Remember My Church

Items

• 1st Annual Ministry Fair
  This is a flyer of the 1st Annual Ministry Fair at St. Gregory in 2004. The Stewardship Council and Ministry Leaders have created this to engage with the community. The event went on from 9 in the morning until 3 in the afternoon. It was held at St. Gregory's High School Cafeteria. Some things they were offering at this fair was "prayer, music, worship & spirituality, parish oversight," etc. The flyer has colorful balloons as the background. The Parish believed that having time for play is an essential for the “Parish family.” Each week the Parish provided a schedule with different activities on the bulletin board or in the parish paper. Some of these activities included festivals, boy/girl scouts, bowling, BINGO, etc.
• St. Gregory the Great church in Chicago, IL
  St. Gregory is where these communities found a home. This church hosts a diverse and vibrant community of parishioners!
• List of the Luxembourger parishioners in German
  Luxembourgers settled in Chicago in the 1840s, some of them forming a tight knit community in the Summerdale neighborhood in Chicago. These Luxembourgers comprised of the original founders of the St. Gregory the Great Parish!
• First Simbang Gabi at St. Gregory
  Since the 1980s, the Filipino community has been very active in the parish. The Philippines is home to the largest Catholic population outside the Americas and with the parish's rich history of welcoming immigrant and first generation American families it is home to a large Filipino American community. Beginning in 1987, the congregations of Filipinos began hosting the Simbang Gabi, which is a series of masses done in preparation for Christmas by Filipino Catholics.
• St. Gregory's Theater Group
  These images are of the St. Gregory's High School Theater Group in 1914. Each photograph presents different costumes used in the plays within that year. These photographs were part of the St. Gregory High School yearbook. Doing theater at St. Gregory was part of the extracurricular programs that they offered. The Priests and Sisters contributed to these extra curricular activities. Their goal is to make sure students learned “spiritually, academically, and culturally." On one of the pages, they titled it "School Entertainment—June 1914" and at the bottom wrote "Gregory Club Players." One the second page it states, "Pathway from School to Sisters' House" and "Players—June 1914."
• St. Gregory Bingo Games Assignments Sheet
  This is an assignment sheet for Bingo Games at St. Gregory the Great Church. For each Bingo night, different individuals were assigned to run the games. This spanned from December 17, 1939 until December 15, 1940. The Parish believed that having time for play is an essential for the “Parish family.” Each week the Parish provided a schedule with different activities on the bulletin board or in the parish paper. Some of these activities included festivals, boy/girl scouts, bowling, BINGO, etc.
• Break Ground for St. Gregory High School Addition
  This is a newspaper page explaining the renovations being done to the St. Gregory High School. They planned on expanding the school by adding four stories to the building. Rev. Arthur F. Terlecke, who was the pastor of St. Gregory at the time, was excited to announce two new units being added to the High School. He explained that the renovations will cost around $600,000 (~ $6,966,513 as of 2024). In the photograph, Rev. Arthur F. Terlecke is standing in the middle with his committee.
• St. Gregory's Coed High School
  This is a newspaper page explaining the Coed High School system at St. Gregory in 1940. Their new High School was renovated to cover almost the whole block — this included the church itself, the High School, Deaf School, Gymnasium, Parish Center, etc. The image presented is of the St. Gregory High School. To celebrate this new era for the St. Gregory High School, they created an abstract event. On the photograph on the left, it is of Rev. Arthur F. Terlecke holding biretta, along with the prayers of Cardinal Stritch. On the photograph on the right side, is of the abstract event.
• Fire Guts Old North Side Church
  This is a newspaper page explaining the fire that went down at the St. Gregory the Great church in 1951. The image presented on the page is of the St. Gregory chapel covered in smoke. The fire had affected both the church and the school. The fire started on the second floor and moved quickly within the building. It got to the point where the roof even collapsed. The newspaper also stated that repairs would cost approximately $100,000 (~ $1,201,276 as of 2024).
• An Artist's Voice: Oral History with Sarah Crow
  Sarah Crow was interviewed due to her connection to and position as the artist- in- residence at St. Gregory the Great parish in Chicago, IL. Crow is a Catholic artist and contributes to the parish in many ways such as conducting tours and holding art workshops. In this interview, she was asked primarily about her role at the church and how she contributes to the community. She was able to provide an abundance of information about the history of art and architecture of St. Gregory the Great. Additionally, she describes the continued tradition of art at the parish, St. Gregory being labeled the “arts and cultural center” of the three parishes affiliated with Mary, Mother of God. This interview was conducted over phone and was about twenty minutes in length, transcribing to about five pages.
