St. Patrick's Church, Joliet, IL
The FIRST Parish of the Joliet Diocese
The Patron Saints of Ireland
St. Patrick
Taken captive from his native Scotland to a local chieftain in Ireland, St. Patrick (387-461, Feast Day March 17) escaped his captivity and returned to Scotland, only to learn of the Celtic language and culture to return back to Ireland as a priest and bishop. St. Patrick’s fierce defense of the Irish faithful helped convert many of the local residents to the Catholic Faith. His efforts to fight off the pagan opposition (most notably the Druids), St. Patrick spent the major portion of his ordained ministry teaching the Irish faithful the tenets of the Catholic Church. His use of the local plant, the Shamrock, as a symbol of the Trinity became commonplace among the Irish faithful, along with the Triquetra (another symbol of the Trinity) and the Celtic Cross.
Established in 1838 as the oldest Church in the Joliet Diocese (and second oldest in Northern Illinois), Fr. John Francis Plunkett (the first pastor) and the faithful named our Church after this patron saint. From 1850-1858, the parish was renamed "St. George's Church" but in 1858, Fr. Patrick Farrelly renamed the Church back to this Irish patron.
St. Brigid
Next to the glorious St. Patrick, St. Brigid (c. 453-523; Feast Day February 1), has ever been held in singular veneration in Ireland. When about twenty years old, our Saint consented to receive her sacred vows. Her reputation for sanctity and her renown of Brigid’s unbounded charity drew multitudes of the poor to Kildare; the fame of her piety attracted thither many persons anxious to solicit her prayers. In course of time the number of these so much increased that thus was laid the foundation and origin of the town of Kildare. - From Butler’s Lives of the Saints
On February 1 of 2001, we celebrated our first Mass in our Daily Mass & Adoration Chapel named after St. Brigid. The chapel is used for daily Mass, adoration each day and special services throughout the year. Currently, the chapel is open from 7:30 a.m. until 7:00 p.m., Mondays through Fridays and usually is accessible most times during the day.
St. Columba
St. Columba (521-597, Feast Day June 6) was one of the greatest patriarchs of the monastic order in Ireland, and the apostle of the Picts. He learned from his childhood that there is nothing great, nothing worth our esteem or pursuit, which does not advance the divine love in our souls, to which he totally devoted himself with an entire disengagement of his heart from the world, and in perfect purity of mind and body. Being advanced to the order of priesthood in 546, he began to give admirable lessons of piety and sacred learning, and in a short time formed many disciples. St. Columba composed a rule which, is still extant in the old Irish. This rule he settled in the hundred monasteries which he founded in Ireland and Scotland. - From Butler’s Lives of the Saints.
On September 7th of 2013, Most Rev. R. Daniel Conlon blessed our social room at the parish in honor of St. Columba of Iona. Currently, the room is used for meeting space, social area, coffee and donuts and much more!
