Mass Schedule

Saturday  5pm St. Joseph, Freeburg

Sunday    8am St. Joseph, Freeburg

Sunday    10am New Athens

Weekdays

Tues & Thurs 8:15am Freeburg

Wed & Fri 8:15am New Athens

History

In the time of our beginnings, the year 1854, Father August Brickwedde came from St. Libory to offer Mass in the home of Andrew Hoffman on Dutch Hill, located on the Baldwin Road. We do not know how this long arrangement lasted but it is noted in later years that Father Karl Oberantacher (1868) from Freesburg offered Mass in the Geiger residence in New Athens. He also erected the first parish church in 1870 naming it St. Agatha. Bishop Joseph Baltes consecrated this new church. We were then part of the Diocese of Alton. Catholics form the communities of New Athens, Marissa, Lenzburg, and Darmstadt comprised the parish boundary and parish family.

In 1857 Belleville was made a Diocese and our first Bishop of Belleville was Bishop John Janssen. Meanwhile our parish continued as a Mission of Freeburg until 1894 when Father Bernard Hater become St. Agatha's first resident pastor. A new rectory was then built.

St. Agatha was designed by Bishop Janssen to become a Carmelite Community. They formed in 1901 and was to last for only three years. During this time new altars were purchased and the church was decorated. The Carmelite pastor, Father Marcius Walterbosch chose to join the Diocese and remained as pastor until 1923. These were productive years with the purchase of a convent and the coming of the School Sisters of Notre Dame.

Bishop Henery Althoff, 2nd Bishop of Belleville, was names in 1914. The parish continued through the hard years of World War I, the Depression and World War II served by several pastors and many sisters. During these years our Lenzburg Catholic children attended our school by riding the train.

Father Joseph LeGrand was named pastor in 1943. He redecorated the church, painted the altars white, attended the consecration of Bishop Albert Zuroweste, 3rd Bishop of Belleville, built a new school and purchased a new convent. In 1952 he rejoiced with the parish during the ordination of her first son to the priesthood, Father Matthew Lehn. Noting the growth of the parish and the smallness of the church he and the parishioners embarked on a very large endeavor, the building of a new church. In 1961 Bishop Zuroweste consecrated the second church of St . Agatha.

The centennial of the parish was celebrated in 1970 with Father Ralph Hass, the parish's new pastor. Busy years were to follow his twelve year pastorate. In 1976 Bishop William Gosgrove became the 4th Bishop of Belleville. The same year acknowledging a need of our Marissa parishioners a building was purchased in Marissa and a new C.C.D. school of religion began with a sizably amount of students taught by a dedicated lay faculty. Father Gary Gummercheimer was ordained in 1979 and proudly became the second son called to priesthood. Tragedy struck in 1980 with the burning of the rectory. Father Hass and his housekeeper were both hospitalized. Shortly after, a new rectory and parish hall were built.

In 1989, due to poor health, Bishop Cosgrove resigned and Bishop John Wurn became the 5th Bishop of Belleville. Bishop John Wurm shortly named Father Joseph Hansmann as St. Agatha's new pastor and then in but two short years Belleville's young Bishop died of cancer. Shortly after his death Father Hansmann resigned due to health and the Apostolic Administrator appointed St. Agatha's 18th pastor, Father Dean Braun.

Bishop James Keleher was installed as the 6th Bishop of Belleville in 1985. In 1989 Father Dean Braun resigned to serve as an Evangelist in Australia. Father Mel Haas replaced Father Braun, staying six months. In August 1990 Father Albert Kreher was appointed pastor serving until July 1995. In 1993, Bishop Keleher was named Archbishop of the diocese of Kansas City and in December of 1993, Wilton Gregory became the 7th Bishop of Belleville. On July 20, Father David Darin was installed as the 21st pastor of St. Agatha's.