Founded in 1870, the first Church in Kinmundy was built under the patronage of virgin-martyr St. Philomena. It was built there on two acres of land donated by Isaac Eagen. On his deathbed, Patrick Carrick bequeathed a note with interest amounting to $809 that helped finance the building, which cost $2,072.83. Tha parish's first pastor was Father Francis Moening, OFM a Franciscan priest from Teutopolis, Illinois.
The first year after the building of the Kinmundy Church, it seeemed as if there were good prospects for the future, but failure in crops and general depression of buisness from 1874-1897 greatly disabled the parish. Kinmundy parishioners continued to be served by Franciscan priests from Teutopolis, Illinois.
In 1940, their first pastor, Father Alphonse Shomaker, a 32 year old Damainsville native (who had previously served the parish as Associate Pastor) was to begin his firs pastorate.
In 1951, Father Schomaker laid the cornerstone for a new parish Church, which was constructed on land donated by Mr. Fred Kleiss. The cost of the construction was $33,000, and the new church was dedicated to Belleville's third bishop, Albert Zuroweste, in June.
In early 1968, a new parish hall was constructed in Kinmundy on land donatd by Mildred Kleiss. It featured a kitchen, four classrooms, and restrooms at a cost of $40,000. The building was dedicated by Bishop Zuroweste in March 1969.
St. Philomena's Parish celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1970. The parish renamed after the canonization of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton as the first American-born saint in 1975.
In the 1990's, Father Andrew Knopik arranged for the addition of an image in stained glass of the parish's patron at a cost of $8,000. St. Elizabeth parishioners established a mission parish partnership with Our Lady of Sioux parish in Oglaga, South Dakota.
St. Elizabeth entered anew phase in history in May 2001, when Bishop Wilton Gregory installed Darre Eultgen as Parish Life Coordinator (PLC). This period was marked by significant increase in lay participation at every level in parish life.
January 1, 2013 a grant through the Catholic Extension Society brought Sister Mary Catherine Clark, (ASC) to serve as Director of Religious Formation. In May 2018 parishioner, Steven Eischens, was ordained a pernament Deacon. Father Abraham Adejoh was appointed pastor in August 2019.
The People of God At St. Elizabeth Ann Seton remain committed to t heir parish. Fellowship remains an important part of our parish life manifesting itself in meals to celebrate First Communion, Confirmaiton, graduations, Christmas, and thansgiving for our farm harvests. Our parish is in place of welcome, hope, and celebration.