History

Since its dedication on Christmas morning in 1856, Old St. Patrick’s has been a sacred site embodying the dreams and aspirations of hundreds of thousands of Chicagoans. In few neighborhoods have the bricks and mortar mattered so much.

—Ellen Skerrit, Editor of At the Crossroads: Old St. Patrick’s and the Chicago Irish

Since its founding by Irish immigrants on Easter morning in 1846, Old St. Patrick’s has been interwoven in the life and history of the City of Chicago. Founded in 1846 as the first English-speaking parish in the city, the current church building was designed in a Romanesque style by two of Chicago’s earliest practicing architects Augustus Bauer and Asher Carter. The cornerstone was laid on May 23, 1853, and the building was dedicated on Christmas Day, 1856.

Old St. Patrick’s is one of the few buildings to survive the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Its survival makes it the oldest public building in the City of Chicago.

Inspired by the Celtic art exhibit at the Columbian Expostition of 1893 and the Book of Kells in Ireland, Thomas A. O’Shaughnessy designed, constructed, and personally installed the 15 beautiful stained-glass windows of Old St. Patrick’s between 1912 and 1922. The 12 side windows were inspired by the Celtic designs of Ireland's Book of Kells. The final triptych windows, done in an art nouveau style and installed in the eastern facade of the church, are the “Faith, Hope & Charity” windows, also known as the Terrence MacSwiney Memorial Triptych. In 1977, Old St. Patrick's was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Today, Old St. Patrick’s is home to a membership of over 3,000 households and innumerable friends. As we grow, we continually redefine what it means to be an urban church. We are committed to remaining open to new visions and possibilities, seeking broader horizons as we journey into our future.

old St. Patrick’s historical TimeLine

 

1846
Old St. Patrick's Church was founded on Easter Sunday, April 12. The wooden structure of Old St. Patrick’s Church was built and was the second parish established in Chicago.

1853
Old St. Patrick’s laid the cornerstone on May 22, which was a public act of faith linking congregation, church, and neighborhood.

1854
Rev. Denis Dunne becomes the pastor of Old St. Patrick’s.

1856
Dedication of the church, conducted by Rev. Denis Dunne, was held on Christmas morning.

1857
Mozart’s 12th Mass was performed on St. Patrick’s Day at the church.

1857
On Dec. 31, Rev. Denis Dunne brought the St. Vincent de Paul Society to Chicago making Old St. Pat’s the first parish to found a society created specifically to serve the needs of the poor. St. Vincent de Paul Society has its roots in Catholic Charities. 

1871
The Great Chicago Fire missed Old St. Patrick’s Church by just two blocks.

1885
The spires of Old St. Patrick’s Church was completed and by the same architect as Holy Name Cathedral and the Archbishop’s residence.

1912 – 1922
Chicago artist Thomas O’Shaughnessey creates Old St. Patrick’s magnificent stained-glass windows.

1950
Old St. Pat’s is in danger of demolition. In addition, expressway construction and enrollment decline, eventually leading to school closings.

1956
Thomas O’Shaunghessy passes away.

The first St. Patrick’s Day downtown parade was restarted in honor of Old St. Patrick’s 100th Anniversary.

1977
Old St. Patrick’s, Chicago’s oldest church and public building, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

1983

Only four people are registered members of Old St. Patrick’s Church when Rev. John J. Wall becomes pastor. He unveils his “church for the marketplace” plan with strong outreach to young adults and also launches the Center for Workand Faith, which targets working professionals.

1985
The first Old St. Patrick’s “World’s Largest Block Party” draws 5,000 people to Des Plaines Street.

1987

Old St. Patrick’s mailing list grows to 10,000 people.

1989
Old St. Patrick’s Sunday attendance rises to 2,000; membership grows to over 1,000 households. Old St. Patrick’s opens the first new Catholic grammar school in the Archdiocese in over 25 years called Frances Xavier Warde School.

1990
“Old St. Patrick’s Renaissance” campaign was launched in an effort to begin plans for the churches restoration.

1993
Old St. Patrick’s Church conducted a cross-raising ceremony outside the church.

1996
Reconstruction and restoration of most of the church interior and exterior was completed.

2000
The “A Place to Stand” capital campaign was undertaken to expand Old St. Patrick’s Church campus for the needs of generations still to come.

2002
Old St. Patrick’s begins campus construction and launches the Momentum Phase of the Capital Campaign. The Center for Social Concerns moved to the newly renovated 703 West Monroe building.

2003
Current membership is over 3,000 households. Associate membership is over 5,000, and thousands take part in church programs annually.

2004
The new Frances Xavier Warde School is completed on the Old St. Patrick’s campus.

2006
Old St. Patrick’s Church conducts a yearlong observance celebrating 150 years in this historic, sacred space and 160 years as a faith community.

2007

Fr. Jack Wall becomes president of the Catholic Extension Society, founded in Chicago in 1904. The Society connects U.S. churches with poorer or more remote ones that can be assisted by those with greater resources. We are grateful that Fr. Wall will always be a part of Old St. Pat's.

Fr. Tom Hurley officials becomes the pastor of Old St. Pat's Church during a Mass of Installation held on Oct. 14.