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PARISH HISTORY

In the late 1960's, the late Bishop Romeo Blanchette of the Joliet Diocese and his advisors recognized the need for a new parish in the area along Interstate 55 and Cass Avenue near Darien, Illinois. The Carmelites were asked if a parcel of their property near the Aylesford Spiritual Center would be available for the new church. Carmelite Provincial Rev. Malachy Smith agreed to the arrangements and asked that the Carmelites be allowed to staff the parish. With Bishop Blanchette's approval, he appointed Rev. Patrick Gleeson, O. Carm, as the founding pastor.

On September 26, 1970, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish held its first Mass, on a borrowed table in a rented room, similar to the setting in which Jesus offered the very first Mass. The table was a homemade altar borrowed from the Aylesford Carmelites, and the room was a gymnasium rented form Cass School District 63.

By the fall of 1973, our parish family had outgrown the Cass School facilities. For the following three years, Sunday liturgies were celebrated at two locations, Cass and Palisades schools. Also, during this time, two long-range projects began to take shape, the establishment of a parish council and the construction of a "building of our own." The ground-breaking ceremony for the church building was held on August 15, 1975, with construction work beginning on September 25. The building was dedicated on September 26, 1976, the sixth anniversary of the founding of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish, Darien, Illinois.

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Fr. Russ Gavin was appointed pastor in 1979. He was followed in 1988 by Fr. Jim Wilson and in April of 1990, Fr. Gavin Quinn was appointed pastor. These pastors have been helped by many Carmelite Associate pastors.

In 1989 the Parish Council began to study various options to provide much-needed additional space for worship, religious education and social activities in the parish. The Council agreed the solution to the problem was to remodel and add on to the existing building, This extensive construction project began in April 1990 and was completed in May 1991. A rededication was held in June, 1991 with Bishop Joseph Imesch.

While members of our parish family recognized the need for suitable and efficient building facilities, the parish philosophy continues to be that the Church is the people, all the people. And the work of God must be shared by all. This philosophy is an integral part of our parish community today. This conviction is evident in the involvement of so many parishioners in the work and ministries of the Liturgy, Education, Service, Family Life, Activities and Finance and Administration commissions that comprise parish life here at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. In addition, the Christ-like philosophy of helping those in need, either spiritually or physically, is an integral part of our parish mission.

wpe118.jpg (27808 bytes) The history of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel is highlighted by growth, community service, supplementary education and a vision to keep pace with an ever-changing world. So many people have contributed to the success of the parish. It is only through those efforts that the parish has been able to progress with goals and projects that serve as a tribute to an ever-loving God.

Our journey now continues in greater measure. May God continue to guide and watch over us as we accept a spiritual path that will carry us into the next century.