SAINT PATRICK CATHOLIC CHURCH – URBANA, ILLINOIS PARISH HISTORY
THE FOUNDING OF THE PARISH
The story of St. Patrick Church began in 1901, when Bishop John L. Spalding of the Diocese of Peoria purchased land at the corner of Main Street and Busey Avenue in Urbana, for the purpose of establishing a new Catholic parish. He chose Fr. John H. Cannon, a priest who had launched several other parishes in the diocese, as the first pastor.
On June 30, 1901, Fr. Cannon celebrated Mass at St. Mary Church in Champaign (the oldest parish in the county, founded in 1854) where he announced the founding of a new parish in Urbana and that the new church would be built by the following Sunday. The parishioners who walked to the site after Mass that day saw only an empty lot, with high weeds. True to his word, Fr. Cannon saw to it that a small wooden church was quickly constructed.
In just over 37 hours of continuous work, a wood frame, 48 x 60 church was built. Fr. Cannon obtained the pews and the altar from a parish he had previously founded in Farmer City. He named the new parish St. Patrick, no doubt in honor of his own Irish ancestry and that of the majority of his parishioners. The 42 founding families embraced their new parish home and worked diligently to build their new community. The wooden church was dedicated on July 7, 1901.
In that first year, within the walls of their simple, temporary church, parishioners came together to worship and celebrate the sacraments of their Catholic faith. On July 17, the parish held its first funeral, that of Thomas O’Brien, a brakeman on the Peoria Eastern Railroad. On July 18, William Murnin and John Daly were shot in Urbana and later buried at St. Patrick’s. Before the first month was up, Nellie Winifred Harty, daughter of Edward and Margaret (Smith) Harty, was baptized. The first wedding, that of Nellie Hauersperger and James Mallady, was celebrated on October 9.
By July 17, 1901, plans for the permanent brick church were finalized. George P. Stauduhar of Rock Island, who designed over 200 churches in the upper Mississippi valley, was chosen as the architect for the new Saint Patrick Catholic Church and Nicholas Juhl was selected as general contractor. The cornerstone for the new church was laid on October 27, 1901.
Beginning November 6, a 10-day fair was held to benefit the church fund. One unusual donation of $1,000 was given with the stipulation that no bell be installed in the bell tower. The donor lived across the street from the church and did not want to be awakened from his Sunday morning slumber by the ringing of bells.
The total cost of the church and rectory was $56,000. On the day of the dedication of the permanent church, May 24, 1903, only $12,000 of the original indebtedness remained.
CHURCH RENOVATIONS
1960 - 1981
Nearly 60 years after its completion, St. Patrick Church underwent several renovations.
In 1960 the floors were re-tiled, walls painted, and new pews installed. In 1961 repairs were made following a small electrical fire that damaged the altar and one of the sacristies.
To accommodate the activities of a growing parish, a new parish center was completed in 1965 at a cost of $162,500. Plans for the center had been initiated by pastor Fr. J. Walter McGinn in 1947. The new center provided a large hall for meetings and social events, six classrooms, a kitchen and storage area. The center was enlarged in 1980 with the addition of parish offices, small-group meeting rooms and a new lower level.
In 1968 the first Parish Council was formed to involve the laity more fully and help lead the parish forward, a key part of Second Vatican Council reforms.
By the late 1970s church renovations in observance of Vatican II principles were completed. A new altar facing the people and a matching ambo were installed, the tabernacle was relocated, and the statues from the sanctuary were moved to other areas of the church or removed.
In 1981 The Rising Christ resurrection crucifix was installed in the sanctuary above the altar. This magnificent work of art was designed and crafted by parishioner Nicholas Britzky, professor emeritus of art at the University of Illinois, who also created the baptism of Christ sculpture and other pieces of art for the church and parish center.
THE PARISH CENTENNIAL
In May 2001, under the leadership of pastor Fr. George Remm, St. Patrick Church launched a two-year centennial celebration. Many events and programs were planned to mark this milestone, including parades and picnics, a parish family history project, a lecture series, a parish mission, and special liturgical celebrations. In 2002 the inside of the church was refurbished from top to bottom. The beige walls and red carpeting were changed to muted shades of green and the pillars painted with gold-leaf accents.
One of the highlights of the centennial celebration was the opening of the time capsule from the original church cornerstone which revealed artifacts of 1901 and a list of parishioners who contributed to the building of the church. This same time capsule, with all its original contents, was replaced in the cornerstone, and a new time capsule containing additional parish records and memorabilia was inserted in the space behind the stone on October 25, 2003.
Following the centennial celebration, Fr. Remm initiated plans for a possible church expansion. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, parishioners were ready to turn their eyes toward the future of St. Patrick Church and envision how they could be good stewards and ensure that the parish thrived in its second century. In 2004, a generous estate gift from parishioner Thomas B. Moran enabled St. Patrick Church to purchase land north of the parish which set the stage for a possible expansion of facilities.
