St. Edmund Catholic Church will open for a Christmas Eve mass at 4:30 p.m. and a Christmas Day mass at 11 a.m. after its 8-month closure because of windstorm damage.
In April 2023, a severe windstorm resulted in both interior and exterior damage to the church on South Oak Park Avenue. During the 8-month closure, its sister church, Ascension Catholic Church, continued services for parishioners.
Ascension and St. Edmund were both founded in 1907, according to the parish website. St. Edmund was designed in an English Gothic Revival style, according to the Oak Park River Forest Museum and the architectural landmark features both a steeple with a Celtic cross as well as stained-glass windows.
A contractor vetted by the Archdiocese of Chicago has been working on repairs since the summer, said Maria Allori, director of development for Ascension and St. Edmund Parish. The construction is taking a break for the winter, she said, but the scaffolding will remain until the repairs are finished.
The repairs, which mainly just includes design work, are expected to be done next spring, Allori said.
“St. Edmund is beautiful, so it’s not like you can just come in and do plaster work,” she said. “You have to hire those that specialize in restoration.”
The closure has affected the nearby community in addition to the parish, Allori said, as local businesses near the church often benefit from the attendance. She said she hopes nearby business will pick up for those locations after St. Edmund reopens.
Christmas Eve and Day masses are typically popular, Allori said, with full crowds anticipated. The parish is known for its dedicated choirs at both locations, she said.
“We’re just grateful and excited that the site will reopen on Christmas Eve,” she said. “We welcome everyone to come.”
Father Carl Morello, the parish pastor, will be presiding over the Christmas Eve mass at St. Edmund. The church will begin regular masses again moving forward, Allori said.
“We appreciate the community support, and we invite them to visit us,” she said.