Remember My Church

Items

• St. Thomas 100th Anniversary
  Established in 1916, St. Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Church celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2016. This booklet provides a history of the parish as well as a collage of memories which celebrate the St. Thomas community. In Father Paul's opening letter, he welcomes parishioners in Vietnamese, Lao, Spanish, Amharic, and English, continuing St. Thomas' legacy as "The Church That Spoke Five Languages."
• St. Thomas Job Ad 1976
  St. Thomas of Canterbury from the start has been committed to giving back to the community it serves. Recognizing that those surrounding the parish needed more assistance than most Catholic churches offered, St. Thomas developed a multitude of social programs. After sixty years of the parish existing, its population had shifted with the influx of immigrants following World War II. As Uptown developed around the church, more housing, medical establishments, nursing homes, and social venues were established, leading to an influx in elderly, handicapped, and unhoused individuals in the area. In 1976, after creating a multitude of social assistance programs in the 60s, St. Thomas was looking to expand their staff. This job ad is for a Senior Citizen Coordinator and a Social Worker, positions which would provide vital support to the disadvantaged members of the parish.
• St. Thomas Sixty-Year Commemorative History
  Written by Reverend Michael Rochford in 1976, this document celebrates sixty years of St. Thomas of Canterbury Roman Catholic Church. Rev. Rochford provides a detailed account of the entire church history. St. Thomas was founded by wealthy Irish Catholics in what was known as the "Wilson Avenue District," now known as Uptown, after a severe snow storm in February of 1916 made it difficult for many to walk to church. Demanding Archbishop George Mundelein to create a closer parish, their wishes were fulfilled after collecting five-hundred signatures in only four days. Formally founded March 4, 1916, the parish would host Mass in local theaters and teach in a rented out house until a building was completed on June 24, 1917. Through shifting demographics, St. Thomas would become an incredibly diverse parish, moving its focus away from wealthy patrons to serving those in need, even those who were not parishioners.
• St Thomas 50th Year Anniversary Pamphlet
  This pamphlet is in celebration of St Thomas' 50th year since them being open. The phrase "Golden Jubilee" marks a 50th anniversary. It variously is applied to people, events, and nations. During this time, the main pastor at the Church was Father William Rogers. Father William Rogers served as the main pastor whose leadership and vision transformed St. Thomas Church into a beacon of diversity and openness. Cited and credited for his pivotal role, Father Rogers' commitment to inclusivity and acceptance has shaped the church's identity profoundly. Under his guidance, St. Thomas has become a sanctuary where all are welcomed with open arms.
• St Thomas Elementary School Image
  St Thomas established the school in 1916, the Parish School was opened with an enrollment of 60 children, kindergarten through fourth grade, by the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This photo is the photo of the first class of St Thomas, back in 1916 when the school was first established. The school itself today has a wide range of ethnic groups representing the city of Uptown,the largest groups being from Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Vietnam. To this day, the school still offers teachings in both English and Spanish, and the Spanish-speaking population in the Uptown area is relatively high. A large part of the reason why the school was established was to create a sense of fuller community within the Church. During this period, Churches were established as a “third location”, where people could not only go to worship, but it was part of their social lives. People would send their kids to the school and they would meet their friends at the Church: St Thomas could embody every part of a community.
• St. Thomas Letter from Bishop Clemens
  This letter is to Father Michael Rochford from Bishop Clemens. The letter details the history of himself with the Church, and his connection to Chicago and St. Thomas. He speaks about how he lived in Chicago and served the Church under Father William Rogers. He talks about how his new mission in India is to spread Catholicism in the underdeveloped area. He was requesting funding for this project if there were any willing donors. This letter shows that the church sticks with people in many ways, as this letter was written in 1981, and Bishop Clemens left the church in 1964 to move back to India. It also highlights the diversity that comes with St Thomas, with its parishioners representing communities from around the globe.
• St Thomas Bus Stop Advertisement
  This photo is a bus stop advertisement, taken sometime in the early 1980's, advertising the church. The bus stop ad has the address, phone number, mass times, and the services that it offers. This photo highlights the diversity that is present within the community of the church. This is shown by the tagline "Mass in 4 languages" and showing the different times in the different languages for mass. The different cultures present in the Uptown area were not only acknowledged but celebrated, and much of the church revolved around how diverse the Church was. It was a place where everyone was welcome and no one was turned away.
