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Parish Staff

Our Pastor: Monsignor Mark J. Merdian

Fr. Mark Joseph Merdian was born in Peoria, Illinois, on November 13, 1966 to Melvin and Mary (Roth) Merdian of Chillicothe. He received his bachelor’s of art from Saint Mary's University in Winona, Minnesota, with a major in philosophy and a minor in psychology. He attended Mount Saint Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland, and graduated with a master’s in arts in moral theology with a concentration in medical ethics. His master’s work studied the issue of living wills and durable power of attorney for healthcare. He also received a master’s in divinity in 1993. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 29, 1993.

His first assignment was as an assistant pastor to St. Matthew Parish in Champaign, Illinois, in 1993. During his tenure in Champaign, he was a member of the Covenant Hospital Ethics Board, which provided consultation to the hospital on medical–moral questions.

In 1997, Father Mark was named administrative assistant to Bishop Myers and a vice chancellor. While remaining an administrative assistant to the Bishop and a vice chancellor, he was named as administrator of St. Peter's parish in Peoria in 1998. His first pastorate was at St. Peter's in Peoria in 1999; he also remained as an administrative assistant to the Bishop and a vice chancellor. During his tenure as the administrative assistant to the Bishop, he was named to the Governing Board of Catholic Social Service of Peoria where he served as a board member for three years. In 2001, he was appointed an ex-officio member of the Diocesan Ethics Committee to assist with promoting medical-moral issues to Catholic hospitals and medical facilities.

In June of 2001, he was assigned as the pastor of St. Mary Parish in Metamora, Illinois, and St. Elizabeth Mission in Washburn, Illinois. In November of 2001, he was also assigned as the pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Roanoke, Illinois, and St. John Parish in Benson, Illinois.

In June of 2003, Bishop Daniel Jenky, CSC, appointed Fr. Merdian as the eighth pastor of St. Matthew Parish in Champaign. He currently serves on the Diocesan Personnel Board, Diocesan Continuing Education of Clergy Committee, and the Diocesan Healthcare Committee, of which he is the chair. He is also Vicar of Junior Clergy of the Diocese of Peoria. He has served on various boards, commissions, and committees of the Diocese. He is a member of the High School of St. Thomas More Pastors Board and the OSF Ethics Committee in Peoria.

He was named a Chaplain to his Holiness on January 11, 2009.

Parochial Vicar: Fr. Mark Miller

Born in Davenport, Iowa, August 9, 1963 to Richard and Joan (Dahlquist) Miller. He received a BS from Iowa State University in Ames, IA in 1986 and an MS from the University of Texas at Austin in 1987. In 1998 he began seminary studies at St Ambrose University in Davenport, IA. In 2000 he attended Mount Saint Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland and graduated with a Masters in Divinity in 2004. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 28, 2005. Has three sisters: Amy Pappas, Kathleen George and Julie Marley.

He was an assistant at St. Vincent de Paul (Peoria), from 2005 to 2006; Sacred Heart (Moline), from 2006 to 2007; and St. Patrick (Washington) and St. Luke's (Eureka), from 2007 to 2008.

Fr. Miller has been assigned to various parishes before ordination to the priesthood, including 5 months at St Matthew's in 1999 with Fr Anthony Trosley. Other shorter summer assignments as a seminarian include Immaculate Conception (Monmouth), Sacred Heart (Annawan), and Holy Cross (Champaign). He spent 1 year at Immaculate Conception (Mendota) as a transitional deacon.

Fr. Miller worked 11 years as an Electrical Engineer. Three years were spent with Bell Labs in Whippany, NJ while earning a MS in Engineering. Eight years were spent with a subcontractor to the Rock Island Army Engineering Command Center in Rock Island, IL.

Parochial Vicar: Father Robert Lampitt

I was born on December 23, 1978 in Peoria, IL. But while my parents were from the area and my three older brothers all grew up there, I was raised near St. Louis in Granite City, IL. We moved there in the summer of 1982. And now my parents’ four boys are spread throughout the United States. My oldest brother, Art, lives in Nevada. Ed, the second oldest, lives in Virginia. And, the youngest, Andy, lives in California. All have children and my nieces and nephews range in age from four months old to 15 years old.

I attended a Catholic grade school and a public high school. In high school I continued to be involved in Scouting and picked up a new interest in Cross Country and Track. In 1997 I began to study Computer Science at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. While in college I became involved with St. John’s Catholic Newman Center and really began to learn about the faith. I met other young students who were all interested in deepening their prayer life, growing in holiness, and discerning their God-given vocation. As my interest in the faith deepened and I began to think seriously about the priesthood my interest in Computer Science declined.

In 2002, without finishing my college degree, I applied to become a seminarian of the Diocese of Peoria. After being accepted, I transferred into a seminary in southern Minnesota where I studied Philosophy, graduating in 2004. Next, Bishop Jenky asked me to go to Rome to complete my seminary training and to study theology. During my first three years there, I took graduate level classes in theology. These three years are equivalent to a four year degree in a stateside seminary. In the fall of 2007, I was ordained a deacon and began the next level of studies for an ecclesiastical degree called a “license in sacred theology.” In May of 2008 I was ordained a priest and asked to serve for the summer in Nauvoo, Carthage, and Dallas City. Last fall I went back to Rome for one last year of studies and finished up my license in June. My area of specialization was Liturgical theology, the study of how the liturgy (the way we Catholics pray publically) teaches us about God. For my thesis, I wrote on the experience of Love of God and Neighbor in the Eucharist focusing on the end of Mass beginning with the Our Father.

In April the bishop has asked me to be a parochial vicar at St. Matthew’s and the chaplain at The High School of St. Thomas More. So, after twenty-five years of being a student, I finally have a chance to share some of what I have learned. I already feel at home in both of my assignments, I only ask that you be a little patient with me as I attempt to learn over 4,000 names. If there is ever anything I can do for you, please do not hesitate to ask. You will be in my prayers, please keep me in yours.

God bless you all!