Saint Patrick’s Church: Historical Timeline

Mill Creek & Wadsworth, Illinois

This timeline consolidates major dates, people, and milestones from parish history. 

Foundations (1809–1867)

• 1809 — Catholics in Chicago petition Bishop Joseph Rosati of St. Louis; priests begin visiting the area.

• 1842 — Father John Gueguen ministers in Northern Lake County, including Little Fort, Lake Forest, and Mill Creek.

• March 10, 1844 — Chicago becomes a diocese; Mill Creek Masses often held at Andrew Tougher’s home.

• 1849 — A 20′×30′ log church built in Mill Creek under Father John Coyle on land donated by Andrew Tougher; named St. Andrews (St. Bernard’s in Little Fort renamed Immaculate Conception in 1864).

• Late 1840s–early 1850s — After the Irish Potato Famine, parishioners petition to rename the church St. Patrick’s.

• 1864 — New frame church built; name formally changed to St. Patrick’s; John Traynor donates land for cemetery expansion and future parish house.

• 1867 — Father John Dalton becomes first resident pastor and builds the first parish house; original rectory and cemetery on North Mill Creek Road remain.

Transition to Wadsworth (1909–1912)

• 1909 — Father Foley is directed by Archbishop James Quigley to acquire a site and build a church and residence in Wadsworth (near the new railroad).

• 1910 — Altar and Rosary Society established; Annual Harvest Picnic begins at McCarthy’s Woods.

• October 1911 — Parish Monthly notes purchase of acreage from the Nicholas Lux property.

• September 25, 1911 — Construction begins on the new Wadsworth church.

• December 8, 1911 — Mill Creek church burns; reported as a complete loss; young Freda Knox rides to Wadsworth for help.

• December 31, 1911 — Cornerstone of the Wadsworth church dedicated by Father Foley.

• Easter Sunday, 1912 — New church ready for services.

• August 25, 1912 — Archbishop Quigley dedicates the Wadsworth church; cost recorded as $11,234.74 excluding donated labor and materials.

Education & Growth (1918–1963)

• January 20, 1918 — Isadora Nadelhoffer enters the Mercy Order.

• 1927 — Father Joseph Savage becomes pastor during the Great Depression; basement parish hall built under the church (led by James Lahey, Robert Delany, and Jim O’Hare).

• 1944 — Father Bryon starts bus service for children attending St. Anastasia School in Waukegan; need for a parish school grows after WWII.

• September 18, 1949 — Centennial celebrated with Cardinal Samuel Stritch presiding.

• Father’s Day, 1954 — Father William Slattery arrives; finds active school building drive.

• 1956 — Holy Child Sisters begin teaching; church basement divided into two classrooms; third classroom opens in the George Cashmore house (14985 Wadsworth Road).

• 1956–1958 — School construction begins but is delayed by a national steel strike; completed in 1958.

• 1959 — First graduating class from St. Patrick’s School includes James Merold (later ordained).

• 1962 — New rectory built (today’s parish office).

• 1963 — Old rectory sold and moved; site paved for parking.

Renewal & Leadership (1960s–1988)

• 1960s (Vatican II) — Altar reoriented; communion rail removed; vernacular liturgy adopted; lectors return.

• 1972–1973 — Holy Child Sisters depart; all‑lay faculty begins the following school year.

• 1973 — Parish bingo starts to support school finances.

• 1974 — 125th Anniversary celebrated under a large tent with Cardinal Cody presiding.

• May 24, 1975 — Permanent Diaconate instituted; James Gilles ordained in the first class; 1977 — Cliff Hogan ordained.

• January 1, 1978 — Father Slattery named Pastor Emeritus; Father George Dyer becomes pastor.

• 1979–early 1980s — Parish staff formed; church basement renovated; first extraordinary ministers of communion; Good Samaritan Fund launched; growth prompts discussions on building a new, larger church.

• Late 1983 — Parish meeting explores a crypt church concept.

• 1985 — Architect-parishioner Jim Belli drafts a design for a 500-seat church with 400 crypts; title issues on planned site are later cleared; St. Patrick’s paired as a sharing parish with Immaculate Conception (Chicago).

• October 21, 1986 — Cardinal Bernardin denies the crypt church but approves building a new church.

• January 25, 1987 — Parish "Wish List" set: 800-seat church, multipurpose/gym building, preservation of trees.

• August 26, 1988 — Groundbreaking for the Boehm Center (gym) and the new church.

New Church & Community Life (1989–2004)

• August 17, 1989 — School roof incident and flooding during torrential rain; Boehm Center used as temporary classrooms; September 21, 1989 — classes return and church construction resumes.

• May 11, 1990 — First Mass celebrated in the new church by Father George Dyer for First Communion.

• 1990 (design notes) — New church follows Vatican II: large narthex, curved nave walls; St. Patrick window from Historic Church installed; outdoor cedar cross faces trees.

• 1994 — Night to Treasure auction established by Bob and Fran Balistreri to support the school.

• 1995 — Father Dyer retires; Father Pat Cecil becomes pastor.

• 1997 — Additional classrooms and Dyer Hall (multipurpose room) added to the school.

• 1999 — Electrical fire in the Historic Church; Newport Fire Department saves the building.

• Late 1990s — Parish begins Peru Ministry support for Santísimo Sacramento Parish (Piura, Peru) led locally by Deacon Ed Tomkowiak; Father Joe Uhen visits many times.

• September 18, 1999 — 150th Anniversary Mass and dinner celebrated by Cardinal Francis George.

• 2004 — House west of the old church purchased and updated as a priest’s residence.

Recent Years (2000s–2020s)

• 2000s — Father Fred Pesek introduces the Angel Fund to support the school.

• 2020s — Father James Merold (alumnus, class of 1959) serves as pastor and guides the parish through COVID.

• Historical connection — In 1989, Freda Knox Rey sells the family farm to Jim and Karen Belli; Jim Belli becomes architect of the new church, linking past and present.

• Legacy — Document notes 176 years of ministry; under Father Wojciech Oleksy, St. Brigid Parish continues the mission.