Christ on the Cross and a tabernacle adorned with a “Lamb Triumphant” design are two centerpieces of the sanctuary at St. Joseph Church. The current church at 7240 W. 57th St., Summit, was built in 1969. It featured a modern, inclusive design that reflected the post-Vatican II openness. That itself was a source of controversy among many in the parish, since it replaced a church building with a considerably more traditional cathedral-style design. --Supplied photo
St. Joe’s closing for good
.
Once was the largest Catholic parish in the area
.
By Tim Hadac
More than a century of service to Roman Catholics in the westernmost section of Garfield Ridge, as well as suburban Summit, comes to an end this month as the lights go out for good at St. Joseph Church, 7240 W. 57th St.
The final Mass is set for 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 26. It will be in a bilingual (English-Spanish) format.
While news of the coming shutdown was cause for sadness among many parishioners, it was not much of a surprise. St. Joseph School was shut down by Cardinal Blase Cupich in 2021. At the same time, the parish was ordered to merge with St. Blase, its neighbor to the south, 6101 S. 75th Ave., Summit.
What is a bit of a surprise is the timeline. When changes were announced in 2021, the Cardinal said the fate of St. Joseph Church would not be decided until after a comprehensive review in 2024.
The changes came via Renew My Church, an Archdiocesan effort its supporters view as a “right-sizing” of church facilities with an eye on evangelization and long-term growth—but which its critics sometimes view as nothing more than a financial downsizing camouflaged with happy talk.
“We knew all this would happen,” said one parishioner who asked that his name be withheld. “We saw the numbers start to fall at the school and the church years ago, when the child molestation scandals were uncovered across the Archdiocese.
“Then when it reached the financial breaking point, we saw our school closed and the merger happened,” he continued. “The Archdiocese told us that in a merger of parishes, there are no winners or losers, and that both churches would remain open. But when it was announced that all sacramental records would be kept at St. Blase and not at St. Joe’s, we knew we’d lost and St. Blase had won. So that’s that, I guess.”
In an unsigned statement in its Nov. 19 bulletin (presumably penned by the pastor, the Rev. Wojciech G. Kwiecień), the writer acknowledges that the merger has been a “difficult transitionary period.”
“Starting Nov. 27, the St. Joseph Church and School spaces will go into a ‘closed campus project’–which means that the space will be directly under the Archdiocese of Chicago supervision,” the writer continued. “This transition will unfortunately greatly affect us, since we will no longer be able to utilize any of the spaces–parish halls and rooms–for any sort of events, church activities or group meetings.
“We will do our very best to try and accommodate everyone at St. Blase Church and provide availability of spaces. That includes moving the 9 a.m. English Mass and 1:30 p.m. Spanish Mass to St. Blase Church starting Dec. 3.”
The statement did not say what will become of the convent next to the church and school—as well as the historic grotto on the property’s northeast corner, a focal point of Marian reverence.
After the final Mass on Nov. 26, there will be a social gathering in Centennial Hall, 5641 S. 73rd Ave. Parishioners are asked to bring something to share (desserts, drinks, disposable plates and cups). The hall is not accessible to wheelchair users.
Once mighty, now feeble
Founded in 1902 as a mission of St. Mary Parish in west suburban Riverside, St. Joseph for many years was the largest Catholic parish south of the Sanitary and Ship Canal and west of Cicero Avenue. It was sufficiently large and successful to spawn missions that in time became their own parishes, such as St. Blase and St. Camillus.
While Mass attendance at Catholic churches has dwindled greatly in recent years, the decline at St. Joseph has been stunning. In 2009 the average number of people attending weekend services (five Masses) was 1,634. By 2023 that number was down to 335 at two Masses, with a similar decline in the collection baskets.
What will become of the rectangular property (one block north to south, a half block east to west) remains to be seen. Talk in the neighborhood is that there may be homes built on the parcel. A request for clarification from the Archdiocese resulted in this response from an Archdiocesan spokeswoman: “The parish campus remains the patrimony of the recently unified Blessed Martyrs of Chimbote Parish.
