Catholic Exhibition At Chicago Museum

Catholic Chicago is the first in a series of exhibitions the Museum will present focusing on the religious communities that have contributed to the city’s traditions and its evolution as a major urban center. Catholicism, which claims more than 2 million Chicagoans, remains the largest religious faith in the city. “Catholic Chicago is the logical place for our series to begin since the Catholic community has had an ongoing presence in Chicago since the seventeenth century,” said Gary T. Johnson, museum president. “The biggest challenge is how to do justice to this expansive subject in just one exhibition.”

The exhibition is presented in six themed sections beginning with an introduction that showcases the 28th International Eucharistic Congress held in Chicago in 1926. The event attracted over one million Catholics, elevating Chicago’s image in Rome and offering Catholics living in Chicago a public affirmation of their faith and identity. The first section, Laying Foundations, examines the historical role of parishes in Chicago, as well as Catholic leadership during the 17th through 20th centuries.

The stories of influential individuals such as Jean Baptiste Point DuSable, Cardinal Mundelein, Father Jacques Marquette, and Mother Cabrini will be told. Next, visitors will be introduced to School Days, a section focusing on the significant role Catholic education has played in Chicago. This section uses engaging artifacts and audiovisual materials to connect visitors to the city’s Catholic elementary and high school experience. A bulletin board showcasing the histories of schools such as Gordon Tech High, St. Scholastica, and Marist High Schools will rotate monthly. Ten different Catholic schools will be featured overall. Other topics explored in this section include segregation and the tragic fire at Our Lady of the Angels.

Visitors will then explore Committed to Community, which examines the role of parishes and Catholic communities around the city; focusing on the Catholic traditions and the “cradle to grave” experience of parish life. The next section, Worship in the City explores the artistic aspect of Catholicism from the music heard at church to architecture. -- www.chicagohs.org