BUILDING FOR THE SECOND CENTURY
In 2005, Fr. Joseph Hogan, pastor, initiated a parish-wide planning process to examine how St. Patrick Church would continue to meet the spiritual needs of parishioners. One central priority emerged from this process - the need to expand and enhance the parish’s worship space, preserving the sacredness of the existing church.
Several years of strategic planning followed: the development of an architectural design, the completion of a feasibility study and the undertaking of an ambitious fundraising campaign, Honoring Our Past - Building Our Future, which was launched in February 2011. Three years later, the parish had raised enough in gifts and pledges to begin construction on the major church expansion.
By the end of 2014, building plans were finalized. Stauder Architecture of St. Louis, Missouri, a firm specializing in religious architecture since the 1920s, was the firm selected to design the church expansion. Broeren Russo Builders, Inc. of Champaign was selected as general contractor.
A groundbreaking ceremony took place on November 16, 2014, and construction began the following spring on March 2, 2015. Within nine months, construction was completed and on December 9, 2015, parishioners joyfully gathered together in their beautifully redesigned worship space to celebrate the Rededication of Saint Patrick Catholic Church.
Key Elements of the 2015 Church Expansion
Preserved the sacredness, beauty, and architectural style of our historic church
Doubled the seating capacity from 300 to 600
Provided a new, accessible choir area
Created a new gathering space connecting the church and parish center
Provided a new lower level with much-needed meeting space
Created a new entry plaza for the church and parish center
Incorporated special features to make the parish more welcoming and accessible (family room in the church for parents with young children, convenient restrooms, elevator)
Throughout the planning for the church expansion, great care was taken to integrate the old and the new. Original stained-glass windows were relocated. The Rising Christ sculpture and St. Patrick statue were relocated. New Stations of the Cross were installed, also a new statue of the Holy Family, plus custom-designed church furnishings and other works of art. Within the original church sanctuary, religious tapestries were mounted to create a devotional chapel, thereby preserving the sacredness of the space. These inspirational images of Mary and the saints were designed by parishioner Pat Mayer.
For the new sanctuary, masterfully handmade furnishings were designed to complement the architectural elements of the original church. The altar, lectern, tabernacle, altar chairs (as well as the baptismal font at the church entrance) were conceived and crafted by parishioner Thomas Skaggs. The new crucifix was created by Todd Frahm, a North Carolina artist whose older brother was baptized at St. Patrick Church. Above the crucifix, a heavenly blue arch with 42 stars was painted into the ceiling, representing the 42 families who founded the parish.
[For additional information, see Saint Patrick Catholic Church Guide to Art and Architecture]
The total cost for the church renovation and expansion was $6.0 million – $5.8 million in construction costs, plus $200,000 in campaign-related expenses. Parishioners and friends enthusiastically joined together, in prayer and sacrificial giving, to fulfill their vision for the future of St. Patrick Church. Nearly 900 donors contributed to the Honoring Our Past – Building Our Future campaign.
Many parishioners generously offered their time and talent. Their leadership and service were instrumental to the success of both the capital campaign and the building project, as was the leadership of four pastors: Fr. George Remm who introduced the vision of a major church renovation and expansion, Fr. Joseph Hogan who made the vision a reality, Fr. Luke Spannagel who led efforts to pay down the building debt, and Fr. Anthony Co who helped the parish celebrate the end of the debt.
On September 26, 2021, the parish marked the completion of the campaign with a special celebration called Keep the Fire Burning. Parishioners gathered for Sunday Mass, concelebrated by former pastors, asking God to keep the fire of Christ burning within their hearts and recommitting themselves as members of St. Patrick Church. The Mass was followed by a picnic with live music, and a ceremonial burning of the mortgage, marking the end of a milestone chapter in the parish’s history.
A STORY OF FAITH AND DISCIPLESHIP
Through a deep-seated belief in their Catholic faith, personal sacrifice, and hard work, the first St. Patrick parishioners built a church that has been a spiritual home for many generations. Inspired by this rock-solid foundation, the St. Patrick parishioners of today have carried forward that same vision for generations to come.
From a parish of 42 families in 1901 to a diverse faith community of over 1,000 families and over 60 ministry groups in 2023, believers have continually gathered within St. Patrick Church to hear the Word of God, celebrate Eucharist, and go forth to love and serve the Lord. Today, the faith and good works of the people of St. Patrick extend far beyond the corner of Main & Busey in Urbana to communities across the world.
Through the grace of God, Saint Patrick Catholic Church will continue to thrive in the years ahead.
Christ within…behind…before…beside…beneath…above…and in the hearts of all.
Saint Patrick Catholic Church
708 W. Main St.
Urbana, IL 61801
Parish History – October 2023
