Saint Columbanus Church

In 1909, the cornerstone of Saint Columbanus Church was laid in the Park Manor neighborhood. This initial structure served as both a church and a school, primarily catering to the Irish Catholic community. The Sisters of Saint Dominic played a vital role in the church’s early years, residing within the school building. As the congregation expanded, a larger church became necessary. This new edifice, situated at the corner of 71st Street and Prairie Avenue, was completed in 1923 and dedicated two years later. Saint Columbanus Church continued to flourish. A gym was added in 1933 to accommodate the school children’s physical education needs. Further expansions followed, including a school addition in 1949 and an enlargement of the rectory. The final addition to Saint Columbanus Parish was the “Glass House” in 1960. Originally conceived as a parish library, this building served various purposes over the years. It housed a credit union for parishioners and later became a meeting place for local organizations, senior citizens, and groups like the Girl Scouts. The late 1930s and early 1940s brought racial tensions to Park Manor, marked by restrictive covenant agreements aimed at preventing Black residents from purchasing property. However, following a Supreme Court ruling deeming these agreements unconstitutional, African Americans began to settle in the area. Saint Columbanus Church navigated this period of transition. Under the leadership of Reverend John Ryan Gleason, appointed pastor in 1952, the church embraced the changing demographics. African American families were welcomed, leading to a stabilization of school attendance and solidifying Saint Columbanus’s position as one of the oldest African American Catholic parishes in Chicago. While much of the original interior fixtures are no longer present, the church’s exterior retains its original grandeur. Restoration and painting work, as well as the fabrication of new marble furnishings like the baptismal font, have breathed new life into the building. Even with the closing of Saint Columbanus School in 2015 due to low enrollment and subsequent merger with St. Dorothy School to form the Augustus Tolton Catholic Academy, the legacy of Saint Columbanus Church endures.