Saint Andrew the Apostle Church

Amidst the vibrant tapestry of Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood stands Saint Andrew the Apostle Church, a testament to faith and community. Saint Andrew the Apostle Church has witnessed the ebb and flow of life since its humble beginnings in 1894. Originally, the congregation worshipped in a hall above Westpfahl’s saloon. Imagine the lively atmosphere, the scent of beer mingling with hymns. Soon, they moved to a church at the corner of Addison and Paulina, the site where we stand today. Archbishop Feehan named the parish after its first pastor, the Irish immigrant priest Andrew Croke. The original church, a yellow wood frame building, was completed in 1896. But Saint Andrew the Apostle Church was destined for greater things. In 1912, the parish ingeniously rolled the wooden structure across the street. This made way for a new, grand Romanesque church. The parish school, a cornerstone of the community, opened in 1902 and moved to its current building in 1926. By the Great Depression, Saint Andrew the Apostle Church had grown to a staggering 10,000 parishioners! The church was extended by 60 feet and a new high altar installed to accommodate the burgeoning congregation. In 1935, Bishop Bernard Sheil, founder of the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO), became pastor. The parish gymnasium, completed in 1951, became a hub of CYO activity. The Chicago Daily Tribune marveled at its size, describing three basketball courts, a boxing ring, a stage, a pipe organ, and space for 5,000 people. Even roller-skating was possible! In the 1970s, a gambling raid at Saint Andrew the Apostle Church made headlines. The assistant pastor and a finance committee member were arrested during a “bingo-like” game. The proceeds, the priest explained, were meant to offset the school’s budget deficit. Today, some original features are missing. The communion rail and altar frontal are gone, and artwork has been whitewashed. Yet, Saint Andrew the Apostle Church endures, a vibrant hub of faith, education, and community in the heart of Chicago.