The parish has not yet finalized its future plans for the property. The convent is not owned by the Archdiocese.”
St. Joe’s, as its faithful have long called it, is not the first Catholic church serving Garfield Ridge to be shut down. St. Camillus was ordered shut down by Cupich in 2020, also as a result of the Renew My Church process. According to a speaker at the November meeting of the Midway Chamber of Commerce, the church and school at 55th and Lockwood will be bulldozed in 2024 to make way for a self-storage facility.
4 Comments
Local News
Countryside puts dog park on hold, will require leashes in two parks
Spread the loveBy Steve Metsch The city of Countryside has put on hold building a dog park, but canines and their owners are still in store for a treat. The city council has unanimously approved a plan to permit dogs in City Park and Countryside Park this year. Previously, they were not allowed in the…
Bridgeview approves auto repair shop
Spread the loveMoves up time for May 1 village board meeting By Steve Metsch Bridgeview is getting a new automotive repair shop. The village board at its April 17 matinee meeting approved a special use permit that will allow a repair shop at 9010 S. Beloit Ave. There was no discussion among trustees. The board…
Summit Fire Department blood drive draws a crowd
Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan The Summit Fire Department, along with the Village of Summit, and the Argo Summit Lions Club held a blood drive this past Saturday, and it drew a crowd that even impressed the American Red Cross. It took place from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. with non-stop donors walking through the…
Hodgkins toasts village businesses
Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan Hodgkins Mayor Ernest Millsap and the Board of Trustees celebrated the village’s businesses at its annual Business Appreciation Breakfast on April 10. Over 100 people gathered at the Hodgkins Administration Center for a hearty breakfast hosted by the village. Representatives from many businesses that are located in or that work…
First Secure Bank to host American Eagle gold coin sale
Spread the loveFrom staff reports First Secure Bank & Trust of Palos Hills announced its annual May sale of 1-ounce and ¼-ounce American Eagle Gold Coins, produced by the U.S. Mint, will take place from 10 a.m.to noon on Saturdays, May 4, May 11, May 18 and May 25. The sale will take place at…
Boys Volleyball | Richards weathering struggles after run of success
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent After a tough weekend at the Smack Attack tournament, Richards got back into the win column with a two-set victory over Eisenhower in a South Suburban Red match. The Bulldogs made quick work of the Cardinals, winning 25-16, 25-15 on April 23 in Oak Lawn to snap a five-match…
SD218 puts on annual Arts Extravaganza
Spread the loveBy Kelly White The arts have become a major portion of the curriculum Community High School District 218. Showcasing those many talents, the Friends of CHSD 218’s Education Foundation proudly hosted its 15th annual Arts Extravaganza on April 5 at Eisenhower High School in Blue Island. “The Arts Extravaganza is a great event…
Year of growth | Evergreen Park enjoying inaugural boys volleyball season
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent After almost 70 years of existence as a high school, Evergreen Park finally has a boys volleyball team. The Mustangs are playing their inaugural season with a junior varsity squad, with some matches being played at the varsity level. Head coach Brian Zofkie is leading this group with assistant…
Swanson scores, assists in Red Stars’ win over Reign
Spread the loveThe Red Stars improved to 3-1-1 by beating the Seattle Reign, 2-1, on the road on April 21. Mallory Swanson had an assist on an Ali Schlegel goal in the fourth minute and added a goal of her own in the 31st minute. Swanson missed last season after sustaining a knee injury on…
Neighbors
Immigrant advocates tout new report showing benefits of state-funded health plans
By PETER HANCOCK and JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Immigrant rights advocates on Friday continued to push for one of their top budget priorities: full funding for state-run health care programs that benefit noncitizens, regardless of their immigration status. Those programs offer health coverage for low-income individuals who would otherwise qualify for…
As state continues to inventory lead pipes, full replacement deadlines are decades away
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois Clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com Lead pipes in public water systems and drinking fixtures have been banned in new construction since 1986, when Congress amended the Safe Drinking Water Act, but they are still in use across the U.S. and in Illinois. The presence of lead pipes has persisted due in part to…
Capitol Briefs: State unveils report on racial disparities among homeless populations
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com Tackling homelessness requires addressing racial injustice, according to a new report commissioned by the state’s Office to Prevent and End Homelessness. The report found that Black people are eight times more likely to experience homelessness than white people. Remedying this disparity, according to the report, would require “long-term…
Flooding is Illinois’ Most Threatening Natural Disaster. Are We Prepared?
