St. Bernardine Roman Catholic Church and School at Elgin and Harrison was dedicated on Sunday, April 30, 1916 with “imposing ceremonies.” Rev. George W. Mundelein, archbishop of Chicago; Rev. Father P.L. Biermann of St Nicholas Church, Evanston; Deacon Rev. Joseph Zimmerman of St. Benedict Church, Chicago; and Subdeacon Rev. Joseph Adams of St. Peter Church, Niles Center, were all in attendance. Rev. H. Haarth was the master of ceremonies, and Monsignor Joseph Rainer of St. Francis Seminary, Milwaukee, Wisconsin preached the sermon. Rev. Maiworm, pastor of St. Bernardine was the pastor at the time and hosted dozens of pastors that morning from several other parishes in the area.
A parade at 8:30 a.m., which included the 40-piece boys band from St. Mary Training School of Feehanville, Des Plaines and a procession with many “societies from the west side, Oak Park, Maywood, and La Grange, which walked to Washington Boulevard and Marengo to meet the archbishop,” and then returned to the church where a Mass was celebrated. St. Bernardine School opened in September of that year with eight grades of instruction.
On the other side of town, the early St. John Lutheran Church, which had been dedicated in 1873, suffered a fire (April 26, 1916), just days before this event. Fortunately, the new St. John Lutheran Church at 305 Circle had been built, and dedicated in 1914 and was accommodating the growing Lutheran community.
Photo of St. John pre-fire – Forest Leaves, April 21, 1916
Jill Wagner
