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Historic church to stayMonsignor James Moscowr pastor of Sacred Hearch chureh, tolls the bell located in the ‘‘old” church, 107th and Kean ave., whose future has recently been decided. “It is to stay in the family,” was the pastor’s joyous comBy LOIS ZAKARAS “Sacred Heart church, 107th and Kean, is no longer the property of Sacred Heart parish,” announced Monsignor James Moscow, pastor, Sunday.“I report this with a lump in the throat and a smarting tug at the heart strings,” he commented, but then quickly added the good news: “The 67 year old church is still in the family!”John Cardinal Cody has purchased the landmark “picture card” church as Archdiocesan property and it is io be used as a Newman Club center for students at nearby Moraine Valley Community college.The monsignor noted, “The County board of commissioners, through its Forest Preserve department, has for some time voiced its desire and right {of eminent domain) to appropriate it from us at afair price when it was no longer essential to our parish needs.”“Rather than relinquish it,” said the pastor, “we accepted an Archdiocesan offer of $45,000, a sum which has now been credited against the debt of the new church, 8245 W. llilh St., Palos Hills, which was dedicated this past Christmas.”The stately house of worship located on a hill top in Palos township was categorized as a mission church until about four years ago. Several generations of Palos Catholics had been married in, buried from, and celebrated mass within its walls.With the population growth of the area came the designation of Sacred Heart as a separate parish and the naming of Rev. Moscow as its pastor in 1967.A building program soonIN TODAY S ISSUE80 Pages• A Special Evergreen Plaza Dollar Value Days Supplement• The Economist Food Section Loaded With Bargains Recipes• Our Award Winning Want Adsment when he divulged that the “landmark” is to be used as a Newman center. Hundreds of worshippers have seen the east light stream through the beautiful stained glass windows at early mass over the years.IF YOUR PAPER IS NOT COMPLETE CALI OUR RADIO DISPATCH CIRCULATION DEPTLU 6-8800got underway and as the brick structure on lllth st. took form, there was concern over the ultimate fate of the “old” church,“I cannot say whether it will be possible to preserve the little mission church,” said the Monsignor last year. “But so many have expressed a sentimental attachment to the quiet place of worship, just maybe we can.”Preservation of the church was of concern, strangely some 50 years ago. An historian, in 1920, traced the story of the parish and wrote, “Soon the little Arcadian community (Palos Hills) will be absorbed by the great metropolis (Chicago), Embedded as the little church will be in the Outer Park, it will hardly be suitable for parochial purposes.”The historian also expressed, wishfully, “It is hoped that the charming edifice will be permitted to stand to serve as a shrine for future excursionists.”Actually the Kean ave. church was the second owned by the parish. In March, 1972, a number of Catholics of German an-cestory met at the home of Wilhelm Pfeiffer, 92nd ave. and 95th st. to form a church.Among the organizers were families with names still familiar in the area: Betz, Lucas, Wachter, Strieder, Koller, Jungles.Ironically, the Germans couldn’t raise enough money to start the church so invited the Irish to join with them.The parish becamebilingual, with the gospel offered in both German and English. Irish families listed as founders included the Conleys, McMahons, Halligans, - O’Connells, Sheas, O’Days, Flanners and others.Matthias Jungles donated an acre at 92nd ave. and 101st St.) there in 1873 a frame church was constructed. On St. Patrick’s day of the following year a bell weighing 1,000 pounds was blessed. The churchyard was consecrated as a cemetery.In 1891 the church became linked with the Sag church and remained as a mission church for all the years until 1966.Jan. 9, 1904 the original church edifice burned down. A hunter trying to smoke out rabbits from under the church is believed to have caused the fire.The parishioners couldn’t agree where to rebuild. The argument over it was so intense that the Archbishop was called out to moderate. The majority decision was to build on Kean, and oi. -July 4, 1904, the cornerstone of the new church was laid.Now, it is possible that grandchildren of those present for that dedication will be meeting within its walls, asthe treasured landmark will continue to serve Catholic students.The Newman clubs, organizations for Catholic college students, are subsidized in part under the “project renewal” of the archdiocese.
Newspaper Details
Suburbanite Economist
Chicago, Illinois, US
Wed, Jul 14, 1971
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
12 Nov 2019
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