• Handwritten St. Thomas Note
  This letter from Lynn to Tom was seemingly attached to a folder containing historical documents about St. Thomas of Canterbury Parish.
• St. Thomas Uptown News clipping
  This is a newspaper clipping from 1982 which discusses some of the financial strains that St Thomas was put in during their time in the church. During this period the soup kitchen was vital for the poorer members of Uptown. Financial struggles led to cutting back on projects, like a winter shelter which was previously hosted in 1981. Rev. William Johnson, who was passionate about the project, felt the city was shirking responsibility, leaving it to churches. He saw it as a broader social issue beyond just Uptown, Edgewater, and Rogers Park. Johnson advocated for collaboration with other churches or neighborhood organizations, rather than tackling it alone.
• Palm Sunday Pamphlet
  This is a newsletter for the Palm Sunday Mass in Vietnamese at St. Thomas of Canterbury. Along with instructions for the congregation, the pamphlet also provides the antiphon, or refrain, in both Vietnamese and English. The item was originally in Vietnamese, but has been translated using an image translation program.
• St. Thomas Vietnamese Newsletter
  This newsletter to the Vietnamese Catholic Community at St. Thomas details the organization's acquisition of a house near St. Thomas specifically for the purpose of providing a space for their community. They express plans for intense renovation, requiring many volunteers to turn the run down house into a flourishing community center. The item was originally in Vietnamese, but has been translated using an image translation program.
• Mary, Mother of God Spanish Newsletter
  This is a newsletter found among other Spanish documents at the St. Thomas of Canterbury Rectury in a box labeled “Vietnam.” The writer, Father Alejandro López, writes to the church’s Spanish community in the hopeful spirit of Lent and Easter. He focuses the newsletter with a discussion about God and His gift of “salvation,” which God invites all of His Creation to accept. This, Father López writes, is part of God’s divine plan—that God in His goodness will always win, and that He invites everyone to rejoice in that promise.
• St. Thomas Financial Record
  A letter detailing the financial situation of St. Thomas of Canterbury. It describes the rental of a space for the Vietnamese community by Father Hung. Father Hung was part of the three-man team that led St. Thomas in the 70s and 80s. He coordinated with others to prepare a space for them and offered them Mass in Vietnamese. At the time of writing this letter he would have been finishing up his first year at St. Thomas.
• Photo of a group outside St. Thomas Church
  This was a 2005 image found at the St. Thomas of Canterbury Rectory, stored in a box labeled “Vietnam.” Little is known about this picture, but what can be inferred is that it shows a meeting of different cultures and people. The individuals within this image are shown holding different flags, representing different countries coming together outside of the church.
• St. Thomas News clipping
  This is a newspaper clipping that was found at the St. Thomas of Canterbury Rectory. The writer describes the spiritual differences between the diverse ethnic groups that make up St. Thomas of Canterbury—namely the “English-speaking,” Vietnamese, and Laotian. In addition, they explain how the church allows not only a place of worship but a neighborly refuge for immigrants. Ultimately, the writer asserts that St. Thomas Church allows the two groups to unite their religious views and build a sense of community.
• St. Thomas 65th Anniversary
  St. Thomas of Canterbury 65th Anniversary Jubilee handout. Detailing the history of the parish up to the late 1970s. Written by Father Rochford, it contains a treasure trove of information regarding the transitionary period and the numerous trials the church had been going through during this time. It also encompasses the changing demographics of the community in Uptown at this time due to various societal problems. The handout was an invitation to Mass and a dinner/dance occurring at 3:30 pm. Businesses were also invited to buy ad space in the anniversary book.
• St. Thomas Palm Sunday Newsletter
  The ritual and mass for Palm Sunday year B at St Thomas Church. The priest presiding over the congregation is J. Tran Cong Bang.
• St. Thomas Donation List
  A 3x5 note card documenting the funds raised by the congregation of St. Thomas of Canterbury for Saint Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church in Wilmette, Illinois.
• St. Thomas Treasurer List
  A list of donations made to the St. Thomas of Canterbury school and Food Pantry. Not shown in the document is that it was from Saint Francis Xavier in Wilmette. This list contains donations for Food, Fuel, Clothing, Misc Assistance, Cash Grants, Books and Tuition, and others. The total for this donation, which was made by a single person, was 118 dollars.