Why a St. Mary's Education?
10 Reasons
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You want the best for your children. Every parent wants the best for their children. We do, too! We guarantee that we will do everything in our power to provide the best educational experience for your child.
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We have a strong sense of community. Each member of the St. Mary’s School family is respected and valued. A supportive partnership teaches respect, admiration, care, and concern for all.
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We have the most dedicated faculty and staff working for and with you. You will not find a more concerned, caring, and generous group of teachers and staff than the individuals you find at St. Mary’s School. They work to ensure that each child receives the best education possible and invest countless hours perfecting their lessons.
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Our Catholic identity is evident in our building and how we live. We provide our students with a quality Catholic education where we strive to live out the message of Jesus Christ. Students of all faith traditions are welcomed and respected. Faith-filled experiences assist in creating a strong Christ-centered community that seeks knowledge, loves God, and serves others.
A Message from our Principal
On behalf of our Pastor, Father Sebastian Ukoh, and all our faculty, staff, students, and families, I welcome you to St. Mary's Catholic School in Chester, Illinois!
Our school is a ministry of Mary, Help of Christians Catholic parish which seeks to be a place of holy worship, generous service, vibrant community, and authentic formation in the Catholic Faith. The ministry of our school finds its source in God's grace in our Lord Jesus Christ and entrusted to the Church to be shared with all. Our goal is to assist young disciples to be leaders in their communities through a well-rounded educational experience fostered by a faculty and staff who desire their happiness and success. Partnering with parents and families is crucial for us to accomplish this goal. For almost 160 years, St. Mary's School has existed to encourage faith and provide a solid educational foundation for its students.
We invite you to explore our school website and hope that you find it a helpful resource of information about St. Mary's. We thank you for your prayers for our school family and look forward to sharing in the adventure that God has planned for all of us! If you have any questions, please let us know!
Yours, in Christ,
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Mr. Brad Colvis, Principal
Father Sebastian Ukoh
Message from
Father Sebastian
Reflection on the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi
October 6, 2025 began with Mass followed by the Blessing of Pets. The Holy Mass began at 8:15 A.M. The Gospel reading of the day (Luke 10:25-37) was quite ad rem. The parable of the good Samaritan where help came from the most unlikely source, spoke to us. The tender care, sacrifice and dedication of the good Samaritan towards this stranger mirrors the way we should relate with all of creation, including our pets.
At the end of the Eucharistic celebration, we went outside to join a tidy crowd of students and parishioners who came to participate in the Pet Blessing. We read from the book of Genesis (1:1, 20-28) and reflected on how God created the world out of nothing, ex nihilo. The care for creation is implied in the creation account of Genesis. The naming and classification of animals is a core aspect of our role in the care for our common home.
We then followed up with petitions and ended with a special Blessing for the Pets, stuffed animals, excited students and the parishioners present. The Priest now went around sprinkling Holy water on all present before we ended with a Benediction. We took group pictures with various classes and their pets, in addition to the faculty. Then we moved back to our classes, thankful for the gift of companions and what God has surrounded us with. We look forward to more opportunities for faith, hope and charity in our world. Amen.
Father Sebastian Ukoh
Tuesday Times
Keep current on all of the news and events at St. Mary's. Download and read a copy of our Tuesday Times Newsletter. Inside you'll find information including important dates, sports schedules, information on current and upcoming fundraising opportunities, etc. Click below to access your copy.
Employment Opportunities
St. Mary’s currently has several employment opportunities available for suitable candidates. We seek dedicated individuals for our volunteer, support, and teaching staffs. If you are interested in helping us realize our vision of providing a faith-based education devoted to academic excellence, please contact the office at (618) 826-3120 and ask for Mrs. McDonald. Check out the "Employment Opportunities" tab under "More" at the top of this page for specific listings.
