Our Staff
Clergy
Parish Staff
Catherine Foreman
Director of Operation and Finance
cforeman@archchicago.org
Peggy Patino
Office Manager
ppatino@smphgmail.com
Victoria Alspach
Director of Communications & Social Media
victoria.alspach@gmail.com
Cecilia Meyer
Conductor of Sacred Music & Organist
Mona DiFoggio
Parish Secretary
mdifoggiosmph@gmail.com
Linda Rubio
Parish Secretary
lrubiosmph@gmail.com
Aaron Lopez
Coordinator for Hospitality and Outreach Ministries
alopezsmph@gmail.com
Contact Us
Church Address:
1039 W. 32nd Street
Chicago, Illinois 60608
Office Hours:
Monday – Friday
9:00 a.m.- 2:30 p.m.
Office closed on:
Saturday, Sunday & Holidays
Phone: 773-927-6646
stmaryofph@gmail.com
History
- 1880: Polish immigrants settled in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood and established the community.
- 1882: Residents purchased a two-story frame building to serve as the initial church, school, and convent.
- 1886: The parish appointed its first resident pastor and began constructing the current church building.
- 1892: Construction of the current church building was completed, merging 5th- and 6th-century Romanesque and Byzantine architectural styles.
- 1903: Fully free of debt, the church was consecrated. It became the very first Polish Roman Catholic Church in the United States to receive this high honor. Twelve brass crosses and a white marble plaque in the vestibule commemorate this event.
- 1906–1922: Rapid campus growth led to the construction of a new school building, a rectory, and an expanded grammar school.
- 1928: The historic Austin Organ was installed.
- 1936: The parish celebrated its Golden Jubilee.
- 1961: Artist John A. Mallin painted the icons of the Great Saints of Poland, the 12 Apostles under the domes, and the ceiling stenciling.
- 1985–1986: The grammar school consolidated into the Bridgeport Catholic Academy, the high school closed, and the parish celebrated its 100th anniversary.
- 2000–2002: Major preservation efforts took place. Highlights included a new marble altar, restoration of original oil paintings by the Art Institute of Chicago, and the reconstruction of the twin bell towers.
- 2002: The Church Preservation Millennium Campaign launched to fully restore the stained-glass windows, interior domes, and the Austin organ.
- 2013: The parish welcomed its eighth resident pastor to continue guiding the faith community.
- Today: Following a complete interior and exterior restoration, the church stands as a historic treasure. Its signature features include a towering copper-clad dome, a Byzantine Greek-cross layout, original European preaching pulpits, original Stations of the Cross, and historic Daprato Studios statuary dating back to the mid-1800s.
- A Vibrant and Growing Community: What began as a small home for Polish immigrants has evolved into a thriving, dynamic spiritual anchor in Bridgeport. Today, St. Mary of Perpetual Help celebrates a legacy of profound growth, proudly serving a vibrant community of over 2000 parishioners. This ethnically diverse congregation reflects the beautifully changing landscape of the neighborhood, uniting varied backgrounds into a single, unified family to share in faith, worship, and a deep appreciation for the divine beauty that defines the parish.
