RESOLUTION HONORING OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH
WHEREAS, Our Lady of Victory Parish, 5212 W. Agatite in Chicago, has been a mainstay ofthe Portage and Jefferson Park communities, providing spiritual and educational direction to so many who are better people for it; and
WHEREAS, Our Lady of Victory Parish (OLV) was founded on July 16,1906 and was officially organized in September of 1906 as a Mission of St. Edward Parish. Rev. Martin Lennartz cared for the small Catholic community and celebrated Mass in a hall on Milwaukee Avenue just north of Lawrence Avenue; and
WHEREAS, Our Lady of Victory flourished in those times of wooden sidewalks, streets and horse drawn carriagesl Wilson Park was a corn field and apple trees, strawberries and violets covered the fields. It is rumored that President Lincoln slept at the Dickenson Inn then located on Milwaukee Avenue near Warner; and
WHEREAS, on Thanksgiving Day, 1907, Fr. Francis Chickozki began his long tenure as Pastor of OLV and under his leadership, a new Church and school building was constructed on its present site at 4444 N. Laramie; and
WHEREAS, Archbishop James E. Quigley officially dedicated the new Church and School building on May 28,1911. The Parish school was opened in the fall of 1910 and was staffed by the School Sisters of St. Francis from Milwaukee. At that time there were six sisters and 200 children in the school; and
WHEREAS, Our Lady of Victory Parish continued to grow, becoming one ofthe largest parishes on the northwest side of Chicago, educating and guiding a multitude of children who would grow up with strong Catholic values and become decent and strong men and women and productive members of society and God's family; and
WHEREAS, Our Lady of Victory Parish thrived under the direction of 13 pastors: Fr. Martin Lennartz, CSV, Fr. Edward Mullaly, Fr. Francis Cichozki, Fr. Daniel Stokes, Fr. Henry Fitzgerald, Fr. Raymond Zock, Fr. Francis Nolan, Fr. John Kuzinskas, Fr. Daniel McCarthy, Fr. Phillip Cyscon, Fr. Christopher Doering, Fr. Robert Fedek and Fr. Michael Wyrzykowski, who are beloved by all; and
WHEREAS, Our Lady of Victory School was staffed by the Sisters of St. Francis, the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia (1999-2004) and various other Sisters who provided an exceptional education to our youth; and
WHEREAS, we are grateful to these men and women of the Church who made such a lasting impact on the children and parishioners of Our Lady of Victory Parish; and
WHEREAS, OLV was an integral part of the spiritual and community life of its people, offering clubs and activities too numerous to mention that striyed to better the lives of all people and to spread the Word of God; and
WHEREAS, Our Lady of Victory School sadly closed its doors on June 3, 2016, but the lessons taught will live forever in the hearts of its multitude of students and enrich their lives; and
WHEREAS, the Church of Our Lady of Victory is set to close in the summer of 2021, and will merge with its fellow parishes St. Pascal and St. Bartholomew to form a new parish under the Catholic Archdiocese's "Renew my Church" endeavor; and
WHEREAS, the closing of this wonderful and beautiful Church and School brings much sadness to all whose lives were changed by its existence, the people of Our Lady of Victory Parish (both former and present) know that while the physical buildings may cease to exist, Our Lady of Victory will always live in our hearts and be a treasured part of who we are; and
WHEREAS, the current Pastor of Our Lady of Victory Church, Rev. Michael Wyrzykowski, will celebrate a farewell Mass on Sunday, June 13, 2021 with its former and present Church members and that "Our Lady of Victory Way" will be established on N. Laramie and W. Agatite in recognition of its lasting contributions; and
WHEREAS, all wish Our Lady of Victory Parish success under its new configuration and name in the coming years, confident that it will continue to be a beacon of goodness and hope to all; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Mayor and members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, gathered here in assembly this 24th Day of March, 2021, A.D., gratefully commend all involved who have given so much to the community of Our Lady of Victory and by extension, to this great City; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Father Michael Wyrzykowski, Pastor, and the Our Lady of Victory Parish community with our best wishes and gratitude for its endless and valued contributions to so many.
NICHOLAS SPOSATO ALDERMAN, 38™ WARD