Whispers of faith echoed through the halls of Saint Albert the Great Catholic Church. This Austin church is more than just a building. It’s a testament to the dedication of its parishioners. They built the church with their own hands. The story begins in 1949 with parishioners from St. Gerald Parish, collecting signatures for a new church in Stickney Township. Cardinal Stritch heard their plea. He sent Father Loras Welch to investigate. The first mass was held at the old Tobin School, led by Father Joseph Phelan.
The parishioners’ dream began to take shape on May 9, 1949. They decided to build a mission church, relying on volunteer labor. The congregation outgrew Tobin School. Services moved to the old House of Hughes Restaurant on Cicero Avenue. There, the St. Albert the Great Choir sang for the first time. The construction crew, over 130 strong, worked tirelessly under floodlights. On Christmas Eve 1949, the first Mass was celebrated in the unfinished mission church. The floor was bare, the walls unplastered, yet the spirit of Christmas filled the air.
In 1950, the mission, initially named St. Gerald’s Mission, was completed. It could seat 250 people and included a small rectory and a downstairs hall. The mission was renamed Saint Albert the Great Church in 1951, with Father Joseph Phelan as its first pastor. Cardinal Stritch formally dedicated the church on April 29, 1951. The parish grew rapidly. The need for a school became evident. The northern half of the current school, with eight classrooms, opened in 1953. Three Adrian Dominican Sisters and a lay teacher welcomed 200 students.
The church expanded in 1954 and 1955 to accommodate the growing congregation. Father Leo J. Hanley became the first associate pastor. Twelve more classrooms were added to the school in 1958. The parish purchased more land, expanding from one and a half acres to eight. In 1958, Saint Albert the Great saw 350 baptisms, 270 First Communions, and 437 confirmations. The parish continued its remarkable growth into the 1960s. By 1964, 13,000 Catholics resided within its boundaries. The dream of a larger, permanent church began to materialize. Groundbreaking took place on April 19, 1964, at State Road and Central Avenue. The first Mass in the new church was held on May 7, 1965. The dedication, led by Cardinal Cody, occurred on October 3, 1966. Saint Albert the Great Catholic Church, with its unique architecture symbolizing the hill of Christ’s crucifixion, stands as a beacon of faith. It is a reminder of the power of community and the enduring spirit of its founders.