This Time- Line is by no means a full record of the spiritual, educational or social accomplishments of our parish. During our 55 years as a community, we not only replaced innumerable roofs and boilers, but we became a FAITH CENTER in which thousands of men, woman and children shared a journey of faith in the Risen Lord of Life.1947 Father O'Brien purchased 5 acres "that were little more than a mud hole and a swamp" at a cost of $20,000. [10/7/47] Father O'Brien took up temporary residence at Little Company of Mary Hospital until 10/48 First Mass-Ketchump's Funeral Chapel [10/26/47] "Seat Money" $47.00 "Collection" $203.00 First parish Baptism was performed at Little Company of Mary Hospital There were 300 registered families. First parish carnival was held on property which is now Evergreen Plaza. 1948 First Mass in the Quonset Church- Easter Sunday [3/28/48] First parish "car raffle" profits of $12,000. were realized. First Dinner Dance at the "Shoreland Hotel" tickets $5.00 per person 1949 Opening of the School -6 classrooms building costs $341,933.82 Fr. O'Brien wrote :"This amount almost sound like the national debt." 1950 First St. Bernadette School Graduating class of 13 students. 1951 Help us fill in this year. 1952 Convent building completed building costs-$175,000 1953 "Religious Instruction"[CCD]classes were held after 9:00 parish Mass for students enrolled in public schools . 1954 First floor of the primary school building was completed, building cost approx.$125.000 Parish Mass Schedule 6:00,6:45,7:30,9:00,10:30 and 12:00 in the Quonset. School Tuition for the 1954-1955 school year was $2.00 per month for each child. 1955 Raffle tickets for a vacant lot "east of California Avenue and south of the Golf Course" or $3000 cash were sold to retire the debt. remaining on the Convent construction $18,376.00 was raised. 1956 Over 380 parishioners went door- to- door to solicit $450,000 for the building of the church [4/9/56] $366,000 in pledges were received in the first month of the campaign. 1000th. Baptism 1957 Mass schedule: 6:30,7:30,9:00,10:00,11:00 and 12:15 in the Quonset. 8,9,10,11:30 in school. Tenth Anniversary Dinner Dance-tickets $5.00 for filet mignon and dancing[10/23/57] 1958 First Mass in the new Church [2/9/58] Beginning of the second story addition to the primary school building, cost-$100,000 The Pius X stained glass window in the sanctuary was installed at the cost of $1600. 1959 Help us fill in this year. 1960 Additional pledges sought to retire the debt for the school addition, the suggested amount was $120 or $10 a month. Tuition for school students was raised from $0.10 to $0.15 per day [$3.00 per month] 1961 Four classroom annex was added to the main school building [3/61] 1962 2000th. Baptism [7/29/62] The parish was called to pray for God's blessing on the forthcoming Ecumenical Council [Vatican II ] 1963 Help us fill in this year. 1964 Stained glass windows picturing the Mysteries of the Rosary and the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy were added to the Church. 1965 Sanctuary renovations, including a new altar facing the congregation were undertaken to implement the liturgical changes of Vatican II 1966 Tuition increased to $50.00 for the first student $100.00 for two or more students. 1967 First Parish Council established by Fr.O'Brien 1968 A $40,000. pledge was made to the Springfield Dominicans for the Motherhouse building project. 1969 Help us fill in this year. 1970 First full-time Director of Religious Education [CCD], Sister Cecile Quirk an Adrian Dominican was hired 1971 The parish sponsored "Block Masses" in parishioners homes to help explain the liturgical changes. 1972 Father O'Brien retired Nov. 1st. The parish also celebrated its Silver Jubilee. Baptisms: 3488 Weddings: 1031 1973 Father Laske appointed pastor, November 19,1972 Springfield Dominican Sisters celebrated their Centennial Year as a community. 1974 Help us fill in this year. 1975 Help us fill in this year. 1976 St. Bernadette Pre-School opened Village of Evergreen Pk. placed a time capsule on village property to celebrate the Bicentennial. 1977 Help us fill in this year. 1978 Help us fill in this year. 1979* Father O'Brien celebrated his 50th. anniversary as a priest Pope John Paul II visited Chicago and celebrated Mass in Grant Park 1980 Help us fill in this year. 1981 Help us fill in this year. 1982 Parish begins the RENEW program as a way of fostering spiritual growth. 1983 RENEW continues, as many as 28 small groups of 10 to 12 parishioners each met throughout the parish to discuss scriptural and liturgical themes 1984 RENEW program completed. Father O'Brien died June 20th. First BERNADAYS carnival [ proceeds of $14,000] 1985 BERNADAYS II "Angels" and "Archangels" pledged $10 or $25 to defray the carnival expenses and provide "start up" funds. O'Brien Hall Kitchen remodeling [cost $14,000] 1986 BERNADAYS III 1987 BERNADAYS IV The total proceeds from the four BERNADAYS carnivals was about $48,000. The funds were used to begin the remodeling of O'Brien Hall. In addition to the proceeds,$13,500 was donated by parishioners to complete the O'Brien Hall project. 1988 Father Laske died in Rome [9/21/88] 1989 Father Dave Byrne was appointed Pastor, Jan.1,1989 1990 Parking lot agreement with Little Co.of Mary Hospital provided resurfacing, landscaping and snow removal. 1991 Replacement windows installed in the primary school building [cost approx. $42,000] 1992 Steam Heat Project eliminated the need for the school and Church boilers. Emergency electrical repairs needed to be made to the main electrical feed cost $35,000 for which a special collection was held. The Bernadette Youth Group [BYG] was formed to provide a connection between teens and the parish. 1993 The Convent Renovation Committee appealed to the parish for the funds necessary to remodel the first floor of the convent [Pledges and donations of over $30,000 were received. 1994 Cardinal Bernadine joins the parish for a celebration of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. 1995 Help us fill in this year. 1996 Fiftieth Anniversary Capital Campaign undertaken to make the necessary repairs to insure our parish's future. 1997 Jubilee Year activities included: Photo display of historical pictures and people of the parish, A Fourth of July Picnic, A Day of Recollection with noted speaker Fr. Richard Fragomeni, A week long Parish Mission given by Dominicans, Sister Ann Willits and Fr. Don Goergen, A Bridge Tournament for parishioners, past and present We concluded our
Jubilee Celebration with a special Mass of Thanksgiving on October 25,1997 The
presider at the liturgy was Cardinal Francis George, he was joined by many of the
priests who served at our parish, along with sisters, lay teachers and current
and past parishioners. The liturgical celebration was followed by a Dinner Dance
at the Martinique
Restaurant. 1998 Fr. Kurt Boras named pastor, July 1,1998 1999 new windows installed in School. 2000 new carpeting installed in church. 2001 Fr. Gary Miller named pastor on July 16, 2001
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