St. Mary's Church of Pecatonica

Welcome to the website for St. Mary's Church of Pecatonica, the Roman Catholic church located in Pecatonica, Illinois, and covering portions of Winnebago and Stephenson Counties, including the municipalities of Pecatonica, Ridott (partially), Seward, and Winnebago.

Religious education ("CCD") classes have finished for the school year.  We hope to have the use of the nearby school in the fall as we have in past years.  Pray that the pandemic ends soon and stay safe out there!

The members of the 2020 Purgatorial Society are now listed under a tab under "Liturgy."  These were the intentions noted on the All Souls Day envelopes, as well as on the envelopes for Christmas flowers. (If we misspelled any names, please let us know so we can correct them.)

NEW RULES FOR SERVICES

1. IF SICK, COUGHING, SNEEZING, OR HAVE A FEVER, DO NOT COME IN.  YOU ARE EXCUSED FROM ANY OBLIGATION TO ATTEND MASS THIS DAY.

2. IF YOU ARE NOT FULLY VACCINATED (I.E., IT HAS NOT YET BEEN TWO WEEKS AFTER YOUR FINAL SHOT), YOU MUST WEAR A MASK OR FACE COVERING.  (WE HAVE SOME MASKS AVAILABLE ON THE TABLE IN THE VESTIBULE IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ONE.)

3. HANDICAPPED AND COMPANIONS MAY SIT IN THE VERY FRONT ROW—ON THE RIGHT (ST. JOSEPH SIDE) IF ALL WEAR MASKS, ON THE LEFT (ST. MARY SIDE) OTHERWISE.

4.  EVERYONE ELSE MAY SIT ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE CHURCH THAT IS NOT TAPED OFF, EXCEPT THAT THE THREE AVAILABLE PEWS AT THE FRONT OF THE RIGHT SIDE ARE RESERVED FOR PEOPLE WEARING MASKS.  (ALSO NOTE THAT THE THREE AVAILABLE PEWS AT THE BACK OF THE RIGHT SIDE HAVE SOME SOCIAL DISTANCING BETWEEN THEM, BUT LESS THAN THE AVAILABLE PEWS AT THE FRONT OF THE RIGHT SIDE.)

5.  THERE WILL BE NO MORE SIGNING UP FOR SLOTS: IT WILL BE FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED.  HOWEVER, EVEN IF YOU GET TO MASS EARLY, PLEASE DO NOT SIT IN THE PEWS RESERVED FOR THE HANDICAPPED IF YOU ARE NOT HANDICAPPED OR WITH A HANDICAPPED PERSON, OR SIT IN THE PEWS RESERVED FOR PEOPLE WITH MASKS UNLESS YOU AND THOSE WHO SIT WITH YOU ARE ALL WEARING MASKS.

As we see the actual and relative numbers of the "masked" and "unmasked" change over time, we may make adjustments to these arrangements.  Our goal is to remain, and have all people perceive our church to be, a safe place to worship God and to receive God's grace to help us on our pilgrimage of life. 

Thank you for your cooperation as we navigate the changing landscape of the pandemic.  May God protect us all, and bring us all to eternal life, beginning in this life and blossoming in the next.

For some links on life matters, see the links below.

Please contribute to the 2021 Diocesan Annual Appeal (sometimes called the Diocesan Appeal or the Diocesan Stewardship Appeal).  We have reached our pledge target for this appeal year (May 2021 through April 2022) of $13,000.  However, we would appreciate additional donations to push our actual, collected pledges above our target.  This money goes to meet the financial needs of the diocese, including the diocesan administration, seminarian education, religious education support, programs for the poor, and other programs.  Any funds raised in excess of the target come back to the parish.  So, reaching or exceeding the target helps the diocese and helps the parish.  Please respond to the diocesan mailing for this appeal, either by dropping off or sending your donation to the parish, or sending it directly to the diocese.  If you send it directly to the diocese, please make sure you indicate that you want our parish credited with your contribution. Thank you for your generosity.

Thank you to everyone who has continued to send in envelopes. Feel free to continue to do so. The diocese has ended the ability to use their online giving system to donate to the parish.  We will be getting an online giving solution accessible from our website sometime in 2021.  Thank you for your patience in this matter. 

Thank you for your generosity, which has allowed our parish to be financially sound despite the pandemic and its restrictions.