St. Patrick Parish sits at 406 Walnut Street in Yorkville, Illinois, where Kendall County farms give way to a small city along the Fox River. With more than two thousand registered families, it is among the largest Catholic parishes in the western suburbs of Chicago, and one known for a daily rhythm that is unusually full for a single-site parish: morning Mass every day of the week, confession seven days a week, and Eucharistic Adoration that runs from morning until midnight on weekdays.
The parish takes its vision from its pastoral team. The stated mission is "to transform lives by making church matter, building disciples, and seeking and saving the lost." Members often describe the work in four movements: making church matter by giving people a reason to come back, building disciples through small groups and study, seeking the lost through outreach and formation, and transforming lives through the seven sacraments - particularly the Eucharist and Reconciliation, both of which are offered more often here than at most neighboring parishes.
Mass Times and a Day That Starts at Dawn
The weekend schedule offers four Masses. Saturday's vigil Mass begins at 4:00 PM. Sunday brings Mass at 8:00 AM, 10:30 AM, and 5:00 PM, with the 10:30 AM Mass also livestreamed for the homebound and those who cannot attend in person. Weekdays are no quieter: an 8:00 AM Mass is offered Monday through Friday, with a First Saturday Mass at the same hour each month.
Confession is available every day. Saturday confessions run from 3:15 to 3:45 PM, just before the vigil. On Sunday, the priest hears confessions from 9:45 to 10:15 AM and again from 4:15 to 4:45 PM, just before and just after the late Masses. Monday through Friday, the priest is in the confessional at 8:30 AM, immediately after morning Mass. Those who cannot make any of those windows can call the parish office to make an appointment.
Eucharistic Adoration is where the parish's daily life becomes most distinct. The chapel is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to midnight, and on Sundays from 6:00 PM until midnight. Volunteers called adorers commit to a specific hour each week, sitting quietly before the Blessed Sacrament. The parish has set a goal of restoring Perpetual Adoration and asks parishioners to sign up for a weekly hour to make this possible.
The Rosary, the Veneration of St. Gianna, and Other Prayer Rhythms
A Rosary Group meets in the church every day of the week. Members pray at 7:20 AM on Sundays before the 8:00 AM Mass, at 8:30 AM Monday through Friday right after Mass, and at 8:00 AM on Saturdays in the Adoration Chapel. A Prayer Group for Vocations gathers every Tuesday evening in the narthex from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. The group has met weekly since 2009 to pray for priests, seminarians, deacons, and religious brothers and sisters, and for the youth of the parish to hear and answer God's call.
On the last Saturday of every month, after the 4:00 PM Mass, the parish gathers for a St. Gianna Veneration Service. Relics of St. Gianna Beretta Molla, an Italian pediatrician and modern saint associated with mothers, physicians, and the unborn, are brought out for veneration. Prayer cards are available for those wishing to pray for healing for themselves or loved ones.
The parish's vision for prayer shapes its online rhythm as well. Homilies and full Masses are archived and shared. The 10:30 AM Sunday Mass is livestreamed each week, and the parish also livestreams Holy Days of Obligation and special Masses on its Facebook page and YouTube channel.
The Seven Sacraments, Celebrated Often
St. Patrick celebrates every Catholic sacrament, and several are offered with more frequency than is typical for a parish of its size.
Baptism
Infant baptisms are celebrated after the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass, with up to five families scheduled on a given Sunday. Parents are asked to be registered parishioners and to have attended a Baptism Class within the last three years before scheduling the ceremony. Classes are held on the second Wednesday of each month at 7:00 PM via video conference. Godparents must provide a signed certificate from their parish and, if Catholic, a Christian witness certificate. Baptism is described in the parish's teaching as "the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word" and "the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit" - language drawn from the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Reconciliation
Reconciliation is treated as a regular part of parish life rather than an occasional one. Beyond the daily confession schedule, the parish offers step-by-step guidance for anyone unsure how to go: examine your conscience, greet the priest with the sign of the cross, confess your sins, receive a penance, pray an Act of Contrition, accept absolution, and complete your penance as soon as possible. For children in second grade and above, First Reconciliation is offered as part of the Family Faith Formation program and is celebrated in the spring before First Communion.
First Communion
First Holy Communion follows at least two consecutive years of faith formation, with preparation classes in the second year. Children typically receive the sacrament in the spring. For those who are not yet ready to receive the Eucharist, the parish invites them to come forward in the Communion line with arms crossed over their heart to receive a blessing instead. Communion can be brought to the homebound by arrangement with the parish office.
Confirmation
Confirmation for middle school students follows two consecutive years in the Coming Together Nights (CTN) program for grades 7 and 8. Preparation includes four sessions, a retreat, and the reception of Reconciliation before the Confirmation Mass in the fall. Teens in high school and adults preparing for Confirmation follow the OCIA process (see below) or join dedicated summer Confirmation sessions - eight Monday or Wednesday evenings leading up to an October Confirmation Mass.