• The Gregorian in 1991
  This is a monthly newsletter of St. Gregory Church in Chicago titled "The Gregorian," dated April 1991. The central theme of this edition is a farewell to Father Gene, as indicated by the large "FAREWELL" text. Below this headline, the newsletter expresses gratitude and good wishes to Father Gene as he leaves for St. Genevieve's, acknowledging his contributions to the St. Gregory Parish community. A message assures Father Gene that he will not be forgotten. A photograph of Father Gene smiling is featured, providing a personal connection to the readers. Below his picture is a heartfelt letter addressed to the parishioners of St. Gregory. In this letter, Father Gene reflects on his time at the parish, describing it as one of his best assignments and expressing his deep appreciation for the supportive and loving community. He mentions the generosity and warmth he has received and assures the parishioners that the experiences he has had will be carried with him in the future. He concludes by expressing his gratitude, bestowing blessings, and mentioning his final Mass as an act of Thanksgiving, signed with his name.
• The Gregorian in 1989
  This is a monthly newsletter of St. Gregory Church in Chicago titled "The Gregorian," dated May 14, 1989. The date at the top right indicates it's for Pentecost Sunday, May 14, 1989, and a biblical quote from John 20:21b complements the date. The header of the newsletter is stylized with the title "THE GREGORIAN" in bold, uppercase letters. Below this, in a more decorative font, is "Saint Gregory Church" with its address. The central part of the page is dedicated to a poem titled "To Mother," which is a touching tribute to motherhood, framed with an illustration of a ribbon and a flower, likely symbolizing love and purity. The poem conveys the theme of divine love and the sacredness of the mother-child relationship, suggested by the lines that speak of Jesus sending the speaker to a caring mother. In the lower section, there are two announcements framed in boxes. The left one advertises a "MOTHER'S DAY ANNUAL PANCAKE BREAKFAST," encouraging attendance with a whimsical drawing of pancakes and coffee, sponsored by Boy Scout Troop #829. The right one announces "SPIRITUAL RENEWAL" for various church volunteers, detailing an upcoming event with Father Gene Gratkowski. These components illustrate the newsletter's purpose: to inform the church community about events, celebrate significant occasions, and foster a sense of unity and spirituality among the congregation.
• The Gregorian in 1977
  This is a monthly newsletter of St. Gregory Church in Chicago titled "The Gregorian," dated July 17, 1977. The publication appears to be St. Gregory the Great Roman Catholic Church's newsletter, based on the address listed at the bottom. The design is straightforward, with large, bold text and simple graphics. At the top, a stylized scale symbolizes justice, accompanied by the phrase "Do justice and live in the presence of the Lord." Below this is a cartoon with two figures, one serving the other a bowl, captioned with a biblical reference to Martha and Mary, highlighting the choice of spiritual devotion over mundane tasks. The middle section contains the title "THE GREGORIAN" in large block letters, with a text block beneath it referencing Martha as "just a housewife," alluding to her biblical story of hospitality and service, and noting that saints and sinners shared her dinners, with Jesus frequently visiting. The bottom section includes a Christian message, "Christ is in you your hope of glory," superimposed on a large cross graphic, reinforcing the newsletter's religious content and inspiration. The footer identifies the publication as belonging to "SAINT GREGORY THE GREAT ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH," providing an address in Chicago, Illinois. This page exemplifies the church's outreach and communication with its congregation, using a blend of religious instruction, scriptural reference, and community building in a format typical of a monthly newsletter.
• The Gregorian in 1938
  This is a monthly newsletter of St. Gregory Church in Chicago titled "The Gregorian," dated October 16, 1938. The layout includes a header on top with the newsletter's title in a prominent font, flanked by two decorative lines. Below this, the page is divided into two columns of text. The left column, under the heading "HIGH MASSES FOR THE WEEK," lists the schedule of masses for each day of the week, from Monday, October 17, to Sunday, October 23. It mentions specific types of masses such as Requiem masses and High Mass in honor of Our Sorrowful Mother, some with associated names, indicating masses dedicated to particular individuals or societies within the church. On the right side, there are several sections starting with "A LETTER OF THANKSGIVING" from a parishioner expressing gratitude for her husband's conversion to Catholicism. Below that is a section titled "INTERESTING QUESTIONS" which previews lectures on faith and challenges to the church's teachings that are to be addressed in a Convert Class. It encourages engagement with these topics and announces the time for instruction classes. Further down, "LADIES ALTAR SODALITY" announces a meeting and lecture, inviting new residents to attend. At the bottom, "Marriage Banns" lists couples who have announced their intentions to marry. A footer on the page advertises for a funeral director, indicating the newsletter's role in community information sharing. "The Gregorian" seems to function as a monthly bulletin, informing parish members about liturgical schedules, church-related news, educational opportunities, and social events.
