Established in 1894 Saint Andrew Roman Catholic Church stands proudly in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood. This wasn’t always a bustling area. Imagine a time when farmland surrounded this church. The land was annexed into Chicago only five years before Saint Andrew’s founding. Archbishop Feehan named it after its first pastor Father Andrew Croke an Irish immigrant.
Saint Andrew’s first church was a modest wooden structure built in 1896. It was located at the corner of Paulina and Addison Streets. The congregation rapidly expanded. A school opened in 1902 to meet the needs of the growing community. The wooden church became too small. The parish moved the building across the street. They laid the cornerstone for a larger more permanent brick Romanesque church.
This impressive new church was completed in 1913. However growth continued. By the 1930s over 10000 parishioners attended services. The church was expanded by 60 feet. A new high altar was installed. This eased overcrowding. In 1926 a new school was built. It remains in use today.
John Mallin decorated the interior between 1927 and 1929. The sanctuary ceiling received an ornamental frieze. A large painting of The Ascension adorned the walls above the altar. All the decoration was highlighted and shaded by hand. The church’s ceiling beams and ornaments were gilded with touches of color. Columns were marbelized so expertly that they looked like real marble.
Sadly these Mallin decorations were removed during a 1932 church expansion. The expansion was undertaken by Pastor Monsignor William Griffin to relieve overcrowding. The church continues to serve as a vital part of the community. Its history is a testament to the faith and perseverance of its people. Saint Andrew Roman Catholic Church remains a beacon of hope. It continues to serve the growing Lakeview neighborhood.