Marriage
Couples begin the wedding preparation process with a preliminary form, after which the parish office reaches out to walk them through the rest of the steps. The couple selects readings from Old Testament, New Testament, Gospel, and Responsorial Psalm options. Katie Tourt, who coordinates Baptisms and Weddings, assists couples with readings, music, logistics, and rehearsal. The parish also welcomes couples who are seeking convalidation of a civil marriage and helps parishioners through the annulment process when needed.
Anointing of the Sick
Those facing serious illness or surgery can call the parish office to arrange a visit with a priest. The sacrament is offered privately rather than on a fixed schedule, in keeping with its pastoral character.
Holy Orders
Men discerning a call to the priesthood are directed to the Diocese of Joliet's vocations office and to the Marians of the Immaculate Conception, the religious order that shepherded St. Patrick for several decades.
Funerals
Therese Kanabrocki serves as the funeral coordinator. Wakes are typically held at a funeral home rather than the church. The parish provides Old Testament readings, New Testament readings, and a list of approved songs for the funeral liturgy. Eucharistic Ministers from the parish also bring Communion to the homebound, those in nursing homes, and those in memory care through the Ministers of Care program.
Becoming Catholic Through OCIA
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) is the formal path into the Catholic Church for adults. The parish runs an open process: someone can begin whenever they are ready, and the team (sponsors and catechists) walks with them through sessions that combine spiritual formation, Scripture reflection, and catechesis on Catholic belief and teaching. The path serves three groups - unbaptized adults, baptized Christians from another tradition considering Catholicism, and baptized Catholics who never received First Communion or Confirmation. The culmination comes at a designated Mass when the individual receives the sacraments.
Dr. Catherine Sims, the OCIA and Liturgy Coordinator, hosts Inquiry Meetings several times a year. Adult Summer Confirmation runs every summer on Monday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 PM. Teen Summer Confirmation (ages 14 to 18) meets Wednesday evenings, leading to a Confirmation Mass in October.
Faith Formation From Kindergarten Through High School
The parish's youth formation has three pillars, each tuned to a different age group.
Children's Liturgy of the Word (K-3)
Children in kindergarten through third grade are dismissed from the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass for a 20- to 25-minute Liturgy of the Word led by Cheryl Gach. The program meets during the readings, Gospel, and homily, then returns to the main celebration with the rest of the assembly.
Family Faith Formation K-6
Family Faith Formation is built on the conviction that parents are the first catechists. Families gather once a month at the parish on either a Sunday (11:45 AM to 1:15 PM) or a Wednesday (6:00 to 7:30 PM) for a session that begins together and then splits: parents take part in adult formation while children meet in grade-level groups. Monthly formation guides, weekly family emails, family reflections, and guided Mass reflections extend the work into the home.
Coming Together Nights (7-8) and Confirmation
Middle school students in grades 7 and 8 are invited to Coming Together Nights (CTN), which meets Sunday evenings from 6:15 to 7:45 PM. The program centers on Catholicism 102, a formation resource that explores the Creed through topics like identity, happiness, God's plan of salvation, the Trinity, and discipleship. Students complete online modules at home and then gather for prayer, small-group discussion, fellowship, and a weekly faith challenge. Confirmation is celebrated in the fall of a student's second year.
High School Youth Ministry (HSYM)
High school students meet most Mondays from 6:00 to 7:30 PM in the Parish Center. Sessions combine prayer, study of the Sunday readings, and small-group discussion, with a kickoff each fall that includes volleyball, bags, football, soccer, and other lawn games. The program travels to the annual Steubenville Youth Conference. An Instagram account, @stpatrickhsym, keeps teens and parents current.
Special Needs Faith Formation
The parish partners with St. Mary Parish in Plano to offer the Joyful Hearts Club, a faith formation program tailored for students with special needs.
St. Mary Catholic School
St. Mary Catholic School, a K-8 school in Plano, is a long-standing partner for parish families seeking a Catholic elementary and middle school education. The Men's Club awards annual Catholic School Scholarships to help parish families with tuition.
Alpha, Life Groups, and the Adult Formation Calendar
For adults wanting to revisit the basics of Christian faith, the parish hosts Alpha - a series of eleven sessions built around a short video and small-group discussion. Alpha is run several times a year on Tuesday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 PM in the Parish Center, with dinner served at the start of each meeting. There is no cost, no obligation to speak, and no expectation of prior church involvement.
Life Groups are small communities of six to eight people who meet at least twice a month in a home or virtually. Each gathering follows the same rhythm: connect (share the week), grow (read and discuss a chosen text or topic), and pray (lift one another's intentions). Groups may be coed or single-gender and choose their own study with input from the parish.
Mothering with Grace gathers mothers on the second Monday of the month, from 10:30 AM to noon in the Parish Center, with children welcome. The group walks through the Gospel of Mark using the Formed video series "Lectio: Mark" with Dr. Tim Gray, with assigned readings between meetings.
Older adults have their own gathering in Fellowship55Plus, which plans trips to area churches and shrines, monthly luncheons with speakers, an annual Lent retreat, and a Christmas party. Membership is open to anyone 55 and older, parishioner or not.
