Parish History

The land around our parish was historically inhabited by the Native America Potawatomi tribe. By the early 19^th century American settlers from the East had started moving into the current-day Chicago area and the United States government wanted the Potawatomi to move elsewhere to make room for Chicago’s expansion.  They found an intermediary in a man whose father who was an Englishman and whose mother was from the Mohawk tribe.  That man was Billy Caldwell, also known by a name given him by the Potawatomi, Chief Sauganash (Potawatomi for “Englishman”).  The United States government gave Caldwell/Sauganash extensive land in what is now the Sauganash and Edgebrook neighborhoods in recognition of his role in mediating the Treaty of Chicago in 1835.
 
After World War I the area around our church began to be developed by the Koester & Zander firm, who gave the neighborhood the fitting name “Sauganash.”  The first homes were built around 1924 in what was then considered a very remote area of Chicago.  Catholics in Sauganash soon organized as a lay group known as the Calvert Club and petitioned the Archdiocese of Chicago to be recognized as a parish.  Their wish was granted by Cardinal Mundelein in 1929, with the first church building in the new Queen of All Saints Parish a temporary portable wooden structure at the Northwest corner of Peterson and Knox Avenues, and the first pastor Father Francis Ryan.
 
The Great Depression began soon later in 1929, but the determination of the parish families at that time reflected a strong and shared vision of growth and destiny, based on selfless generosity.  In 1934, when the parish had only 41 families, Father Ryan was replaced by Father Francis Dolan, who would remain as pastor for the next 35 years and who is regarded as the true “Founder” of the parish.

By the late 1930s our parishioners had retired the substantial debt earlier incurred by the parish since its founding and had funded the purchase of the land where our parish buildings now stand as well as the construction of our first parish building, a multi-use building on Keene Avenue that served as the parish church, school, auditorium/meeting room and convent, opened just in time for the 1940/41 school year.
 
World War II interrupted our parish life but gave Father Dolan the time to plan for what he knew would be even greater growth ahead. By 1945, when the parish had grown to 450 families, Father Dolan had set out a 15-year long-range plan for the parish that even by his standards was very aggressive.  With the enthusiastic agreement of parishioners we accomplished these milestones:

• 1946 – A new 8 classroom building on Lemont Avenue, with meeting rooms downstairs
• 1950 – An extension to the Lemont Avenue building for the social, educational and athletic needs of the parish and school (a state of the art gymnasium, a cafeteria for the school, and a meeting room for parish groups (the “Rose Room”).
• 1950 – A rectory to house an increase in parish priests, who had previously lived in a home built as a private residence at 6060 North Kirkwood Avenue.
• 1952 – The convent for the residence of the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict who filled the majority of the teaching positions in the school.
• 1955 – Finally, when the parish had grown to 1000 families construction began on the final crowning piece of the parish campus, a 1200 seat neo-Gothic church.  By this time overcrowding had required that Sunday Masses be held in three places, the “old church,” the Keene Avenue basement auditorium and the Lemont Avenue gymnasium.
• 1959 – The new church is finally ready for use.
• 1960 – the Keene Avenue old church is converted into 4 classrooms, and the Keene Avenue basement auditorium is converted into 4 more classrooms (with special classroom exits for fire protection purposes).

Basilica Foundation

Following the honor of our parish church being elevated to the dignity of a Basilica, Monsignor Dolan pioneered the idea that a local parish church should have substantial financial protection for its own future.  In 1964 he established the Basilica Foundation, through which parishioners (especially those who had benefitted from the generosity of those who came before them) could help provide for the future of our parish.


 

School Endowment

Noting that parish schools and school parents were under new financial pressures, most notably from the shift in teacher staffing from primarily religious women to lay teachers, in 1996 Father Clark established the School Endowment to help the parish subsidize the parish school.

1929 - 1934
Father Francis A. Ryan

 

1934 - 1969
Monsignor Francis J. Dolan

 

1969 - 1978
Father Patrick C. Hunter

 

1978 - 1991
Father H. Robert Clark
 

1991 - 1996
Father Charles E. Cronin

 

1996 - 2010
Monsignor Wayne F. Prist

 

2010 - 2018
Monsignor John E. Pollard

 

2018 - present
Father Simon Braganza
 

The number and diversity of parishioner involvement in the life of our parish through the years are examples of sharing that testify to the Christian vitality of our parish. Because of this faith and the opportunities presented through our parish in evangelization and service opportunities, the Parish as we know it today stands as an example of a faith-filled life.
 
For a detailed listing of parish organizations, ministries and service opportunities, click on:

Worship Faith Formation 
Outreach Parish Life

At the invitation of Father Dolan, the Sisters of St. Benedict arrived in 1940 to serve as teachers in our parish school. Originally, they all commuted from the Motherhouse at St. Scholastica until room was made for some of them in the Keene Avenue building. They eventually moved into their own convent in 1952.  In 1993, after more than 50 years of dedicated service to the school children and the parish, when the term of the last religious principal was concluded and due to a shortage of religious vocations, the sisters left the parish.
 
After the sisters left the convent was converted into what is now the Benedict Center, which contains our pre-school early education program and adult ministries meeting rooms.

Today our parish is a mature faith community with approximately 3,000 registered households and 10,000 parishioners.  We are where we are today because our parishioners have seen what God has given and have decided to share their God-given talents and financial blessings with the Sauganash area and other areas of the city and the world.
 
We are grateful to the leadership of the parish, the priests, religious sisters, lay teachers and parish staff who over the years have recognized and utilized the existing talents of the parish family. We are continually "building a church together.”
 
One pastor summarized the history of the parish by recalling the initial promise that a parishioner gave him: "Father, if you ever need any help from us, just ask." None of the pastors would ever disagree with this. These words echo the legacy of our past and define the challenge of the future - to continue to respond to the needs of the parishioners.