by Meredith Newman, Illinois Answers Project April 16, 2024 This story was originally published by the Illinois Answers Project. The electricity in Mary Buchanan’s home in West Garfield Park was not working – again. The outage lasted four days, starting just after a crew dug up her front lawn to install a check valve in…
Bears pitch $3.2B stadium plan, but Pritzker still ‘skeptical’ despite team’s $2B pledge
By DILPREET RAJU & JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com The Chicago Bears laid out a $3.2 billion plan for a new domed stadium on Chicago’s lakefront on Wednesday afternoon, painting pictures of future Super Bowls and other major public events while pinning their hopes on yet-to-be-had conversations with the governor and lawmakers. The Bears…
Regulators weigh future of gas industry in Illinois, while clamping down on Chicago utility
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – Natural gas is fueling a fight between consumer advocates, a powerful utility company and the state. Amid competing advertising campaigns, accusations of mismanagement and state decarbonization efforts, the Illinois Commerce Commission is starting a process that will shape how the state regulates the increasingly controversial industry. …
Komatsu mining truck named 2024 ‘coolest thing made in Illinois’
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois Clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A mining truck manufactured by Komatsu was crowned the winner of the 2024 “Makers Madness” contest, earning the title of “the coolest thing made in Illinois” at the Governor’s Mansion Wednesday. The truck was one of more than 200 entries in the 5th annual contest hosted…
Giannoulias calls for disclosure of lobbyist contracts
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – For decades, lobbyists in the Illinois Statehouse have been required to report how much they spend wining, dining and entertaining lawmakers. Currently, though, there is no law requiring lobbyists to disclose how much they are paid by corporations, industry groups or other special interest organizations. That…
Illinois Senate advances changes to state’s biometric privacy law after business groups split
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – It’s been more than a year since the Illinois Supreme Court “respectfully suggest(ed)” state lawmakers clarify a law that’s led to several multi-million-dollar settlements with tech companies over the collection of Illinoisans’ biometric data. On Thursday, a bipartisan majority in the Illinois Senate did just that,…
Illinoisans can now get documents notarized online
By ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com Illinoisans who need a notary public can now access those services online through a new “E-Notary” portal launched by the secretary of state’s office. This process is one of the latest initiatives of Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’ ongoing effort to modernize the office and its services. Notaries…
This truly is a shame. I belonged to St Joseph until I moved and graduated in 1972. The problem is.nuns and priest don’t teach anymore and tuition has sky rocketed. This is the reason for so many Catholic schools and Churches for closing. Just shameful
What a sad day this is to read that the church I grew up in and worshipped since 1952 is closing. Don’t understand the problem . Maybe it starts at the top of the diocese !
I grew up in the old church, was married in the new church and volunteered many years in the Spred program. Closing the schools will not encourage children to learn their faith. Closing the churches does little to recruit new disciples. Little is being done to recruit young people to the Catholic faith. As the old church supporters such as myself die out, so will this wonderful Archdiocese. Maybe if we all pray hard someday St. Joe’s can reopen!
My siblings and I all went to St. Joe’s, graduating between 1964 and 1970. My mom even went to St. Joe’s (from Willow Springs!) from 1926 to 1933. A lot of memories. Very sad.