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Our Lady of Fatima in Ullin Closes

Story and photos by LIZ QUIRIN
Messenger editor

Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Ullin closed after the 4 p.m. liturgy Aug. 18. The small parish is located in a community near Cairo at the tip of the state of Illinois.

Msgr. Bill McGhee looked from the pulpit at the close to 60 people filling the church and thanked them for their generosity, their care and concern for one another and for him.

This would also be one of Msgr. McGhee’s last liturgies in Pulaski County as he packs to move to St. Mary Parish in Belleville, his next assignment.

People from Our Lady of Fatima may go to St. Mary’s in Anna or St. Catherine’s in Grand Chain, Msgr. McGhee said.
Parish finances will be transferred to St. Catherine’s, Msgr. McGhee said.

Our Lady of Fatima has a history with St. Catherine’s from its earliest beginnings.
Father Francis X. Heiligenstein, then pastor of St. Mary’s in Mound City and St. Raphael’s in Mounds, founded the parish in 1949.

Converting a garage that had housed a hearse/ambulance for the village into a church, it was dedicated Dec. 8, 1949 to Our Lady of Fatima.

At that time, about 12 families in the area were Catholic, and Father Heiligenstein saw the potential for others to join the parish who were interested in the Catholic faith.

In 1951, Father Clement Dirler was appointed pastor of St. Catherine’s with Our Lady of Fatima as a mission.
By 1954, the parish grew to 20 families and later to 31.

In a 1999 article, Leona Brust, a long-time parishioner and sacristan who died a year ago, worried that the small parish might close.

Many of her relatives and friends attended the final Mass at Our Lady’s. During his homily, Msgr. McGhee expressed his gratitude to the people gathered for the liturgy.

“We are grateful to God and to one another,” he said, telling the people he has learned much from their care and love of one another. “I have been changed by you.”

Msgr. McGhee said the people have “a beautiful way of relating to one another” which will continue as the community moves to celebrate the sacraments in other places and other parishes.

“As you leave this sacred space today to go to different places to pray, God will be there, and I pray you will be welcomed in charity and kindness” in these new places. “May we continue to see God’s love in our lives.”