A Campaign To Save Chicago's Second Oldest Church
People, prayers and publicity saved Chicago's second oldest church
from demolition by its owners and secured more than $3.5 million
to restore Holy Family Church to its original Victorian Gothic splendor.
 Public
Communications Inc. continues to manage the successful pro bono
national communications and fund campaign for what was once the
largest English-speaking parish in the United States.
Built in 1857-60, Holy Family is one of five public buildings to
have survived the Chicago Fire of 1871.
Known as "the Ellis Island of the Midwest," Holy Family Church
was the point of entry for wave after wave of immigrants —
first the Irish and Germans, then Italians, followed by African-Americans
and Hispanics. The music of Bach, Mozart and Beethoven was played
in the church long before Chicago's famous Orchestra Hall opened.
In 1984 Holy Family's owners, the Chicago Jesuits, closed the church
because of serious roof and interior plaster damage. Three years
later, the Jesuits announced plans to demolish the cathedral-size
building and replace it with a small utilitarian worship center
to serve the remaining 300 African-American and Hispanic parishioners.
PCI joined with parishioners and civic leaders under the banner
of a 50l-(c)-3 corporation, Holy Family Preservation Society, to
restore the church and save it for future generations.
Now administered by the Archdiocese of Chicago, Holy Family Church
serves people of many races and national origins while the final
stages of its massive restoration continues.
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