Holy Trinity and Historic Saint Patrick are two Roman Catholic parishes on opposite sides of Bloomington, Illinois, served by a single pastorate within the Diocese of Peoria. Holy Trinity was established in 1853 and occupies a building at 106 W. Chestnut Street, near the heart of downtown. Historic Saint Patrick was established in 1883 as the parish "west of the railroad tracks," and its church stands at 1209 W. Locust Street. The two communities share clergy, faith-formation programs, and a common mailing address at the Parish Center, 711 N. Main Street. The parish office is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
Mass at the Two Churches
Weekend Masses are divided between the parishes. Holy Trinity offers Saturday Vigil Mass at 4:00 PM and Sunday Mass at 10:00 AM. Historic Saint Patrick offers Saturday Vigil Mass at 5:00 PM and Sunday Mass at 8:00 AM. On weekdays, Holy Trinity celebrates Mass on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 8:00 AM, and Historic Saint Patrick celebrates Mass on Tuesday and Thursday at 5:15 PM. Historic Saint Patrick also offers a First Saturday Mass at 8:00 AM. The parishes livestream Mass on their YouTube channel.
Confession and Eucharistic Adoration
Each church hears confessions before the weekend Masses. At Holy Trinity, confessions are heard Friday from 7:00 to 7:45 AM and Saturday from 3:00 to 3:45 PM. At Historic Saint Patrick, confessions are heard Tuesday and Thursday from 4:15 to 5:00 PM and Saturday from 4:15 to 4:45 PM. Eucharistic Adoration is offered on the same mornings at Holy Trinity (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 7:00 to 7:45 AM) and on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at Historic Saint Patrick (4:15 to 5:00 PM).
Faith Formation on Wednesday Evenings
Children who attend public school receive Catholic religious instruction through the parish CCD program. Classes meet on Wednesdays from 6:15 to 7:15 PM for grades 1 through 8 at the Saint Vincent de Paul Building, 705 N. Roosevelt Street, Bloomington, the former Holy Trinity junior high. Classes run from September through April. Two years of preparation are required before First Holy Eucharist, and Confirmation preparation is a two-year process beginning in seventh grade. The children's Faith Formation Coordinator is Lucy Reynolds. Catholic-school students receive religious instruction through Corpus Christi Catholic School (Pre-K through 8th grade) or Central Catholic High School.
OCIA for Adults Seeking the Catholic Faith
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) meets on Wednesday evenings from 6:15 to 7:30 PM at the Parish Center in a "come and see" format. The program runs from early September through Easter and is intended primarily for unbaptized seekers; baptized non-Catholic Christians may also participate. Priests, deacons, and lay instructors present an ordered, structured teaching about the Catholic Church so that those discerning can make an unhurried and informed decision about entering the Church at Easter.
The Seven Sacraments
The parishes prepare members for each of the seven sacraments. Parents seeking Baptism for an infant or young child must be registered and active members and are required to attend a baptism-responsibility class with Deacon Al Lundy. First Reconciliation precedes First Holy Communion, and both are normally received through parish formation or at the parish school. Youth begin a two-year Confirmation program in seventh grade; adults who have not yet been confirmed are invited to contact Fr. Steven Loftus or David Liptak, Director of Discipleship. Couples preparing for Holy Matrimony are asked to contact the pastor at least nine months before the planned wedding date. The Anointing of the Sick is available to gravely ill Catholics, those with chronic afflictions, the elderly, and those facing serious operations; arrangements are made through the parish office. Catholic funerals follow the Order of Christian Funerals, including Vigil, Mass, and Committal rites; the cremated remains of a Catholic must be buried rather than scattered or made into jewelry.
Men discerning a call to the priesthood are encouraged to speak with the pastor or parochial vicar and to learn about Emmaus Days, an annual discernment retreat offered by the diocese.
Music for the Mass
Dr. Cody Parrott directs the music for the 10:00 AM Sunday Mass at Holy Trinity. Mr. Michael Lieder directs the music for the 8:00 AM Sunday Mass at Historic Saint Patrick. Singers interested in joining either choir are invited to contact the directors.
Serving at the Altar
Parishioners can serve the parishes as lectors, altar servers, ushers, and greeters. Lectors proclaim the Word of God with reverence, good volume, and distinct pronunciation, and are coordinated by Deacon Al Lundy. Altar servers are young people in third grade through senior year who have received First Communion and genuinely wish to serve; they are needed for Saturday evening and Sunday morning Masses. Ushers and greeters welcome worshippers, answer questions from visitors, open the doors before and after Mass, take up the collection, assist the gift-bearers, and hand out bulletins after Mass; they are organized under Deacon Joe Knapp.
Cemeteries and Catholic Burial
The parishes care for cemeteries in Bloomington and Normal. Holy Cross Cemetery in Normal, at the corner of College Avenue and Cottage Avenue, has both adult and infant plots available. Holy Cross Cemetery in Merna is administered through Most Holy Eucharist Parish (Saint Patrick of Merna). Saint Mary Cemetery at 1806 West Washington Street in Bloomington has no plots currently available for purchase. Saint Joseph Cemetery in Bloomington is administered through Saint Mary Church. Ellen Schroeder, the cemetery manager, can be reached through the parish office.
Hearing Assistance and Parking
Holy Trinity offers a Wi-Fi assistive-listening system called WaveCAST. Worshippers can stream the audio to a personal device using the WaveCAST app (available for iOS and Android) or check out a Wi-Fi receiver at the church. At Holy Trinity, parking is available on Main Street next to the church, at the Parish Center on the east side of Main Street, in the lot north of Chestnut Street, and at the lot on the corner of Chestnut and Center, which includes handicap parking and elevator access.
Clergy and Ministry Leaders
Fr. Steven Loftus serves as pastor of the two parishes, with Fr. Bowan Schmitt as parochial vicar. Two deacons assist in the work of the parishes: Deacon Joe Knapp and Deacon Al Lundy. Music is led by Dr. Cody Parrott at Holy Trinity and Mr. Michael Lieder at Historic Saint Patrick; Lucy Reynolds coordinates children's faith formation; and David Liptak serves as Director of Discipleship.