The Catholic parishes in Henry County are undergoing changes this month, with one church closing altogether and others seeing new priests assigned to their parish.
The Catholic Diocese of Peoria is closing Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Annawan at the end of this month.
For the past few years, parishioners at St. Anthony in Atkinson and St. Patrick in Sheffield have attended mass at Sacred Heart.
Starting in July, those parishioners will instead attend mass at St. Anthony.
In a letter in May 2024 to the Sacred Heart parishioners, Bishop Louis Tylka of the Peoria diocese wrote that the change is part of the diocese’s Growing Disciples program, a plan for the future of the churches in the diocese.
“St. Anthony in Atkinson, Sacred Heart in Annawan, and St. Patrick in Sheffield will be merged to become one new parish, with a primary worship site at St. Anthony. This parish will also care for the Shrine of St. Mary of the Fields. Sacred Heart in Annawan will not be in use,” the letter said.
Rev. Stephen Engelbrecht will remain pastor of St. Anthony and Sacred Heart parishes and will take over as pastor at St. Patrick. Rev. Albert Mwita Mung’aho has been appointed administrator of St. Patrick.
Church officials say attendance at masses has been declining. A recent national survey indicated that only 20 percent of Americans identify as members of an organized church.
The county’s other Catholic churches aren’t changing, but last month the diocese announced clergy reassignments that affect all the parishes.
In Kewanee, Rev. Chris Haake has been transferred from the role of parochial vicar at St. John Paul II Parish, John the Apostle Parish in Woodhull, St. John the Evangelist Parish in Galva and St. John Vianney Parish in Cambridge, to parochial vicar at St. Malachy Parish in Geneseo.
Rev. Ghislain Inai remains pastor at St. John Paul II and is relinquishing the responsibilities of St. John in Galva.
Monsignor Michael Bliss is moving from the role of pastor at St. Philhomena Parish in Monticello and St. Michael Parish in Bement to pastor at St. John in Galva. He also will serve parishes in Woodhull and Cambridge.
