Sacred “Pearls” in Chicago – One day Pilgrimage from SS. Cyril & Methodius Parish in Lemont

We will begin our One-Day Pilgrimage at 8:00 a.m. at St. Cyril and Methodius Parish in Lemont, from where we will go to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church. The history of St. Mary of Perpetual Help Parish began circa 1880 as Polish immigrants began settling in the Bridgeport area and established this newly founded community as their home. As the number of Polish immigrants grew, so did the need for a Roman Catholic parish that would minister to their own spiritual needs. In 1882, local residents joined together to purchase a two-story frame building, located on the corner of Farrell and Lyman streets, to serve as the church, school and convent. We will visit the interior of the church and then go to see St. Stanislaus Kostka Church. Until 1867 immigrants from Poland to Chicago could only attend Mass in the German parishes of St. Michael’s and St. Joseph’s.  Thanks to the efforts and generosity of thirty Polish families who formed a society under the patronage of St. Stanislaus Kostka, the seeds were planted for the first Polish Parish in Chicago.  The Society of St. Stanislaus Kostka purchased four lots of land at $1,700.00 on what was once farm land where wild ducks were hunted and rabbits trapped. The four lots were located at Noble and Potomac Streets, near Plank Road which would later be renamed Milwaukee Avenue. The priests of the Congregation of the Resurrection were sent from Rome to minister to the rapidly growing Polish community in Chicago.  While Bishop Foley gave St. Stanislaus Kostka canonical status as a parish in 1867, he only officially placed the new parish under the care of the Resurrectionists in 1871. Next on our itinerary will be a visit to Holy Trinity Church and the Catacombs there. Holy Trinity Church began as a dream for Chicago. In 1998, the founding leaders were asking God to allow them to be a part of something much larger than themselves. Having seen faithful, center-city churches in London and Cambridge, England they were asking God to found a church that would influence the whole city. Led by pastors David R. Helm and Jon M. Dennis, God brought together  a band of 37 adults,  to plant a small congregation in the shadow of a great university in Hyde Park. The vision was to see a generative, gospel-centered expository church that could be a catalyst for long-term change in Chicago and beyond. God was generous and faithful to their efforts. At noon, we will have lunch at the famous Polish restaurant “Staropolska” and then, after a rest, we will continue our sightseeing. This time it will be St. Jack’s Basilica. The parish began with 40 Polish families in 1894 in a small building on Milwaukee and Central Park Avenues. A priest, who came on horseback, from St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish so as to minister and care for the spiritual needs of the people. Realizing the rapid increase of families, largely Polish, a larger expanse of ground was necessary to contain the plan of buildings, which would include a school, convent, rectory and sufficient parking space (for the time). In 1895 the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth were invited to care for the grade school and continue to do so to this day. The school had its peak of 1150 students in the early 1960’s. The next point of our pilgrimage will be a visit to St. Hedwig’s Church, where Mass will be celebrated. In 1888, St. Hedwig Church was founded by the Congregation of the Resurrection.  It was established to serve the Polish families in Bucktown.  It was the fourth Polish parish in Chicago to be staffed by the Resurrectionist Fathers, who oversee St. Hedwig Church today. In January 1889, three Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth were appointed to staff a school, located in the church building.  The school subsequently relocated to the building at 2124 W. Webster Avenue, where the Sisters took up residence in a portion of the combination structure. Today, St. Hedwig Church serves a diverse population of parishioners from Chicago and the suburbs, including the Polish, Latino and Filipino communities. After Mass, we will move on to St. John Cantius Church. St. John Cantius stands as a unique parish in the Archdiocese of Chicago, helping Catholics rediscover a profound sense of the Sacred. Founded by Polish immigrants at the end of the nineteenth century, the parish today represents a broad cross-section of every ethnic, socio-economic, and age group. The solemn liturgies, devotions, treasures of sacred art, and rich program of sacred liturgical music enrich the lives of Chicago Catholics, awakening within them a renewed desire for, and connection to, the sacraments. The final point of our tour will be a unique Wendella Sunset Cruise. We will enjoy the sun setting behind the Chicago Skyline, sailing toward the lake through the legendary Chicago Lock, which connects the Chicago River to Lake Michigan. We will end the day late in the evening, returning to Lemont Parish.

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