A Catholic Parish on Kaneville Road
St. Peter Catholic Church sits along Kaneville Road on the west side of Geneva, Illinois, in the Fox River valley west of Chicago. The parish is home to more than 2,600 registered Catholic families and presents itself as a vibrant, evangelizing community seeking "to be Living Christ, with love for God and neighbor in our hearts, minds, souls and actions." A parish school sits on the campus, and the grounds also include the Panis Angelicus Adoration Chapel, a worship space open around the clock for prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. Fr. Ryan Browning, who writes the parish's welcome note, frames the parish as a place where the practical and the spiritual meet.
The parish belongs to the Diocese of Rockford and gathers Sunday after Sunday for Mass in three morning assemblies plus a Saturday vigil. Confession is heard twice a week, food and household help flow through the parish food pantry and St. Vincent de Paul conference, and a wide network of ministries reaches from cradle to grave: from OCIA for those thinking about becoming Catholic, to bereavement support for families grieving the loss of a baby.
Mass, Confession, and the Panis Angelicus Chapel
The parish's weekly Mass schedule centers on three Sunday assemblies and a Saturday vigil, with daily Mass each weekday morning and on Saturday morning. Confession is heard twice a week in the church, and the parish's adoration chapel remains open every hour of every day.
- Saturday Vigil: 4:30 pm
- Sunday: 7:00 am, 9:00 am, 11:00 am
- Daily Mass, Monday through Friday: 7:00 am and 8:35 am
- Saturday morning Mass: 8:00 am
- Holy Days of Obligation: 7:00 am, 8:35 am, 7:00 pm
The 9:00 am Sunday Mass is livestreamed each week for those who cannot attend in person through the parish's YouTube channel, available at St. Peter YouTube. Confession is offered on Tuesdays at 6:00 pm and Saturdays at 8:30 am, running "until all are heard."
Next to the parish office on the west side of the church sits the Panis Angelicus Chapel, devoted to perpetual Eucharistic Adoration. The name comes from a hymn by St. Thomas Aquinas referring to the "Bread of Angels," the divine sustenance of the Eucharistic Lord. The chapel is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for anyone who wishes to spend time with Jesus in prayer. Adorers can sign up for a committed holy hour; those wishing to pray between 10:00 pm and 6:00 am receive a swipe card from the parish office for secure late-night access.
Living Christ in Worship, Family, and Service
St. Peter states its mission in three simple lines that the parish prays to live out: to be Living Christ in worship, to be Living Christ in parish and family life, and to be Living Christ in loving service to God's people in the community and the world. The parish describes itself as a community of believers united in love for Jesus Christ and the Church He founded, with members from varying backgrounds and a particular openness to those considering becoming Catholic.
The parish is led by Fr. Ryan Browning as pastor and Fr. Ryan Nooraee as parochial vicar. Fr. Nooraee had previously served at St. Peter as a seminarian and deacon before returning as a priest in his current role. Deacon Greg D'Anna serves as permanent deacon. John Peters is the school principal. Daniel Schroeder directs the music ministry. Nicole Billapando leads Religious Education for kindergarten through eighth grade. Michelle Tack coordinates evangelization. Together with the office and operations staff, they keep the parish running day to day.
Becoming Catholic through OCIA
Adults who want to become Catholic, or who were baptized Catholic but never received the other sacraments, are invited into the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, known at St. Peter by its newer name, OCIA. The parish welcomes those who have never been baptized, those baptized in other faith traditions who now feel called to Catholicism, and those who were baptized Catholic and now want to receive First Communion or Confirmation. The program walks with inquirers through the seasons of preparation toward full initiation, normally at the Easter Vigil. A line from Luke's Gospel, "your brother was dead and has come to life again; He was lost and has been found!," is offered as the parish's invitation.
Family Faith Formation and St. Peter School
St. Peter's Religious Education program, called Family Faith Formation, equips parents to pass on the Catholic faith as primary educators of their children. Classes run one Wednesday evening a month from September to May for parents and children in kindergarten through eighth grade, in two parts. The first part is the in-church session from 6:00 to 7:30 pm, where parents begin with prayer and a presentation on the same topic as their children, then receive an overview of the in-home lessons for the coming weeks. The second part is the in-home session each week, designed to take about an hour, where parents guide their children through the lesson using materials delivered in monthly Faith Carry Out Boxes.
The three-year curriculum follows the liturgical cycle, is driven by Scripture, references the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and prepares children to receive Reconciliation and First Holy Communion in second grade and Confirmation in eighth grade. Registration is open each spring for the following academic year, with sliding-scale fees that drop significantly for families who volunteer in the program. First Communion and Confirmation each have their own parent meetings, retreats, and sacramental milestones. The Totus Tuus summer program supplements the regular RE year for children entering grades 1 through 6 and youth entering grades 7 through 12.
St. Peter School, the parish's own school, sits on the parish grounds and shares the campus with the church. It is led by Principal John Peters and is one of the reasons so many parish families stay connected to the parish year after year. The school community partners with parish ministries: the school children ran an ice-bucket-style challenge and a Halloween walk to raise money for SVDP school supplies for Geneva children in need.
