Holy Cross Catholic Church, formally the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, stands at 405 West Clark Street in Champaign, Illinois. The parish carries the motto Always Home, Always Family and centers its life on the celebration of the Mass and the seven sacraments. Founded in 1912 in the wake of a tornado that destroyed the nearby St. John's Church, Holy Cross has grown into a parish of more than a century, with a Catholic elementary school on the same campus, three Sunday liturgies supported by two choirs, and an extensive network of volunteer ministries that animate parish life week after week.
A Cornerstone on Clark Street
The parish traces its origin to 1912, when Bishop Edmund Dunne sent a newly ordained priest, Father William Frawley, to rebuild Catholic life on the west side of the Champaign railroad tracks. Frawley laid the cornerstone in August of that year at the southeast corner of Clark and Elm streets and celebrated the first Mass in the new brick church on December 22, 1912. The building housed both the school and the convent, a self-contained Catholic campus on what would become the heart of the parish.
Within seven years the parish had outgrown that original structure, and Father Frawley commissioned the Chicago architect Zachary Taylor Davis, known for his work on other diocesan and state projects, to design a larger church. The site on the corner of Clark and Prairie was blessed in November 1920, the cornerstone was laid in November 1921, and the first Mass in the present church was celebrated in December 1924. Father Frawley was raised to the rank of Monsignor in 1931 and died in 1939, leaving behind a thriving school and the red-roofed sanctuary that has shaped parish identity ever since.
The twentieth century brought wave after wave of growth. Father Clarence Higgins, who had served as an Army chaplain during the First World War, succeeded Monsignor Frawley and guided the parish through the Second World War, opening the church doors for prayer after Pearl Harbor and on D-Day and working with the local rabbi to assist Jewish families in the aftermath. He was raised to the rank of Monsignor in 1951 and retired in 1960.
The baby boom that followed strained the school, and in 1953 Holy Cross opened a new facility on White Street, advertised at the time as having thirteen classrooms, a gymnasium with seating for two thousand for stage presentations and eight hundred for games, and a tiled cafeteria kitchen with the latest in stoves and dishwashers. The 1960s brought further expansion: Father McGinn, pastor from 1960 to 1969, led the parish in raising five hundred thousand dollars for a new school annex and a second church, St. Matthew's. In keeping with the reforms of Vatican II, McGinn began a lay apostolate program with adult education and catechesis for public school children.
In 1983 Father Bernard Render, pastor from 1969 to 1984, worked with University of Illinois art professor Harry Breen on a major renovation. Major changes included painting the church in earth tones with a deep blue star-studded celestial ceiling, creating the altar, ambo, and presider's chair, building a baptismal side chapel decorated with a peacock, moving the confessionals to the front of the church, and placing sculptures of Mary and Joseph in the transept arms. Under Father Richard Mullen, pastor from 1984 to 1997, the parish launched a fund drive to build additional classrooms and a new Parish Center; the rectory was donated to a women's shelter and moved across town with the city's help. To make way for the White Street school addition, the 1912 red brick building that had been the original church and school was demolished in 1988. Mullen also oversaw the restoration of the stained-glass windows installed by the Emil Frei studio shortly after the 1924 opening.
In the late 1990s Monsignor Hallin oversaw the final three-story addition to the White Street school, complete with a library and computer labs, and the cornerstone from the 1912 church was reused in the northwest corner of the addition as a nod to parish history. He also led a vicariate-wide effort that brought St. Thomas More High School to Champaign, dedicated in the summer of 2000 by Francis Cardinal George, Archbishop of Chicago, and Peoria Diocese Bishop John J. Myers. The parish celebrated its hundredth birthday in 2012 with events throughout the year, and Feast Week has become a beloved annual tradition. In 2013 the Salesian Order accepted Bishop Jenky's invitation to serve the parish, and Father Dave Sajdak was appointed pastor along with Fathers Bibiana and Bucciferro. Father Dave instituted a weekly Marian Mass and began a Cenacle of the Divine Mercy. The Salesians left in 2017 and were succeeded by Father Donton, who guided the parish through pandemic closures with drive-through communion and blessings in 2020. Father Leopold Mushobozi arrived in August 2021 with his famous refrain "God is Good, All the Time!" Monsignor Brian Brownsey became pastor in June 2024. He has since moved the altar back to the center of the sanctuary to emphasize the centrality of the Eucharist, and for the first time since 1912 installed real bells in the bell tower.
