakos, a FertilityCare Practitioner, hosts informational sessions at the parish for those interested in learning to chart their fertility for family planning or to address conditions such as PCOS, endometriosis, and PMS.
History in Brief
The German Catholic community in Edwardsville began planning for a church of their own in the 1860s, and by 1866 they had purchased the ground for what would become St. Boniface. The parish was formally established on January 1, 1869, with Rev. Anton Rustige as the first pastor. A procession from St. Mary's Church on November 7, 1869, led by the Edwardsville Band, formally divided the Catholic community of Edwardsville into two parishes, one for the German parishioners and one for the Irish. The first baptism was recorded on January 1, 1869, and the first marriage on July 22, 1869. The original church was built at a cost of $14,000 by contractor H. Melcher of St. Louis, and a combination rectory and school was completed in 1871.
Rev. Augustine Schlegel arrived in 1881 and remained for more than fifteen years, during which the 1882 school building was dedicated on Thanksgiving Day. The 1896 arrival of Rev. Joseph Metzler brought electrical lighting, stained glass in the sanctuary, two additional bells in the steeple, and a relic of St. Boniface, gifted by the Rt. Rev. Adalbert of Fulda, Germany. A new and larger school was built in 1912 to replace the 1882 building, and St. Boniface Cemetery was purchased in 1915.
Rev. Ernest Eckhard began his pastorate in May 1919 and abolished pew rent in favor of the weekly envelope system, made the school the responsibility of the whole parish, and oversaw major repairs after 1924 termite damage. The parish band, founded in 1936, provided music education for years to come. A new convent was dedicated in 1960, and the sanctuary was remodeled in 1969 in the wake of Vatican II. The 1980s brought the Parish Center with its gym, designed by Henderson and Associates of Edwardsville and built by R. W. Bocker Co. of Hamel, and the long-running Bonifest community festival premiered in 1984.
Father John Corredato, a Cleric of St. Viator, served as pastor from 1995 to 2007 and led Project 2000, the major capital expansion that produced a 15,638-square-foot new church dedicated by Bishop George Lucas on November 11, 2003. Father Jeffrey Goeckner succeeded him in 2007 and led the parish through its 140th anniversary in 2009, its 150th anniversary in 2019, the founding of Fr. McGivney Catholic High School in 2012, the 2010 development of the parish Coat of Arms, the start of the Hispanic ministry in 2011, and the current Living Our Legacy campaign.
Celebration Garden, Cemetery, and the Coat of Arms
The Celebration Garden on the parish campus offers a place for the cremated remains of loved ones to be interred on church grounds. The St. Boniface Parish Cemetery, located away from the main campus, has been the resting place of parishioners since 1915. The campaign's planned maintenance and storage building, along with twenty-four-hour surveillance, will help keep the remote cemetery well cared for.
The parish Coat of Arms, developed in 2010, places the baptismal commitment at its center, with waves of flowing water, gold in the lower section embodying the warmth of God's grace flowing from the waters of Baptism, and a red cross in a circle signifying an unending willingness to embrace the Cross. A blue star in the upper section symbolizes the parish's devotion to Mary, Mother of God, and a crescent moon reflects fidelity to the Diocese. A strong evergreen tree stands at the center, crossed behind with the crosier of Saint Boniface and the axe with which he felled the pagan-venerated oak, from whose stump sprang an evergreen tree, his sign that God is stronger, everlasting, eternal, and always evergreen.
Joining the Parish
New parishioners are welcomed through the parish registration form. Visitors and newcomers are encouraged to sign up for Flocknote for parish news and alerts, and to follow St. Boniface on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram. Electronic giving, the Venmo account, and the online campaign giving page are all ways to support the parish, and the 2027 Annual Sponsorship program is open to local businesses and families who wish to underwrite parish events and communications in exchange for visibility across the parish's publications and digital channels.
St. Boniface Catholic Church remains, after more than 150 years, what its founders and its generations of pastors and parishioners have made it: a parish that gathers for Mass in English and Spanish, that forms its children and adults in the faith, that runs a school and helped to found a high school, that welcomes new Catholics through OCIA, that serves the grieving and the homebound, and that rings its bells to call the people of Edwardsville to worship.