Chapel of the Sacred Heart
Cristo Rey's Chapel of the Sacred Heart was renovated in 2010 from the original St. Stephen's church. A few facts about St. Stephen's:
- St. Stephen’s Parish was founded for the Chicago Slovenian population in 1898 and the church building was constructed in 1904 (sanctuary was rebuilt in the 1960s).
- The bells are still in use today, now operated electronically.
- Ground broke in May, 1922 for St. Stephen’s School, located at the corner of Wolcott and Cermak.
- The school and parish closed in June, 1996. The Jesuits were looking for a place to begin their mission to provide quality education for the low-income Latino population in Pilsen and Little Village, and through St. Stephen, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School found its home.
A large scale renovation of the Chapel was completed in 2010 which included new wiring, improved heating and cooling systems, and a sound system. The liturgical design featured new stained glass windows, a retablo, and religious paintings. At the close of the project, Cristo Rey finally had a dedicated prayer space for its students and faculty for the first time in its first 13 years as a Catholic school.
The chapel committee, chaired by Rosemary Croghan, was intentional in its efforts to incorporate student feedback and the cultural heritage of the school. Stained glass windows feature inspirational figures important in both Jesuit and Latino history. A devotional space to Our Lady of Guadalupe enables students to express their faith and prayers in a familiar and meaningful way.
The renovated chapel allows Cristo Rey to more fully support the spiritual development of its students - a dedicated prayer space that is reflective of our school community is critical to effectively educating Christian leaders for tomorrow. The chapel is used for class-level Masses, retreat meetings, student reflections, faculty prayer gatherings and Masses, and religion classes.
Click on the images below to view more photos.
Stained Glass Windows
Stations of the Cross
Chapel Renovation
Virtual Papal Visit - August 31, 2015