Members of Sacred Heart Mission Church in Morgan Park are pressing the Archdiocese of Chicago for a timeline and concrete plan to reopen their historic parish after a partial collapse of the church’s front façade in May. The incident occurred as a Sunday Mass was ending, sending dozens of bricks onto the sidewalk and prompting an immediate shutdown of the building.
Community Calls for Transparency
Since the collapse, the church has remained closed and fenced off. A committee of parishioners, calling themselves the Save Our Shrine Committee, sent a letter to fellow members last week stating, “We have exhibited unprecedented restraint, patience, and prayerful watch, waiting for answers. We want our church back.” The letter emphasized the congregation’s willingness to raise funds again, as they did 44 years ago when the church reopened after a previous closure.
Long‑time parishioner Mary Ellen Tatro‑Mendoza, who helps coordinate the committee, described the past few months as “a lot of anxiety and a lot of prayer.” She warned that without clear communication, the community fears a repeat of the 1979 closure that once threatened the church’s existence.
Historical Context and Past Resilience
Sacred Heart Mission Church, built in 1904, has a history of overcoming adversity. In the late 1970s, the archdiocese announced an abrupt closure due to funding shortfalls and a pastoral vacancy. Parishioners mounted a vigorous campaign, even appealing to Pope John Paul II, which ultimately led Cardinal Joseph Bernardin to reopen the church in 1982 under the condition that it become a mission of the nearby Holy Name of Mary Parish and receive no future archdiocesan funding.
Since that reopening, the parish has operated with an all‑volunteer advisory board, contributing required stipends to the Catholic Church while remaining financially self‑sustaining. Today, Sacred Heart Mission is part of the Our Lady of Kibeho Parish, formerly Holy Name of Mary.
Current Status and Archdiocesan Response
In an email to Block Club Chicago the day after the collapse, an archdiocese spokesperson said officials were assessing the building and would “develop plans in the near future.” A follow‑up email on Tuesday reiterated that the archdiocese continues to evaluate structural issues but has not yet made any decisions regarding the path forward.
The church’s front façade, originally added two decades after the original construction using bricks from the nearby Purington Brick Yard, fell in the spring. The collapse has left the building wrapped in protective material and inaccessible to worshippers.
Parishioners Urge Action
Members of the Save Our Shrine Committee are urging congregants to contact archdiocesan officials and advocate for the church’s preservation. Tatro‑Mendoza emphasized that the parish has never asked for, nor required, a dime from the Archdiocese of Chicago, and that the community is prepared to fund any necessary repairs.
“When Cardinal Bernardin gave the church back to us in 1982, we raised all the money ourselves to open that building,” she said. “We would just like someone to communicate with us.”
Looking Ahead
With winter approaching, the urgency for a clear plan grows. Parishioners hope that the archdiocese will provide timely updates and collaborate with the community to restore the historic landmark that has served Morgan Park for more than a century.
Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.
