Parish Life
Parish Life
Welcome to the website for St. Mary's, El Paso and St. John's, Benson. While separate parishes within the Diocese of Peoria, St. Mary's and St. John's are both pastored by Fr. Robert Rayson and share many activities such as VBS and a parish picnic.
In the Catholic Church, the Eucharist is the center of parish life. We teach that the Lord's body and blood and soul and divinity are present in the Eucharist. Furthermore, we teach that every Mass is a representation of the Lord's one saving sacrifice on the altar. We invite you to join us for Holy Mass, Adoration, Instruction in the Catholic Faith and for parish community life.
St. Mary's Church in El Paso was established in 1863. St. Mary's has a broad demographic represented in her families, particularly in her young families. There are many opportunities to serve the parish in our varied ministries. You are most welcome to join us for Mass on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. and Sunday at 10:00 a.m.
St. Mary's Parish was the place of baptism for Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, whose cause is up for beatification in Rome. Archbishop Sheen's tomb is located in St. Mary's Cathedral and pilgrims are welcome to visit and pray at the tomb.
St. John's Church in Benson was established in 1873. Both the parish and the town of Benson will celebrate their 150th anniversary in 2023. St. John's was staffed for years by the Franciscan Friars before the Diocese of Peoria took over the administration of the parish. St. John's is a small but young and vibrant parish community. There are a variety of ministries that our parishioners are engaged in which help them take ownership of the parish and serve the needs of others. You are most welcome to join us for Mass on Sundays at 8:00 a.m.