Sieghardt built a beautiful new church, 120x66 feet. The cornerstone was laid on July 7, 1867, by Bishop Junker and dedicated on Sunday, June 4, 1871, by Fr. Reinecke, assisted by Fr. Sieghardt and Fr. Bartels of Germantown.

1872 - The steeple was not put on until the fall of 1872. When the steeple was completed, the cross was 156 feet above ground. The old church was converted into a two-room school. The teachers were two laymen, August Ackerman and Henry A. Niehoff. They taught until the Sisters, the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ (PHJC), arrived.

1873 - The Sisters started school on May 11 with 50 pupils in attendance. An advertisement in the Union Banner, June 4, 1874, stated that the Sisters teach the elementary school and give instructions in other required branches to girls and young ladies. The tuition was 75 cents a month. Besides teaching school, the Sisters nursed the sick in their homes and kept night watches with the dying. A new rectory was /built, the old one being remodeled into a residence for the PHJC sisters. Since many parishioners lived in the country where the roads were often impassable, in 1883 the Sisters began to board girls for several months during the winter and spring in order to prepare them for their first Holy Communion. To defray the expense of adding three new rooms to the Convent, the Sisters conducted a house-to-house collection every year until the debt was paid.

1874 - Fr. Sieghardt was transferred and died suddenly in St. Louis on Apr 6, 1876. Rev. John Molitor was appointed to succeed him. He was too ill and was soon replaced by Fr. Anton Demming. During Fr. Anton Demming's able pastorate of 30 years in St. Mary's parish (JuIy 19, 1874-Mar 16, 1904), the congregation prospered both spiritually and materially1878 - Four or five acres of land were purchased south of the cemetery for a house for the sexton, Eli Weber.
              -Silver Jubilee of the parish.

June 27, 1878 - Death of Hon. Sidney Breese at Pinckneyville.

Oct 20, 1878 - First official mission at St. Mary's by the Redeptorists. Sermons in German for the first 9 days and in English the next full week. (Notice the dates of the missions are on the large crucifix in the vestibule.)

1880 - Fr. Demming visited Europe during summer of 1880. Franciscans took care of the parish during his absence (Frs. Raynerius Dickneite and Nicholas Leonard) .

June 11, 1881 - Bishop Baltes confirmed 242.

1881-1883 - Bishop Baltes commissioned Fr. Demming to establish a Mission Church at Beaver Prairie. Fr. Fresenborg, named as first assistant, gathered funds for this purpose. It was dedicated by Fr. Demming on Apr 24, 1884.

February 1883 - As a precautionary measure against the spread of scarlet fever, St. Mary's school was closed several weeks.

             -Fr. Demming was sent to Shawneetown to assist in relieving the distressed of the flood in Feb. 1883. During this time, Frs. A. Jele and John Meifuss helped out at St. Mary's.

1884 - Catholic Knights of Illinois organized.

Spring of 1884 - Fr. Cluse of Germantown blessed and broke the ground for the new church at Bartelso.

Jan 7, 1887 - Belleville Diocese was established.

-Fr. Demming represented the southern Illinois priests in the division of the diocese (his train derailed at Mill Shoals, where he was given the Last Rites, but he was well enough to travel on)

Oct 20,1887 - Fr. Janssen, administrator of the diocese (later first bishop of Belleville Diocese), blessed two bells for the church (large one given by Wm. Sautman, the smaller one by the parishioners).

Oct 21, 1887 - 117 confirmed by Bishop Janssen.

May 15, 1890 - Confirmation by Bishop Janssen on Ascension Thursday - 81 confirmed.

Oct 12, 1890 - Mission. Redemptorists Gruener and Weber preached German, and Braun and Weber the English sermons.

1891 - Because of good wheat crop, $8000 was collected to payoff some of the debt.

1892 - It was during Fr. Demming's pastorate that the bigger St. Mary's school was erected in 1892 at a cost of $20,000. Work of tearing down the old school start­ed on March 21, 1892, and the new school was dedi­cated by the Rt. Rev. Bishop John Janssen on Dec 29, 1893. Rev. John Abi Saab of the Marionite rite celebrat­ed Mass on Mar 1 and 2, 1892.