St. Ethelreda Church
8754 S. Paulina St., Chicago

Today’s church, with its delicate stained glass windows, was built in 1953 to accommodate a South Side population boom after World War II. In 1927, this mostly Irish parish had built a two-story church-school building, which later became the school gym and hall. In the 1970s as urban populations shifted, St. Ethelreda became a welcoming parish for African-American Catholics.

Liturgies here are “real celebrations,” with people staying to talk with neighbors. There remains a generous commitment to the upkeep of the church and school by parishioners. Their “Willingness to Try” program of stewardship gets a loyal and deep-pocket response, including some worshippers who sacrifice to tithe regularly. Its alumni and neighbors may sometimes move away, but not only do they keep coming back, they keep “giving back.”

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