St. Jerome's Church in Rogers Park

St. Jerome Parish began in 1872 as a mission from St. Mary Church in Evanston. The initial structure of St. Jerome Church was designed by Murphy & Camp in May 1894 on the corner of Paulina (which was Forest at that time) and Morse.

Original church drawing from Chicago Tribune

Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from 1897, showing the church on Morse.

St. Jerome Catholic Church was dedicated by Archbishop Feehan on 16 Sep 1894. The first Mass was celebrated by Fr. Hugh P. Smythe (pastor of St. Mary’s), on 11 September 1894. The appointment of the first pastor was not until May of 1895, Fr. Arthur Lonergan.

Arthur Lonergan (1895-1898)

James S. Callahan (rev. 1898-1901)

Patrick McLoughlin (rev. 1901- 1913, d. 1913)

Thomas Farrell (rev 1913-1931, d. 1938)

Daniel Frawley (rev. 1931-1953)

Unsure of the remaining pastors

In 1905, Pastor Patrick McLoughlin proposed a Parochial School built on Morse. You can see the school on the insurance map in pink next to the church.

Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, 1905

Interior photo from around 1910. abt-unk.blogspot.com by Amanda Pape

Photo postcard from around 1913, showing the new school (left) and the church on Morse. chuckmanchicagonostalgia.wordpress.com

A new building was finished in 1915 on the north side of the block, 1709 N. Lunt, right behind the original building. The interior is configured like an Italian Roman Basilica, meaning there is no transept crossing the length of the nave. The new pipe organ was dedicated 26 Mar 1916. First mass 6 June 1916. Pastor Thomas Farrell at the helm.

Exterior photo from the Chicago Tribune, 11 April 1915. Notice the statues above the doors.

Interior photo of St. Jerome around 1948.

Cornerstone from the new church on Lunt and Paulina.

Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, 1915, showing now the full St. Jerome block

Three stone figures above the front doors, St. Jerome, St. Augustine, and St. Gregory. Crosses replaced these stone ornaments before its consecration in 1948.

St. Jerome Social Center at 1715 W Lunt, was designed by Joe McCarthy (not that Joe McCarthy). I cannot confirm this building was actually built. There is a rumor that the Krishna Center is what was the St. Jerome Social Center, but the insurance maps of 1937 shows a Masonic Temple was built at 1716 W Lunt. What is at 1715 W Lunt is the Church Rectory, according to the stone frieze above the door.

Architect's drawing of new social center from Chicago Tribune, 24 April 1932.

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness at 1716 W Lunt.

St. Jerome Rectory, 1715 W Lunt.

St. Jerome Church was officially consecrated in 1948. With the consecration, the church could not be sold for any reason, can not fall into disuse, or be mortgaged for funds. This is then they removed the statues over the doors and placed the crosses.

All images above from Chicago Tribune 7 Nov 1948.

Today, St. Jerome is the focal point in a very diverse neighborhood within Rogers Park.