Serving at the Altar
The parish is always looking for help at Mass, and there are eight ways to take a more active role in the Sunday liturgy. Training is provided for each role.
- Altar Servers assist the priest at Mass and other devotions. Boys and girls in fifth grade and up, plus high school students, can serve. Most servers are scheduled one to two times a month.
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion must be fully initiated Catholics who assist the priest with the distribution of Holy Communion and choose the Mass times that fit their own schedule.
- Lectors proclaim the scripture readings at weekend and weekday Masses after a brief training.
- Sacristans arrive early for Mass, set up the altar, prepare the gifts of bread and wine, and attend to any special needs for the celebration.
- Mass Stewards greet parishioners as they arrive and are available for new families and those with questions before, during, and after Mass.
- Live Stream Attendants run the livestream for the 9:00 am Sunday Mass, a one-and-a-half to two-hour weekly commitment.
- Ministry to the Homebound sends a dedicated team to visit those who are hospitalized, homebound, or in nursing homes and keep them connected to the parish and the Eucharist.
- Baptism Ministry welcomes children into the Church through the sacrament of new life; volunteers usually serve once every other month.
Members of the Mass ministries describe the experience as deepening their appreciation of the Mass and the presence of Christ in it, with several noting how families serve together, including children who learn about the Mass and the faith by being altar servers.
Music at the Liturgies
Three ensembles fill the church with music each Sunday. The Parish Choir, made up of soprano, alto, tenor, and bass singers, serves at the 9:00 am Mass and rehearses on Tuesdays from 7:30 to 8:45 pm in the church. The Ensemble, a group of singers and instrumentalists, serves at the 11:00 am Mass and rehearses on Thursdays from 7:30 to 8:45 pm in the church. Cantors, skilled vocalists who lead the congregation in song, serve at the 4:30 pm Saturday Mass during the school year and at special Masses and Holy Days throughout the year. An audition with the Director of Sacred Music, Daniel Schroeder, is required to serve as a cantor.
Respect Life, from Conception to Natural Death
St. Peter's Respect Life Ministry considers more deeply why every human life is valuable and works to build a culture that protects life from conception to natural death. The ministry gathers for several ongoing activities: monthly rosaries for Life after Masses on second Sundays, routine monthly prayer vigils on third Wednesdays at Planned Parenthood, and special prayer events throughout the year. The ministry also staffs a Rosebud display in the church, to the left of the baptismal font, where parishioners can place a colored rose and a prayer card for intentions such as a struggling parent, the loss of a baby, someone discerning adoption, or someone experiencing regret after an abortion. A group of prayer warriors receives newly placed intentions each month and prays for them.
The Respect Life Ministry also staffs several companion ministries. Nourish is a peer support and spiritual nourishment group for caregivers, with monthly meetings for those caring for a loved one. End of Life Ministry offers education on end-of-life rights and assisted suicide from a Catholic perspective. The Walking with Moms and Walking with Women in Need ministries extend the respect life mission into practical accompaniment.
Walking with Moms in Need
The Walking with Moms in Need Ministry, a part of the parish's Respect Life Ministry, exists to help moms in need experience the love of Jesus Christ through every encounter with the parish. While providing baby items is an important part of the ministry's outreach, the mission goes well beyond material support: every mom should be seen, valued, loved, supported, and prayed for as she is accompanied on her parenting journey.
Volunteers maintain an inventory of essential baby items and update a Current Needs List with specific requests, sometimes flagging high-priority items such as specific diaper sizes or formula. Parishioners and friends of St. Peter can claim an item from the list, purchase it, and drop it under the coat racks in the Narthex hallway. Moms in need are invited to visit outside the St. Peter Food Pantry on the second Wednesday of each month from 7:30 to 11:00 am or 5:30 to 7:00 pm, with any ID accepted. The ministry also operates a 24/7 phone line at 630-232-0124 ext. 222 where messages are returned by ministry companions, and offers one-on-one companioning for moms who want someone to walk with them through pregnancy, postpartum, or any stage of motherhood. Support is open to everyone, not only parishioners or Catholics.
Baby Loss and Miscarriage Ministry
Few ministries reach into such tender territory as the parish's Baby Loss and Miscarriage Ministry, which seeks to provide a place of love and care for those affected by miscarriage, stillbirth, and other types of baby loss. The ministry organizes itself around three focus areas: practical guidance for moms during and immediately following a loss, coming alongside grieving moms and families, and remembering and praying for the babies who have died.
The parish office can relay urgent needs to the priests around the clock, and the parish staff can help connect families to additional resources. A funeral or special blessing can be arranged through the parish's Coordinator of Operations and Parish Hospitality, Colette McKenna. Malone Funeral Home, owned and run by St. Peter parishioners, is sensitive to the needs of families experiencing miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant loss. Resurrection Cemetery in Geneva, owned and maintained by the Rockford Diocese, has a special place called the Holy Innocents Shrine where a child can be laid to rest, often at no cost. The parish also offers Hope and Healing Boxes containing special resources for prayer, grief, and remembrance, and coordinates meal trains through the MOMs group for families who have just lost a baby. A bereavement group meets several times a year for six consecutive weekly sessions. A Certified Child Life Specialist walks alongside siblings and families as they grieve the loss of a child.
