St. Columbkille, Elba

Our Parish Roots

In 1850, Father James Roche was assigned to Fox Lake as pastor for the purpose of building a church. In addition, he established missions in Beaver Dam, Columbus, and Elba. The mission at Elba was called St. Aidens, and the building of a church was started.

Around 1856, St. Aidens became formally recognized as St. Columbkille, and was presided over by Father Martin Kundig. He oversaw the plastering of the first chapel in Elba later that year, and pulled together a strong community of Catholics who laid the foundation in the "old" and "new" churches.

Today, the tri-parishes engage in a number of community events and organizations, including outdoor Mass and picnics, pregnancy center support and outreach, Altar Society socials, fall festivals, fish fries, Women of Christ meetings, Knights of Columbus gatherings and more!

Give Now

Our Share

Through much prayer, planning and conversation, we have identified our greatest needs and initiatives to strengthen our mission and vision for years to come. Our share of the funds raised will be used to support Catholic education, enhance our Catholic advocacy programs, and support the Missionary Fraternity of Mary.

Parish Goal

$77,000

Wave 1

January 2022 - June 2023

Final Total Pledged

$77,025

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CATHOLIC EDUCATION - $20,600

Catholic education is an important element of Catholic life. Through Catholic schools, our children are instilled with faith in God, strengthening the Catholic community for the future. The funds raised will go to providing capital resources for our local Catholic schools to assist them in keeping our Catholic education system viable and strong, through a spiritual, academic, and social learning environment.

PRO-LIFE WORK AND ADVOCACY - $20,600

Protecting the sanctity of life is a vital ministry for our faith and especially our parish community. We wish to establish a fund to advocate for pro-life practices through print marketing and educational resources. In addition, we intend to assist our local pregnancy support center in their times of need.

MISSIONARY FRATERNITY OF MARY - $5,000

Our relationship with the Missionary Fraternity of Mary has allowed our parish to be open and active. We wish to further develop this relationship with our other two parishes in supporting their community. In collecting money for the Missionary Fraternity of Mary, we will support the formation of their priests and continue to help them engage in their work throughout the world.