Saints Galore is a long-running small community (founded in January 2011) that meets Mondays from 3:30 to 5:00 PM in Room 9 of the Parish Center. Members read about the saints, watch films about the saints, pray for one another's intentions, and occasionally host a Christmas party.
Music, Liturgical Ministries, and the Parish Team
Music is led by Director of Music Jeanne Fornari. The parish choir rehearses on Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 PM, September through mid-June, and sings at the 10:30 AM Mass on the second and fourth Sundays of the month. Cantors (audition required) and instrumentalists are also part of the music ministry. Young people interested in serving at the altar can join the Altar Server program starting in fourth grade.
Other liturgical roles are filled by parishioners through training and a flexible scheduling system. Liturgical teams include Lectors (who proclaim the readings and the parish announcements before Mass), Greeters and Ushers (who welcome and seat guests), Eucharistic Ministers (who distribute Communion at Mass and bring it to the homebound), and a Tech Team that runs slides, livestream, and audio for Masses and special events. An Art and Environment Team prepares the church for the seasons of the liturgical year.
Weekend Masses are coordinated by Lead Weekend Coordinator Sarah Dwinnells, Weekend Coordinator Laura Boudreau, Daily Mass Coordinator Debbie Miller, and Daily Mass Coordinator and Funerals Therese Kanabrocki.
Knights, Lady Knights, and Outreach in Kendall County
Service is a major part of parish identity. The parish is home to Council #14463 of the Knights of Columbus - God's Divine Mercy Council - which was chartered on February 24, 2008, with fifty-two original Knights and today counts more than 150 members. The Knights host the annual Father Jerry Memorial Golf Outing, the parish blood drive, fish fries during Lent, a meat raffle, a Tootsie Roll Drive for intellectual disabilities, the parish picnic, the Corpus Christi Procession, and a Christmas banquet. They support Steubenville trips for the youth, raise funds for the Special Olympics, and back organizations like Equine Dreams.
The Lady Knights Auxiliary, founded in July 2011 as a sister group to the Council, is open to any Christian or Catholic woman 18 and older. The Auxiliary runs Advent by Candlelight, Santa's Breakfast and Holiday Toy Drive, Thanksgiving luncheons for senior citizens, Lenten fish fries, parish pilgrimages, the parish picnic, and the Yorkville Fourth of July Parade.
Broader service includes:
- A Food Pantry Ministry whose twelve members take turns each month picking up Sunday donations from the narthex and delivering them to the Kendall County Food Pantry.
- A Funeral Luncheon Ministry that organizes side dishes, salads, and desserts for bereaved families.
- A Prayer Shawl Ministry that knits, crochets, and sews shawls - with a prayer knitted into each one - for parishioners in illness, grief, or difficult seasons.
- A St. Vincent de Paul Society chapter that meets monthly.
- A Respect Life Ministry focused on the sanctity of life from conception to natural death.
- A Rosary Guild that makes and repairs rosaries.
- A St. Gianna Shrine Committee that maintains the parish's devotion to St. Gianna.
The parish also supports the Diocese of Joliet's annual Catholic Ministries Annual Appeal (CMAA) and partners with FreeWill to make planned giving easier.
Giving, Stewardship, and Joining the Parish
Online giving is available through the parish's Amplify giving portal. Planned legacy gifts (life insurance, retirement assets, bequests, and charitable trusts) and Qualified Charitable Distributions from IRAs (for donors 72 and older) are welcomed. The parish is a 501(c)(3) organization with Tax ID 36-3535499.
Joining St. Patrick is done through an online registration form on the parish site. Registration in the parish is a prerequisite for many roles, including Baptism, serving as a godparent at the parish, and receiving sacraments at home with the parish's support.
A Parish That Spans 140 Years
The parish traces its roots to 1885, when St. Patrick Church was erected and dedicated in the nearby town of Bristol. In 1948, Bishop Martin McNamara of the Diocese of Joliet invited the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception to take over the mission. Land was acquired in the 1980s for future growth, and a large parish center on Walnut Street was built and dedicated in 1988. The last Mass at the Bristol church was celebrated on Palm Sunday 2000; afterward, the Eucharist was carried in procession to the new parish center in Yorkville.
Construction of a new worship space adjoining the parish center began in July 2000. On February 15, 2002, Bishop Joseph Imesch dedicated the building and designated the 117-year-old mission as an official parish. The founding pastor, Rev. Jerome Zalonis, MIC, served until 2007, when Rev. Dan Cambra, MIC, became pastor. Rev. Matthew Lamoureux, MIC, was pastor from February 2010 to February 2026. The parish is currently shepherded by Fr. Jerome Kish as Parochial Administrator, with Deacons Dale Metcalfe and Vic Puscas assisting.
The Marian heritage remains visible in the parish's identity, and daily Mass, weekly adoration, and a packed sacramental schedule continue to be the marks by which St. Patrick Parish on Walnut Street is known.