Weekly Mass and the Rhythm of the Sanctuary
The Mass schedule at Holy Cross follows the pattern of a traditional Catholic parish, with three Sunday celebrations and a Saturday Vigil. Saturday evening Mass is offered at 5:30 p.m. Sundays bring Mass at 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., and 4:00 p.m. Weekday Masses are said at 7:00 a.m. on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, and at 8:15 a.m. on Friday. The 10:00 a.m. Sunday Mass is the principal parish liturgy, supported by the Parish Choir and usually the most heavily attended.
Wednesday evening includes a devotion to the Blessed Sacrament from 5:30 to 6:00 p.m., followed by the 6:00 p.m. Mass. On Fridays, after the 8:15 a.m. Mass, the Blessed Sacrament is exposed for adoration, with Benediction offered at 2:30 p.m. The parish uses these regular hours of prayer as the backbone of its liturgical life.
Reconciliation and Adoration
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered at multiple times throughout the week. On Saturday confessions are heard from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., an hour before the Vigil Mass. On Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday mornings priests are available in the church from 6:30 to 6:45 a.m., and on Friday mornings from 7:45 to 8:00 a.m. Confessions are also available by appointment through the parish office.
The Seven Sacraments
Holy Cross celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments and provides detailed preparation for each. Baptisms are scheduled on the second and fourth Sundays of the month, either during or after the 10:00 a.m. Mass, and registration forms must be submitted at least three months in advance. Parents who have not previously baptized a child are asked to complete an online certification course and meet with a priest before the baptism. Godparent requirements follow the universal Code of Canon Law: a godparent must be at least sixteen years old, a baptized practicing Catholic who has received Eucharist and Confirmation, and, if married, validly married in the Catholic Church. Only one godparent is required, and when two are chosen one must be male and one female. A baptized non-Catholic may serve as a Christian witness alongside a Catholic godparent.
First Holy Communion is ordinarily received in second grade. Children enrolled at Holy Cross School prepare in their daily religion classes, while children in public schools or homeschool programs prepare through Family Formation. First Communion is usually celebrated on the first Saturday in May. Confirmation is conferred in the Diocese of Peoria between sixth and tenth grade, with students at Holy Cross School confirmed in eighth grade. Confirmation at the parish is usually held in early December. Marriage preparation begins with contact to the parish office, and a downloadable set of Holy Cross Marriage Guidelines is available for engaged couples. The Anointing of the Sick is offered to any parishioner who is seriously ill or homebound; priests will visit homes, hospitals, and care facilities to bring Communion and administer the sacrament. Catholic funeral rites follow the Order of Christian Funerals, with the parish office coordinating readings, music, and other details with the family.
Family Formation and OCIA
Family Formation is the parish's faith formation program for families with children in kindergarten through eighth grade. Designed for parents as the primary educators of their children, the program meets once a month and combines classroom gatherings with home study. Parents and students gather on the first Wednesday of each month from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the Parish Center to learn the topic for the month, and each family completes activities, projects, and prayer throughout the rest of the month at home. Children in kindergarten through fifth grade follow the Family Formation model, sixth and seventh graders complete the Encounter program from Ascension Press, and eighth graders preparing for Confirmation meet on Sunday evenings using Decision Point by Dynamic Catholic. The fee is $125 per family for parishioners and $150 for non-parishioners.
