St. Angela Parish
St. Angela Parish Timeline
Although our parish closed in 2005, there are many whose memories are of the parish as the center of family and neighborhood life. This timeline appeared in the program for the Brunch of Hope.
1916
As war raged in Europe; and while America edged closer to the hostilities, young Archbishop George Mundelein established St. Angela as the first new parish of his episcopate. Its new pastor, Reverend Joseph Fitzgerald, said his first parish mass at the little storefront church at 5814 W. Division (near what later became the Rockne movie theatre). By the end of the year, the first formal wooden church was erected at the corner of Menard and Potomac (where the rectory now stands) igniting a new fire of faith in this community.
1920
Following the tragedy of World War I, the nation entered a period of peace and prosperity. The Roaring Twenties roared with new wealth, more cars, along with a dramatic spurt in the number of Austin homes and parishioners. Their generous contributions meant the building of a school immediately east of the little church. And while North Austin was still marked by as many empty lots as residences, a growing student population began eagerly signing up for classes. They came from tight-knit families who wanted “the best” for their children and saw it in the nourishment of their own church-school.
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Msgr. Ed Pellicore
It was a cold, yet clear morning on January 4, 2000. The parking lot outside the chapel at Mayslake Village in Oakbrook, Illinois was patched with ice. The cars started arriving early, and soon the lot was filled with dozens of vehicles belonging to the family and friends of Monsignor Edward M. Pellicore. They had come to pay him one last visit – to remember the many accomplishments he had achieved in his 87 years of life and 63 years of service to his Lord as a Catholic priest.
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The chapel itself soon filled with family, fellow priests, former parishioners, and friends of Monsignor Pellicore. In their rooms, residents of Mayslake Village turned on their television sets to view the ceremony honoring the priest who had lived with and ministered them for the past 17 years. Finally, Cardinal Francis George opened with a prayer to begin the Mass of the Resurrection.
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Fr. Joseph Fitzgerald
Our first pastor was Fr. Joseph Fitzgerald, only recently arrived from his home in Ballingarry, County Tipperary in Ireland. We've recently been contacted by a member of this tiny community who is writing a story about Fr. Fitzgerald to see what information we might have about his time at St. Angela. We know very litle beyond the fact that he guided us through our early years as community and amazing growth. He opened St. Angela school, asking the Sisters of Providence to serve the parish.