About Us
The Catholic Parish of Highland, IL is but a few years younger than Highland itself. In December 1843, the Catholics in and around Highland (a village of 60 families) decided to build a frame church. The cornerstone was laid on May 1, 1844 and was ready for occupancy in 1846. In 1854, a new brick church was built and on Easter Sunday, 1856, the first services were held. In 1951, the second church was raised to make room for a much needed larger church with a seating capacity of 800. On October, 12, 1952, the dedication of the present church was held. Through the years, St. Paul’s has grown to meet the needs of its congregation. Today, the parish serves more than 5,000 area Catholics.
St. Paul School System provides Catholic education of children from pre-school through eight grade. The current grade school was constructed in 1956, with a major renovation in 1993. In 2009 a restoration project relocated the tabernacle and crucifix to behind the altar.
In 1995, the former St. Paul High School was renovated to better serve St. Paul Parish. The building is now used for the Religious Education Program, meetings, parish gatherings, gymnasium, and cafeteria.