A Catholic Home on Pigeon Hill
St. Joseph Parish sits at 722 High Street on Pigeon Hill in Aurora, Illinois. From a single combination church and school opened in 1899, the parish has grown into a community of more than seven hundred families, served today by Father Godwin Asuquo, the eighth pastor in its history.
Built in 1898, Still Growing Today
Ten lots north of Mountain Street, between Root Street and High Street, were purchased in August 1898 for a new church and school. Ground was broken in September, and the parish was placed under the patronage of St. Joseph. Father Schmitt received his formal appointment on February 1, 1899, and the first Mass was celebrated in the new two-story building on October 1, 1899. The school opened that November with 225 students taught by the Sisters of St. Francis from Milwaukee, with Sister Isabella as the first principal.
By 1925 four more classrooms had been added to keep pace with an enrollment of 506 pupils. Father Schmitt served for forty years until his death in April 1940. His successor, Father Joseph J. Weitekamp, guided the parish through its fiftieth anniversary in 1949, when five hundred families were on the rolls. The cornerstone of a new, larger church was laid in October 1955. The first Mass in that church was offered on March 19, 1956, the Feast of St. Joseph, and Bishop Loras T. Lane dedicated the building on May 1, 1957, the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker.
After Father Weitekamp's death in 1963, Father Paul Tuchlinsky oversaw the completion of a new school and rectory that same year. Father Lawrence London followed in 1976, when the parish counted eight hundred families and three hundred students in a school staffed by seventeen lay and religious teachers. Bishop Thomas G. Doran dedicated the current Parish Center in December 1995 during the pastorate of Father Eric Barr. Father Jerome Leake took the helm in 1997 and Father Matthew J. McMorrow in 2019. Father Godwin Asuquo was appointed in June 2023, the eighth pastor of St. Joseph.
The Mission of the Parish
St. Joseph's mission statement names the work in a single sentence: "To be a visible sign of Christ's presence among us in the world, by living out the gospel message of God's love in ministry and service." Every ministry, school partnership, and outreach effort flows from that calling.
Sunday and Weekday Mass
Weekend Masses are celebrated on Saturday at 4:00 PM and on Sunday at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM. Daily Mass is offered Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at 7:00 AM, and on Thursday and Friday at 8:00 AM. Mass is also livestreamed and recorded for parishioners who cannot attend in person.
A Monthly Mass for the Deaf Community
Once a month, St. Joseph hosts a Deaf Mass in the Mary Mother of God Room at 9:00 AM on Sunday, with signing for worshippers who are deaf or hard of hearing. The parish also supports Catholics Come Home, a national effort to welcome those who have drifted from the Church, and offers Life Teen resources for teenagers.
Confession, Adoration, and the Rosary
The sacrament of Reconciliation is offered three times a week. On Wednesday morning, priests hear confessions from 7:30 AM until 8:00 AM. On Saturday, Confession runs from 3:00 PM until 3:40 PM, and on Sunday from 8:15 AM until 8:50 AM, before the 9:00 AM Mass.
On Wednesday mornings, the Blessed Sacrament is exposed for adoration after the 7:00 AM Mass and continues until noon, with Benediction at 12:00 PM. The rosary is prayed together on Tuesdays at 12:15 PM and on Saturdays at 3:30 PM, half an hour before Confession begins.
Baptism, Confirmation, First Communion, and Marriage
Baptisms at St. Joseph are usually celebrated on the first Sunday of the month, after the 9:00 AM Mass. Parents who are registered members of another parish need permission from their home pastor, and at least one godparent must be a practicing Catholic.
Confirmation is conferred by the Bishop of Rockford on candidates in seventh and eighth grade every two years. Young people who do not attend Pope St. John Paul II Catholic Academy prepare through a two-year program. Adults preparing for Confirmation journey through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA).
First Reconciliation and First Communion are part of a two-year journey that usually begins in first grade. Children must be baptized, enrolled in Faith Formation classes at St. Joseph or in a Catholic school, and accompanied by at least one parent who is actively participating in the parish Family Faith Formation program.
Couples should contact the parish office at least six months before the wedding date to begin preparation. The Anointing of the Sick can be arranged through the parish office at any time, with an emergency line available after hours.
Family Faith Formation and OCIA
The parish's Family Faith Formation program, also called FFF, gathers on Sunday mornings after the 9:00 AM Mass. The program is built around four commitments: learning more about the faith, sharing it in community, experiencing prayer and Catholic spirituality together, and growing in relationship with God and one another. Children preparing for sacraments learn and pray alongside their parents each week, and the program is open to children, teens, single adults, couples, families, and seniors.
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) walks inquirers through the seasons of prayer, Scripture, questioning, worship, and works of charity as they discern whether to become Catholic. There is no commitment required to begin.
