St. Helena of the Cross Church
10121 S. Parnell Ave., Chicago

This parish has staying power—even the School Sisters of Notre Dame have been here since 1946.

It will probably never be lauded for its architecture, but the church is alive with faith. Its African-American parishioners have been described as having “the charism of hospitality.”

That was obvious to 19 members of a nearby parish that closed in 2002 who visited St. Helena’s and found a new “home.” With 300 registered families, they have been able to send 28 people to the lay ministry program through the years; 300 people completed formation in Christ Renews His Parish, there are men and women’s societies and three ongoing Bible study groups.

Parishioners have tithed here since 1983 and per capita, these wage-earners rank among the most generous in the archdiocese.

Their liturgies, supported by a gospel choir and The Voices of St. Helena, tend to be “celebrations” where the laity feel joyfully empowered to actively participate and minister.

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