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, called OCIA, accompanies adults who wish to enter the Catholic Church. The process begins with a period of inquiry, moves through the Catechumenate with weekly Wednesday evening meetings from September through May, and culminates in the reception of the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil. Already-baptized Catholics who wish to deepen their faith are also welcome to take part. Children at the 10:00 a.m. Sunday Mass can take part in Children's Liturgy of the Word, a special Liturgy of the Word for children ages three through first grade who are dismissed with their catechist to the Parish Center and return for the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
Two Choirs, One Loft
Music has long been a point of pride at Holy Cross, with what the parish describes as some of the best-sounding choirs in the Champaign-Urbana area, all volunteer with no paid singers or professionals. The Parish Choir sings at the 10:00 a.m. Mass each Sunday, drawing members from high school age through adults. Rehearsals are held on Thursday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the church loft and again before Mass on Sunday morning, and the repertoire spans Baroque, Classical, and modern choral literature. The Contemporary Choir leads the 4:00 p.m. Sunday Mass with piano and guitar accompaniment, drawing on Catholic contemporary music. Rehearsals are held on Tuesday evenings at 7:30 p.m. in the church, and high school students and older singers are welcome. Instrumentalists of any age and ability are invited to take part in weekend liturgies. Jonathan Young, Director of Music and principal organist, holds degrees from Pacific Lutheran University and the Eastman School of Music and has served Methodist, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Lutheran, and Catholic congregations across the country, including three years as director of music at Immaculate Conception Church in Mattoon, Illinois.
Holy Cross School
The parish's Catholic school serves students from early childhood through the elementary grades, integrating academic excellence with Catholic faith and values. Daily prayer and religious instruction are part of the curriculum, and students benefit from a well-rounded academic program that prepares them for continued success in secondary school. The school is supported in part by the parish's scholarship fund, with the annual Cabaret Night fundraiser, family matching gifts, and the FACTS Grant and Aid application process making tuition assistance available to qualifying families. Monsignor Brownsey has emphasized that active participation in Sunday Mass is a fundamental requirement for consideration for financial aid. The parish's Annual Diocesan Appeal supports the care of retired priests of the Diocese of Peoria.
Volunteers and Parish Life
The parish runs on volunteer hands. The Heavenly Dusters team cleans the church once a week for a month at a time, with a commitment of about two hours. Funeral Luncheon Workers set up, prepare, and clean up meals for grieving families after a funeral Mass. Coffee Shop Hosts serve coffee, tea, milk, and orange juice with donuts after the 8:00 and 10:00 a.m. Sunday Masses in the Parish Center, an opportunity to visit with friends and meet newcomers. The Decorating Team creates and maintains floral arrangements throughout the liturgical year and is especially active during Advent, Christmas, and Easter. The Parish Library, located in the lounge of the Parish Center, is open most Sunday mornings and during regular office hours. A Parish Nurse Program offers home visits, health and wellness education, and advocacy for parishioners who have questions about their health.
Other service opportunities include serving as an Altar Server, Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, Lector, or Usher. The Seven Sisters Apostolate invites women of the parish to commit to one Holy Hour each week in prayer for a specific priest or bishop, covering the week in seven distinct hours of intercession before the Blessed Sacrament. The Eucharistic Apostles of Divine Mercy, one of the Mercy Apostolates of the Marians of the Immaculate Conception, is a guided study program that supports works of mercy and helps members make Divine Mercy a way of life. The parish also offers a Consecration to St. Joseph using Father Donald Calloway's book and the Champaign Catholic Women's Bible Study, a collaboration with St. Matthew that meets on Monday evenings during the spring, summer, and fall semesters, alternating between the two parishes. Scouts are active at the parish, contributing to parish life throughout the year.
Giving and the Annual Diocesan Appeal
Parishioners can give at any Mass, drop a gift at the parish office, or make a one-time or recurring gift online through the parish's giving portal. The parish is a qualified charitable organization and can receive Required Minimum Distributions from IRAs, employer matching gifts, and bequests. Holy Cross School also accepts scholarship gifts that help families afford tuition. Beyond the parish, the Annual Diocesan Appeal funds the care of retired priests who have served the Diocese of Peoria.
Joining the Parish
Holy Cross welcomes new parishioners. The registration form is available for download or can be picked up at the parish office, and registration enables the parish to assist families with baptisms, religious education, weddings, hospital visits, and bereavement support. The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and staff can be reached by phone at 217-352-8748 or by email at office@holycrosscatholic.org.