• The Gregorian in 1932
  This is a monthly newsletter of St. Gregory Church in Chicago titled "The Gregorian," dated October 1932. The page layout includes two columns of text with a variety of headings and one small inset image at the top center, depicting what seems to be the religious figure, The Lady of Perpetual hope. The headings include "OUR CARNIVAL," "NECESSARY ITEM," "OUR NOVENA," "EVENING SERVICES," "OUR PURGATORIAL SOCIETY," and "CLOTHES WANTED." This newsletter serves as a historical document, providing insights into the community activities, religious practices, and communal concerns of the parish at that time.
• First Boy's Choir
  This is the first boy's choir of St. Gregory's. This photo would have been taken around 1905-7.
• A second attendee list of the first meeting of the St. Gregory the Great parish
  This is a list of 9 names of the attendees of the first meeting of the St. Gregory the Great parish in Chicago.
• One of the attendee lists of the first meeting of the St. Gregory the Great parish
  This is a list of 10 names of the attendees of the first meeting of the St. Gregory the Great parish in Chicago.
• A block stamp of lectern and pulpit used in illustrating "The Church Beautiful" pamphlet about art at St. Gregory the Great by Fr. Klasen.
  This item is a block stamp used by Fr. Klasen in 1942 to illustrate his "The Church Beautiful" pamphlet about St. Gregory the Great church in Chicago, Illinois. Klasen originally petitioned for the creation of a church that would stand out; "You may build, but build something distinctive, not just another 'catalogue' church." He took great pride in the beauty of the church and the artworks housed in St. Gregory the Great. This block depicts the Lectern and pulpit of the church. In it's illustration, these stamps utilized a chemical process to transfer the image from the block onto the paper. Klasen describes the intricate details carved on the Lectern which includes imagery of an eagle, the symbol of St. John the Evangelist, and a group of angles. Klasen believed that this piece was a masterpiece and truly admired the beauty. His pamphlet "The Church Beautiful" helps explain the artwork and architecture of the church in great depth in order for people to understand and appreciate the masterpieces.
• Original copy of the first meeting of St. Gregory the Great parish in Chicago, IL
  This item is the original copy of the first meeting of the St. Gregory the Great parish in Chicago, Illinois. This meeting took place on July 15, 1904, shortly after the parish received permission from the Archbishop to be founded. This meeting was held in Matt Evert's restaurant which was located opposite of the Rosehill station afterhours. St. Gregory the Great parish had faced many challenges with getting permission to establish a parish with the Archbishop. The meeting having to be held at a restaurant is reminiscent of both these challenges and the resilience of the community in establishing a church. This meeting was attended by the chosen founding Fr. Klasen. Here, the parish compiled the first subscription list for it's members. The names fill two pages which were attached to a paper of the meeting notes. Additionally, the parish decided to erect a semi-permeant but temporary place of worship, which was used for 20 years, before the building of the 1926 Norman-Gothic church.
• St. Gregory parishioner's scrapbook page including newspaper clippings of Fr. Klasen's passing
  This item is a page of a parishioner's scrapbook composing mainly of historic news clippings of St. Gregory the Great. This scrapbook was created by a parishioner dedicated to the history of St. Gregory the Great and aimed to help preserve it's history. This page features the event of the parish's founding Fr. Klasen passing. The page combines articles about the Friday Funeral Mass for Klasen, the original report on his death at an Arkansas hospital, and his obituary.
• Image of the original church committee of St. Gregory the Great
  This is an image of the Church Committee for St. Gregory the Great parish in the formerly Summerdale neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois. This committee was founded in the spring of 1904 due to a need for a German- speaking parish in this neighborhood to accommodate a community of immigrants from Luxembourg. This committee petitioned to Reverend Archbishop J. E. Quigley and the Archdiocese for the creation of this parish. They had collected the names of potential parishioners and promised this parish would foster a beautiful community. These devoted committee members eventually accomplished their goal after a lengthy period of communication with the Archdiocese. Their proposition to establish the parish of St. Gregory the Great was accepted late in 1904. This committee continued to be integral after the building of the original church building commenced. They were responsible for proposing the appointment of the founding pastor and organizing the first meetings of the parish.
• Letter correspondence requesting the establishment of the St. Gregory the Great parish
  This document is a letter to the Reverend Archbishop J. E. Quigley from the original founding committee of St. Gregory the Great church petitioning its creation. The committee members argue the need for a German- speaking parish in the heart of the North Ashland neighborhood to accommodate a population of immigrants from Luxembourg. The committee promises strong support for this parish and that it would foster a flourishing community. The committee even describes the specific plot of land they would like the church to stand on and expected membership. This evidence in the letter insinuates the careful and vigorous planning for this parish. Even though there was a need for this parish, there were months of petitioning to the Archbishop, making the creation of the church a long process. Following this integral letter, the counsel of the Archbishop voted to establish the parish in 1904. Building started swiftly, the community coming together and donating upwards of $8,000 to build the church building.