Queen of the Rosary Catholic Church

What if I told you this church wasn’t always in this neighborhood? Queen of the Rosary Catholic Church has a fascinating past. It all began in the early 1900s. Chicago’s Near West Side was experiencing a huge influx of Italian immigrants. The existing Italian parish, Guardian Angel Church, was overwhelmed. They needed to expand to serve this growing community. In 1910 Father Pacifico Chenuil, pastor of Guardian Angel, with the support of Archbishop James Quigley, decided to establish a new parish further west. This marked the beginning of Our Lady of Pompeii parish, the precursor to what we know today as Queen of the Rosary Catholic Church. Under the leadership of its first Pastor, Father Peter Barabino, the Italian community poured their hearts into building a new church and school. They showed such energy and enthusiasm. By 1911, the church was ready. A year later, the school opened its doors, staffed by the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception. Over the following years, the parish thrived. The current church building, a source of great pride for the community, was erected in 1923-1924. The name Queen of the Rosary Catholic Church came later. In 1994, Joseph Cardinal Bernardin officially proclaimed the church as a Shrine. It was dedicated to honor Mary, the Mother of God, Queen of the Holy Rosary. This solidified the church’s place as a beacon of faith and a testament to the enduring spirit of the Italian community in Chicago.