The St. Patrick parish seeks to support and intensify the vitality of its ministry. The mission is to nurture the faith of its entire church community and foster an active practice of that faith among all parishioners. This mission will be achieved, respecting the individually of each member parish, through a sharing of resources, personnel and programming, as well as through a coordination of ministerial activities.

Settlement of Winthrop and the surrounding area began with the coming of the Illinois Central Railroad in 1868. Most of the Catholic immigrants were Irish and Mass was provided by Missionary priests.
In 1876, a Catholic Church was organized with eight families celebrating Mass in their homes.
In 1880, Mass was held once a month in a house converted into a church.
A new church was built in 1888, at the present property.
In 1902, St. Patrick Parish in Winthrop was officially established and Rev. James Mulligan was the first resident pastor. 
The first rectory was built in 1904, and the present brick rectory was built in 1915.
In 1917, three acres of land was purchased for the cemetery.
The building of the present brick church began in 1923, with the first Mass in 1924.
In 1949, the parish converted the theater building into a parish center and later added classrooms until the present parish center was built in 1972.
In the early 1970’s, the church was renovated removing the communion rail and original high alter.
In 1991, our resident pastor was also appointed pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish, Masonville.
In 1998, our resident pastor was also assigned to St. Patrick, Monti, linking St. Patrick, Winthrop, Immaculate Conception, Masonville, and St. Patrick, Monti.
The church was renovated and redecorated in 2000, installing a replica of the original high altar. Eucharistic Adoration was begun and still continues.
In July 2005, St. Patrick, Winthrop, was clustered with St. John the Evangelist, Independence, forming the John Paul II Cluster. Our parish no longer had a resident pastor.
Our parish family strives to grow both spiritually and socially