The Ridge Historical Society
Sacred Heart Church
By Carol Flynn
Sacred Heart Church in Morgan Park was part of Open House Chicago (OHC) this past week-end, prompting questions about its history. The researchers/writers of RHS have published articles on the history of all the local places participating in OHC at one time or another, and are always willing to share that information.
Here is information on Sacred Heart Church, one of the true gems of the community.
The Blue Island Ridge has its own “French connection.” There was an early group of settlers here, and their legacy to the community is the historic and charming Sacred Heart Church at 11652 S. Church Street.
Rich clay deposits on and around the Blue Island Ridge led to brick-making becoming an important local industry in the early 1900s, and the workers established their homes in the area. Sacred Heart was originally founded in Alsip in 1892. After an unfortunate fire, the church moved to its current location to be closer to the Purington Brick Yards at 119th and Vincennes, where many of the French people worked.
The current church was built in 1904-5 originally as a wooden frame church, built on posts in a swamp. The church was established as a “national church” which meant it would serve a particular nationality, not a defined geographic area.
The story goes that the workers were allowed to take “seconds” of bricks from the brick yard, those bricks that were burnt in the ovens and therefore couldn’t be sold, over to the frame church one or two at a time. By 1922, when enough bricks had been saved, the present brick facade was added. The church as it stands now is actually the old frame church clad with this donated brick.
Father Raymond DeNorus, a missionary priest born in France, became pastor in 1912. From all accounts, he was a very charismatic man. He loved a good time, yet he was a man deeply devoted to his faith. He dispensed medicine, holy water and blessings from his side door.
Numerous miracle cures were reported to have taken place over the years. Crutches, canes and braces left abandoned at the church were hung on the side walls. Services at the church drew large crowds and it became a place for pilgrimages.
During this time the church became known as the Shrine of the Sacred Heart, a shrine being a special place of devotion that attracts travelers from afar.
Fr. DeNorus retired in 1935. With time, most of the French families moved on and were replaced by German and Irish workers.
In 1979, the Archdiocese of Chicago under John Cardinal Cody decided to close and demolish Sacred Heart, citing as its main reasons a shortage of priests and the expense of construction needed to correct building code violations.
Members of the congregation and the greater community rallied to restore and preserve the church. “Save Our Shrine” became the rallying cry.
The church was stripped of all its possessions. The congregation held Mass out in the parking lot. Sacred Heart Church was closed from 1979-1982. It likely would have been demolished, but then Cardinal Cody died.
The new Archbishop, Joseph Bernardin, agreed to review the matter. He reopened the church and celebrated Mass there in 1983. The church was reestablished as a "mission church" operating as part of the Holy Name of Mary Parish in Morgan Park.
The people of Sacred Heart have maintained their church for an additional 40 years. The church was visited by the late Francis Cardinal George, who was so taken with the church he said he could consider living there when he retired.
The devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus originated in France in the late 1600s when a nun, Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, claimed that during a series of apparitions, Jesus promised certain blessings to those who practiced devotion to his Sacred Heart. The Vatican’s position is that the manifestation and promises are true. The name Sacred Heart was very fitting for a French mission church in Alsip/Morgan Park.