Each year the parish hosts a Mass of Hope for parents and families who have lost a child at any stage of life. The Mass is one of the parish's signature gatherings of prayer and remembrance.
The Food Pantry
The St. Peter Food Pantry is open the second and fourth Wednesday of each month from 8:00 to 11:00 am and 5:30 to 7:00 pm. Volunteers welcome neighbors who need groceries and other essentials, with both English and Spanish-speaking volunteers on hand. The pantry is one of the parish's largest ministries of mercy and is paired with the Walking with Moms outreach on the second Wednesday each month.
St. Vincent de Paul
The St. Peter Geneva Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a lay organization inspired by Gospel values and rooted in the example of Blessed Frédéric Ozanam and St. Vincent de Paul. Vincentians grow in holiness through works of charity, and the parish's own conference is committed to helping parishioners and Geneva residents facing hardship regardless of religion, ethnicity, or social background.
Through personal home visits, Vincentians assist with short-term emergency needs including housing and rent assistance, utility bills, car repairs, food, clothing and gas, medical and dental costs, and referrals to other community services. The local conference serves parishioners of St. Peter or residents of Geneva through a hotline at 630-232-0124 ext. 310; someone usually responds within 24 to 48 hours on weekdays, often in the evening. Monetary donations can be dropped in the SVdP collection box at either entrance to the church, and vehicles can be donated by emailing svdp@stpetergeneva.org. Donations of boxed clothing can be brought to the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Shop at 427 S 4th Street in Geneva, and donations of boxed furniture, pots, pans, sheets, and towels go to the SVdP Warehouse in Aurora. Members meet on the second and fourth Thursdays at 6:30 pm in the Muldoon Room in the church basement. The annual Friends of the Poor Walk, held in late September along the Fox River Trail starting at Fabyan Forest Preserve in Geneva, raises funds that stay entirely in the local community to help neighbors in need.
Men, Women, and Bible Study
St. Peter offers a robust set of small groups for adults in every season of life. The men's ministry includes "That Man is You," a Paradisus Dei video and small-group program that meets Saturday mornings at 6:45 am, and the Knights of Columbus. Men's Basketball gathers at 7 pm on Sunday nights in the St. Peter Gym for fellowship and friendly competition.
For women, She Shall Be Called Women hosts a nine-week series called "Restored to Radiance," with both morning and evening Thursday sessions and the ability to switch between them. The MOMs Group offers fellowship, connection, and nourishment on the mothering journey, with meals for times of need and monthly meetups. Mustard Seeds is a women's Bible study that meets Fridays from 9:30 to 11:30 am at the parish, focused on Scripture and Catholic apologetics. Nourish for Caregivers offers monthly meetings for those who care for a loved one.
Youth Ministry: Summer Camp and Steubenville
The parish's youth ministry centers on the conviction that young people are loved by God and called to authentic relationship with Christ. The Kerygma, the foundational message of God's love and of Jesus's death and resurrection, is at the heart of the formation offered to teens.
Summer Camp is a four-day, three-night retreat for teens entering grades 6 through 8, held in conjunction with St. Patrick Catholic Church. The week combines the best parts of a typical summer camp with prayer, Mass, and the Sacraments at Covenant Harbor in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Partial and full scholarships are available so that finances are never a reason a teen cannot attend. High school students in grades 9 through 12 may apply to serve as counselors after an application and interview process. For older teens, the parish also offers trips to the Steubenville Mid-America youth conference at Missouri State University in Springfield, where thousands of teens gather for dynamic speakers, music, the Sacraments, small-group discussion, and fellowship.
Hallow, Bonus Bucks, and Other Tools
The parish has partnered with Hallow, a Catholic prayer app, to offer parishioners a way to pray together throughout the year. Free users can join the parish community in the app to share prayer requests and participate in prayer challenges, while premium subscribers can receive 50 percent off an annual subscription through the parish's promo code for the duration of the partnership.
Bonus Bucks is the parish's long-running gift card rebate program, in operation for 17 years and credited with helping families earn more than half a million dollars toward educational expenses and donations, plus nearly $200,000 toward parish debt and expenses. By purchasing gift cards at face value through the RaiseRight platform, parishioners earn a rebate on each purchase, redeemable twice a year toward educational expenses, parish Religious Education fees, donations to a St. Peter ministry, or another family.
Online giving is available through the parish's online hub for one-time and recurring gifts, with credit card and direct-debit options. The parish maintains a presence on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, where the Sunday Mass is livestreamed. The Faith, Hope, and Works blog publishes reflections on Scripture, Church teaching, and parish life, including recent entries on Pope Leo XIV's encyclical Magnifica Humanitas.
From the perpetual adoration in the Panis Angelicus Chapel to the food pantry tables and the small group rooms, St. Peter's daily rhythm is built on the conviction that every person in every season of life deserves to be accompanied. The parish's motto, drawn from St. Peter himself, captures that spirit: "Man's salvation and perfection consists of doing the will of God, which he must have in view in all things, and at every moment of his life."