CHICAGO (WLS) — Stepping into this space is like traveling back over a century of rich history.
The Mary Mother of God Parish has inaugurated a heritage room located within the Saint Gregory the Great Parish Center in Andersonville.
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“Mary Mother of God Parish emerged from a recent merger,” explained parishioner Stephanie Held. “A few years ago, St. Thomas of Canterbury, St. Edith’s, and St. Gregory the Gate were unified by the archdiocese, creating an atmosphere of uncertainty as parishioners wondered about the future.”
All three Chicago churches continue to operate, preserving their legacy in this newly dedicated space. This has been made possible through the efforts of volunteers and students from Loyola University, who have curated a collection featuring photographs, multilingual documents, and treasured artifacts.
“One of the standout pieces for me was the Diamond Jubilee from 1920,” shared Ana Rosaslanda, a student at Loyola University. “It represents all three parishes from the early days of Chicago’s Catholic history. Symbolically, it’s perfect given the merger, showing that although we are many, we are united as one.”
“Our collection includes some of the oldest materials dating back to the late 1800s,” Held added. “Some are in German, reflecting Chicago’s deep Catholic roots and its diverse ethnic heritage.”
The space is meant to honor the three parishes and also highlight the city’s rich Catholic history, especially with a Chicago-born pope.
“When Pope Leo got elected, I ran out and bought a couple of newspapers, so that’s in the archives. So, in 100 years, they’ll be like, ‘Wow, look at the front-page news.’ I think it says, like, ‘Da Pope’ on it, which is hilarious, and yeah, I would love to see more of that. I mean, if he ever comes to visit, I hope we save some of that memorabilia. That’d be incredible,” Held said.
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