St. Clare of Montefalco
5443 S. Washtenaw Ave.

This parish has always welcomed immigrants, from the founding Poles, Irish, Germans and Italians to today's predominant Mexican/Hispanic parishioners.

The Romanesque church of white brick and stone, dedicated in 1955, has a barrel vaulted ceiling. Its terrazzo and marble interior gives a feeling of timelessness. On either side of the nave, vivid stained glass windows depict Augustinian saints like Monica and Rita. (The parish was founded and staffed by Augustinian Fathers until 2002.) A focal point of its marble sanctuary is a beautifully crafted crucifix.

Prayer is spoken here, in novenas and eucharistic devotions, before the altar and at small shrines to the Virgin of Guadalupe, St. Clare and the Divine Mercy.

Life-long parishioners and newcomers alike express a generosity of spirit in parish organizations like the St. Vincent de Paul Society and liturgical and baptismal ministries as well as in religious education.

Revisiting St. Edmund
Since we “aim to please,” sometimes we have to try a little harder. The previous edition’s Parish Pride feature (June 8) didn’t show off Oak Park’s St. Edmund’s Church at its best. We selected a photo highlighting the church’s exquisite decorative ceiling. However, the photo was taken before the completion of the parish’s successful $2.2 million capital restoration/renovation plan. It showed the ceiling but not the way the chancel was “opened up” and redecorated. —Dolores Madlener

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