The Story of Our Lady of Humility and St. Patrick: Roots of St. Brigid Parish

The Catholic story of northeastern Lake County is one of faith taking root in quiet fields, growing neighborhoods, and the tireless hearts of people who believed in God’s presence among them.

The Early Days

At the turn of the 20th century, Irish immigrants settled in the farmlands of Wadsworth and its surrounding areas. In 1847, St. Patrick Parish was established—one of the earliest Catholic communities in Lake County. At first, Mass was celebrated in homes and barns, later in a small wooden church. Over time, this parish would become a spiritual anchor for generations of Catholic families, weathering the changes of the 20th century with grit and grace.

Decades later, after World War II, a different corner of the county saw rapid growth. Catholic families in Zion, Beach Park, Winthrop Harbor, and rural areas north of Wadsworth faced long drives to worship. In 1949, they gathered in a local drugstore basement in Zion to ask Cardinal Samuel Stritch to establish a new parish closer to home. Their appeal led to the founding of Our Lady of Humility as a mission parish.

On October 2, 1950, the first Mass in Zion was celebrated at the local movie theater. A chapel was soon built on Wadsworth Road, and by 1954, the parish was officially named by Cardinal Stritch himself in honor of Mary, Our Lady of Humility—a title he had cherished from his time in Rome.

Two Parishes, One Mission

St. Patrick and Our Lady of Humility developed along different timelines but shared the same mission: to bring the Gospel to life through sacraments, education, and service.

St. Patrick became a hub of rural Catholic life and a center for formation through its parish school, which opened in 1910 and would continue to serve generations of students. As neighborhoods grew, so did the school, the ministries, and the community's sense of rootedness in tradition.

Our Lady of Humility, by contrast, sprang to life in the postwar expansion, shaped by the energy of laypeople and the quiet strength of priests like Fr. John Hayes and Fr. Edward Reading. The parish school, staffed by the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus, became a vital part of the parish identity. Fundraising efforts, like Saturday night bingo helped ensure its survival during difficult financial times.

Both parishes experienced enormous growth. Our Lady of Humility reached over 1,600 families by the early 1980s. St. Patrick also expanded with the area's suburban development, meeting the needs of an increasingly diverse and mobile population.

Each parish was led by pastors and staff who loved their people deeply. At St. Patrick, generations of priests built a legacy of stability and presence. At Our Lady of Humility, visionaries like Fr. Reading and later Fr. Pastick brought new programs, lay leadership, and a collaborative parish council structure that would become models for the future.

Convergence

Though just a few miles apart, the two parishes maintained separate paths for decades—each with its own school, traditions, and culture. But by the early 21st century, changing demographics, priest availability, and diocesan planning led to greater collaboration.

Shared liturgical celebrations, combined ministries, and unified pastoral care brought the communities closer. Though distinct in history, they began to see one another not as separate entities, but as neighboring branches of the same vine.

That convergence culminated in a new chapter: the formation of St. Brigid Parish—a unified community drawing on the rich heritage of both Our Lady of Humility and St. Patrick. St. Brigid, the Irish saint known for her faith, wisdom, and compassion, became the patroness of a parish that honors its past while embracing a future of shared mission.

A Living Legacy

Today, St. Brigid Parish stands on the foundation laid by farmers, immigrants, postwar dreamers, and modern disciples. It is shaped by the sacraments celebrated in two sacred spaces, schools that formed hearts and minds, and people who gave of themselves generously—generation after generation.

The names remain etched in brick and memory: St. Patrick. Our Lady of Humility. But they now breathe together as St. Brigid Parish—a single heart with many roots, carrying forward the light of Christ in Lake County and beyond.