St. Finbarr Church

Location
1359 S. Harding
Chicago, Illinois

Project Status
Church razed in 1969

Project Date/s
Decoration date: 1930

St Finbarr Catholic church was founded in 1900 as a mission of St. Agatha church on the west side of Chicago (Douglas Blvd and Kedzie). In 1900, a small frame church at 14th place and Keeler Ave was used as their place of worship. In 1901, a combination school and church building was constructed at the corner of 14th and Harding Ave. The lower part of the building was used for the church, and the upper part was used for the school rooms. The parish membership never grew large enough to warrant the construction of a separate church building. One reason is that Our Lady of Lourdes church had been founded nearby at 15th and Keeler and had a large Bohemian congregation.

On Aug 1,1930 the New World Chicago Archdiocese newspaper announced that St Finbarr would be undergoing a complete renovation, including beautifying the altars and statues and other details of interior furnishings. Rev. Charles S. Monahan hired Mallin to do the renovations in 1930.

Due to declining membership at St Finbarr, it was closed and consolidated with Our Lady of Lourdes church in 1969. The church was razed in 1978.

References

A History of the Parishes of the Archdiocese of Chicago Volume 1. Msgr. Harry C. Koenig, S.T.D., editor. The Archdiocese of Chicago, Chicago, 1980.
Keegan, Anne. “Chicago razing its past along with churches.” Feb. 22, 1998, p. 1 Chicago Tribune.