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14Wilmettes 75th Anniversary 1872-1947September 18,Parishcago. The Rev. Thomas V. Shannon,editor of the "New World," was ap- Was Organized forpointed the second pastor of thechurch. He was instrumental in or-Non-Germanganizing the Womans Catholic club Catholicsof Wilmette in March, 1913.Father Shannon remained in Wil-First Mass Was Said inmette only four years and in 1916,was named pastor of St. Thomas the1904; Church Buildingbishop Quigley and presentedApostle parish in Hyde Park. InDedicatedtheir quest. He delegated Bishop Following Yearrecognition of his outstanding workdoon to investigate the pro-as editor of the "New World" forposal and to discuss the matterNowover 20 years and his parochial ac- in its 43rd year, St. Franciswith the Wiimette delegates.Xavietivities, the late Pope Pius XIr church was organized in* * *named Father Shannon a Domestic1904, to minister to the non-GermanAccordingly, a meeting was held inPrelate in April, 1925.speaking families who h:id moveda Chicago hotel on December 30,* * *to Wilmette from Chicago. Devo-1903, and after considering the issue,tions in the Gross Point church, St.Bishcp Muldoon acceded to the re-The third pastor of the parishJosephs, and in the new parish inwas the Rt. Rev. Msgr. FrancisHubbarquest ard promised that in thed Woods were conducted inClement Kelley who was theGermanI spring a rew parish would be or-, making it necessary forganizedfound,er and president of the.the new families to travel to St.MaryLaleCatholic Church Extension so- in the spring of 1934, Arch-s in Evanston, which wasbishopciety and was known throughout Quigley announced that theconsidered a hardship at iat time.the country as a writer andThe| Rev. Edmurd Byrnes of St. Pat- Elevated railway hsd not yetpreacher of note. The demandsenteredricks cnicfc had been appointed to Evanston or Wilmette andorgarizemade upon his time by the Ex- the new parish in Wil-the automobile was in its infancy.mettetension society did not permit. His first official act was toThehim time to do the routine duties solution to this problem, ac-name the parish St. FrancisRt. Rev. Martin D. McNamara Xav-cordingof the parish so the Rev. John to some, was the establish-ier, after the Jesuit missionary tomenLannon was assigned as assist-t of a parish in Wilmette, whileIndia and Japan. Father Byrnescorners of Ninth street and Lindenotherant pastor to conduct the parishs were of the opinion thatmade the Avenue House in Evans-avenue were soon purchased as theactivities.they were not sufficient in numberton his temporary : ectory and lat-site of the permanent parish build-to* * * warrant such a venture al thatei rented a small cottage on theings. On October 3, 3904, ground wasparticular time. In the fall of 1903,south side of Elmwood avenue, be-broken for the church on the north-St. Athanasius parish in NorthMrs. F^rank Flaherty and Mrs. Ed-tween Seventh street and Sheridanwest corner. Miss Helen Carey, aEvanston was established in theward Kirchberg made a census ofroad, where he lived until a perma-cousin of the pastor, dug the firstspring of 1921, by the Rev. Thomasthe English-speaking Reman Cath-nent recoiy was built.shovel-full of earth. She became theMurphy to accommodate the grow-olic families of Wilmette and Kenil-*first girl from the parish to enter * *ing number of Catholics in that area.worthreligion and is now Sister Mary, finding about 15 familiesJones hall on the south sideThe northern boundary of the newwhich totaled less than 100 persons.oAgatha of the Sisters of Mercy.f Wilmette avenue juri west ofparish was Isabella street, takingBelievingthe railroad was rented for Sun-from St. Francis Xavier parish the that the presence of aThe late Henry Schlacks, a par-parishday services. On Sunday morn-territory between this street and would attract to Wilmetteishioner, was the architect. In con-morCentral street, Evanston.eing-, June 26, 1904, Mass was Catholics seeking homes, thestructing the church of pressedleaderssaid for the first time. Mr. and of the group decided to ap-brick and biown limestone it wasBecause of crowded conditions inproach the diocesan authorities.Mrs. Henry Miller, who lived,decided to build to meet only thethe school and convent, a commit-dimmediate needs of the parish. Con-Wirielmctelytt across the street ontee was organized in 1924 to ar-e avenue, acted as cus-sequently, the tower was not erectedrange plans for a new school. WorkWith the census list in hand,todians of the temporary church.nor a permanent .roof installed orbegan on the new building in AprilMessrs. Flaherty, Kirchberg and* * *the building completed in height orof that year, and in October 1924,Edward Dolan called upon Arch-Bothlength.the building was completed and oc- the northwest and northeastcupied.* * *The first Mass in the newchurchMonsignor Kelly received word was celebrated on Christ-masfrom Rome on June 25, 1925, Day 1904, but the churchwathat he had been elected Bishops net finished. The walls wereof the Diocese of Oklahoma City.still to be plastered and theHis successor was the Rev. Bern-furnishings were not complete,Youngard Brady, founder of St. Leon- in Yearsand many details remained to beards parish in Berwyn, 111.arranged.* * *BUTIn seven years time Father BradyThe formal dedication took placehad the church free from debt, andon Sunday June 19, 1905, less thanenthusiasm immediately becamea year from the day on which thearoused for a new church, but withASfirst Mass was said, with the Rt.the depression at its height, such a OLD AS THE AGESRev. Peter Muldoon, auxiliary Bish-venture was not adviseable.op of Chicago officiating.On March 12, 1937, Father BradyIn the fall of 1907, Father Byrneswas promoted to the pastorate atmoved into a new rectory which heSt. Brendans church on the southIN EXCELLENCE OF SERVICEhad erected just west of the church.side of Chicago. He had the longestHis next effort was directed uponpastorate in the history of the par-the building of a school. This wasish, serving from 1924 to 1937.accomplished in the fall of 1909,wheComing directly from Quigleyn a combination frame schoolPreparatory seminary, where heand convent was under constructionhad been a member of theon the north end of the lot ownedfaculty for 14 years, the then Rev.by the church on the east side ofNintMartin D. McNamara became theh street, just opposite thefifth pastor of St. Francis XavierBUTchurch., short as our life here has been,in 1937.* * *it has been full, and we look back withFatheFather McNamara immediate-r Byrnes applied to theaSisterly began planning for a news of Providence of St. feeling of pride to the high type ofMarchurch and, on April 17, 1937, they of the Woods for Sistersparishoners offered their lastserviceto take charge of the new school we have given to the peopleSunday Mass in the old churchand shortly after the first of thefor on the following day theoyear, 1910, four Sisters arrivedf this community.work of razing it was begun.to open the school. On Monday,During the construction of theJanuary 3, the school openedwitnew church Sunday servicesh 37 students and before thewere held in the Womans clubend of the month the enrollmentbuildino- ani a chapel was pro-had increased to 57, comprisingPORTERSvided in the school for dailyeeven grades. The school at pres-. Mass. PHARMACYent has an enrollment of about* * #300.The new building, Gothic in archi-Ltecture, was finished by February A. PORTER, R.Ph., and M. A. PORTERArchbishop Quigley appointed1939.RidgeFather Byrnes on October 1), 1912The title of Monsignor was con- & Wilmette Ave.Wilmette 702to organize the new parish of Stferred on Father McNamara in Feb-Sebastian on the north side of Chi-ruary, 1946.