Peoria diocese makes priesthood changes

Zach Roth

As part of a restructuring plan for the Catholic Diocese of Peoria, there were many changes in high-level priesthood positions.

For instance, Father Luke Spannagel, a parochial vicar with many of Peoria’s Catholic parishes, will become the new pastor at St. Philomena.

Spannagel has worked with the diocese since 2007, beginning with St. John Chapel in Champaign before making stops in Macomb and Raritan before becoming Chaplain of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s St. John Catholic Newman Center in 2014. He has past pastoral experience through his work in Urbana with St. Patrick Catholic Church and in Rock Island with St. Mary’s and Sacred Heart churches. He arrived in Peoria to work as a vicar in 2022.

Spannagel replaces Father David Richardson, who will become pastor of Epiphany Catholic Church in Normal. Richardson has been pastor at St. Philomena for the past 15 years, having worked with the diocese since 2003.

The diocese also announced that parochial vicars at St. Jude Catholic Church will assist in covering Spannagel’s former responsibilities, alongside current parochial vicar Thomas Gibson. The basic structure of St. Mary’s, Sacred Heart and St. Joseph churches will remain intact.

Details on assignments in Peoria and Stark counties

St. Mary of the Woods in Princeville and St. Joseph’s in Brimfield will merge with St. Dominic in Wyoming and St. John the Baptist in Bradford. St. Mary of the Woods will be the main parish, with the St. Joseph and St. Dominic buildings remaining in service. St. John the Baptist will close at some point in the next two years.

In the interim, Father Corey Krengiel will remain pastor at St. Mary of the Woods, with Father John Baptist Uwigawa being named pastor of the two Stark County parishes, replacing Father John Cyr.

Elmwood’s St. Patrick parish will merge with Kickapoo’s St. Mary Parish and School, with St. Mary’s being the primary worship site. Neither church building will close and Father James Pankiewicz will serve as pastor of the combined congregation.

St. Anthony of Padua in Bartonville and St. Edward in Chillicothe will not see any changes to their structure.

Changes in Tazewell County

St. Patrick’s parish in Washington will merge with St. Monica in East Peoria, with St. Patrick’s being the primary worship site. Father John Steffen will continue as pastor of the two congregations.

Delavan’s St. Mary’s parish will combine with St. Joseph’s in Hopedale, Immaculate Conception in Manito, St. Patrick’s

in Havana and St. Mary’s in Lewistown, with the Delavan church being the primary building. St. Patrick’s and St. Mary’s will close as a result.

In the meantime, Father Geoffrey Horton will remain pastor at St. Mary’s in Delavan and St. Joseph’s, with Father Sixmund Henry stepping in for Immaculate Conception, St. Patrick’s and St. Mary’s in Lewistown. The merger process for those is expected to take place over the next two years.

Blessed Sacrament in Morton and St. Joseph in Pekin will not see any changes to their parishes.

Diocese mergers in Woodford County

St. Luke in Eureka and St. Joseph in Roanoke will be merged into St. Mary’s in Metamora, with Father David Kipfer scheduled to serve as the pastor of the combined congregation. St. Luke and St. Joseph will close as a result of the merger.

St. Mary in El Paso and St. John in Benson will combine, with St. Mary’s serving as the primary site of worship. Father Robert Rayson will remain pastor of both congregations.

St. Mary of Lourdes in Germantown Hills will not see any changes in structure, but Father Eric Bolek will be promoted from administrator to pastor on July 1.

Other changes

In the Galesburg area, Immaculate

Heart of Mary, Corpus Christi and St. Patrick’s parishes in the city will merge with St. James in Williamsfield and St. Aloysius in Wataga, with the latter three closing their doors as a result. Immaculate Heart of Mary, the largest of the congregations with 372 parishioners, will serve as the primary site for worship.

The process for merging is expected to last for three years, with several changes to parish structure being made in the interim. Father Jeffrey Stirniman will become Immaculate Heart of Mary, Corpus Christi and St. Patrick’s pastor, with Father Christopher Magesa serving as parochial vicar. Stirniman had been pastor of Holy Trinity and St. Patrick’s parishes in Bloomington. He replaces Father Lee Brokaw, who will become the new chaplain of the St. John’s Newman Center in Champaign.

Father Deogratias Mpewo will serve as administrator at St. James, having previously served as a parochial vicar at Holy Cross in Champaign. Father DeusDedit Byabato will remain St. Aloysius’ pastor for the time being.

Immaculate Conception in Monmouth is slated to merge with St. Patrick’s in Raritan, with Immaculate Conception serving as the primary worship site. Immaculate Conception’s St. Theresa Catholic Church, which serves as a cluster parish, is slated to close as a result of the merger.

Father Timothy Hepner will remain pastor, but Monsignor Tom Mack will be moved into an emeritus role beginning on July 1.