Music Ministry
St. Joseph's Music Ministry welcomes singers and instrumentalists of every age and skill level. The Adult Choir, open to anyone fourteen and older, sings at Sunday Masses and rehearses on Tuesdays. The Children's Choir, drawn from grades two through eight, rehearses on Thursdays and sings monthly and for special celebrations. A contemporary Ensemble of instrumentalists leads music at the first and third Sunday Masses. A Funeral Choir offers comfort to grieving families when loved ones are laid to rest.
Liturgical Service at the Altar
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion assist with the distribution of the Eucharist at the Saturday evening, Sunday morning, and late morning Masses. Lectors proclaim the Word of God at the same liturgies. Altar Servers in fifth grade and above assist the priest at the altar, learning the rhythms of the Mass and taking a visible role in parish life. Training and formation are provided for each role.
Guadalupana Society and Hispanic Heritage
The Guadalupana Society has been part of St. Joseph Parish for generations, rooted in devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe and a strong tradition of faith, family, and service. Members support liturgical celebrations honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe, share hospitality, and keep these traditions alive for new generations. The society welcomes anyone who feels called to grow in Marian devotion and serve alongside fellow parishioners.
The Hispanic character of the parish is visible throughout the year, especially at the annual Oktoberfest, where German polka music shares the stage with Mexican banda, tamborazo, and folklórico dancers, and the grills turn out brats alongside tacos, tamales, and enchiladas.
Serving the Wider Aurora Community
The St. Vincent de Paul Society offers personal, compassionate support to neighbors in need. Members visit homes, listen carefully, and respond with practical help that preserves dignity and offers hope.
The PADS Ministry provides a monthly meal and a warm welcome at Hesed House, Aurora's shelter for people experiencing homelessness. On the first Sunday of each month, volunteers prepare and serve a meal, offer hospitality, and share time with guests.
The Respect Life Ministry is part of a nationwide Catholic effort to recognize, value, and defend the dignity of every human life from conception to natural death, through prayer, education, and advocacy.
Communion to the Homebound brings the Eucharist to parishioners who cannot attend Mass because of illness, age, or limited mobility. Trained volunteers visit homes, hospitals, and care facilities with prayer and companionship.
Father Godwin also founded ImaBridge, a charity that builds bridges of love in the United States and supports healthcare, drinking water, education, and entrepreneurial development in Africa.
Knights of Columbus and Other Ministries
The local council of the Knights of Columbus brings Catholic men together in faith, service, family, and charity. The Knights support parish events, charitable outreach, and families in difficult seasons.
Small Faith Groups meet in members' homes for prayer, Scripture, and fellowship. The Building and Grounds Ministry gathers volunteers of every age and skill to care for the church, the parish center, and the grounds.
For parishioners in need of pregnancy support, mental health counseling, or food, the parish office connects people with Waterleaf Clinic, Catholic counselors, Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry, and Hesed House.
Prayer Requests and Mass Intentions
The parish invites anyone in need of prayer to share an intention in several ways. The Prayers of the Faithful lift petitions during Mass. The Prayer Network gathers parishioners who commit to praying for one another and the world. A paper prayer basket in the narthex collects written requests for the weekend Masses. A Mass can also be offered for a living or deceased loved one, or in thanksgiving, with a customary offering of $10. The sanctuary candle may be lit for seven days for the same intention, also for $10.
MANNA Gift Card Program
MANNA is the parish's ongoing gift card fundraiser. Parishioners purchase gift cards for groceries and other everyday purchases at face value, and a percentage of each sale is rebated back to the parish and toward tuition at Pope St. John Paul II Catholic Academy. Orders are placed by 9:00 AM each Wednesday and picked up on Thursday evenings from 6:00 PM to 6:30 PM in front of the Parish Center.
The Parish Cemetery
St. Joseph Cemetery is located between Sullivan Road and Indian Trail on IL Route 25 in Aurora. The Catholic cemetery offers full burial as well as burial and interment for cremains, including a columbarium. The grounds are blessed and reserved as a sacred place of prayer and dignity for the faithful departed.
Catholic Schools
St. Joseph Parish works closely with Pope St. John Paul II Catholic Academy, which opened in the 2018-19 school year after the Diocese of Rockford and a local task force brought area Catholic schools together. The academy, dedicated to prayer, education, and service, serves families from across the wider community.
Older students from the parish attend Aurora Central Catholic High School, Marmion Academy, and Rosary High School, three Catholic secondary schools serving Aurora and the surrounding region.
Leadership and Office
Father Godwin Asuquo is the eighth pastor of St. Joseph Parish. A priest of the Diocese of Rockford since his ordination in 2003 by Bishop Thomas Doran, he joined the parish in June 2023 after serving other parishes as Parochial Vicar, Administrator, and Pastor. He also serves on the Diocesan Presbyteral Council and College of Consultors and is Spiritual Director for the Diocesan Legion of Mary and the Cursillo.
Suzy Banuelos coordinates Faith Formation and Religious Education. The parish office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM, with a lunch closure from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM, and on Friday from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM. The office is closed on holidays. Pastoral and financial decisions are guided by the Pastoral Council and the Finance Council, each made up of parishioners who advise the pastor in their area of expertise.