St. Thomas More was founded in 1947 in the Wrightwood neighborhood in Ashburn, Chicago. St. Thomas More was founded in 1947 in the Wrightwood neighborhood in Ashburn, Chicago

St. Thomas More was founded in 1947 in the Wrightwood neighborhood in Ashburn, Chicago.

• St. Thomas More was founded in 1947 in the Wrightwood neighborhood in Ashburn, Chicago.

• It was started by an Irish-American community but today the area’s parish is over 90% African-American.

Immigration and Assimilation

• Immigration and Assimilation

• Smith (1996): Irish immigrants lived in ethnic enclaves supported by a religious foundation.
• Skerrett, Kantowicz & Avella (1993): Enclaves turned into parishes which exposed immigrants to the American values of initiative and individualism.
• Miller and Kavanaugh (1975): Catholic schools were used as agents of assimilation.

• Racial Resistance

• Gamm (1999): “Urban Crisis of the 1920s”
• Ignatiev (1995): Violence was used against African-Americans.

• The Reaction of the Catholic Church

• Miller (1975): Blacks were treated as a form of missionary work.
• Curry (1977): Archbishop of Chicago in the 1930s purposely encouraged black isolation.

In 1948, all racial restrictive covenants in Chicago were banned. It was now illegal to promote segregation but it wasn’t until the 1960s that it was considered immoral to segregate.

• In 1948, all racial restrictive covenants in Chicago were banned. It was now illegal to promote segregation but it wasn’t until the 1960s that it was considered immoral to segregate.

• In the same year, the construction of 48 Catholic churches in the suburbs was commissioned.

Vatican II ideal of the “Mystical Body of Christ” meets the racial equality ideals of the Civil Rights Movement

• Vatican II ideal of the “Mystical Body of Christ” meets the racial equality ideals of the Civil Rights Movement

• Shift to a “Servant Church” which focused on social justice instead of Church doctrine

Given the limited research on the association between religious and residential segregation, the purpose of this project is to assess the Church’s reaction to its incoming African-American parishioners. Due to the change in racial composition from an Irish-American parish to a predominantly African-American parish, a content analysis of the weekly church bulletins of St. Thomas More in Chicago is employed.

• Given the limited research on the association between religious and residential segregation, the purpose of this project is to assess the Church’s reaction to its incoming African-American parishioners. Due to the change in racial composition from an Irish-American parish to a predominantly African-American parish, a content analysis of the weekly church bulletins of St. Thomas More in Chicago is employed.

Content Analysis of St. Thomas More Bulletins from 1956 – 2000.

• Content Analysis of St. Thomas More Bulletins from 1956 – 2000.

• Convenience Sampling was used to determine the years to analyze.

• Bulletin columns were coded and separated into 8 categories

• U.S. Census Bureau data of the Ashburn area was also analyzed.

“In our archdiocese we are doing so little to bring outsiders into the Household of Faith.” – Feb. 2, 1956

• “In our archdiocese we are doing so little to bring outsiders into the Household of Faith.” – Feb. 2, 1956

• “Learn to like people, even though many of them may be as different from you as a Chinese.” – Dec. 12, 1958

Chicago Catholic schools are ordered to accept African-Americans in 1960.

• Chicago Catholic schools are ordered to accept African-Americans in 1960.

• “The Church is called Catholic because it brings together all races and nations in the worship of one true God.”- July 24th, 1960.

• “It’s a vicious circle. A lack of toleration among Catholics is one of the promoters of segregation.” – Dec. 1st, 1964.

• “If we fail to love our neighbor, men of every religion, race, and ethnicity, then our so-called love of God is mere phoniness and hypocrisy.” – Sept. 20, 1969

Race was never an issue. The only time mentioned:

• Race was never an issue. The only time mentioned:

• “Vandals we have – destructive, evil, they live in our parish. They are not black – they are white. They are your children, our children.” – July 13th, 1980.

Beginning of St. Martin de Porres devotions to promote the awareness of inter-racial harmony, an “important Church duty of promoting Christ-like love and peace.” – April 29, 1990.

• Beginning of St. Martin de Porres devotions to promote the awareness of inter-racial harmony, an “important Church duty of promoting Christ-like love and peace.” – April 29, 1990.

• “Freedom for the victims of racism is a right to life issue. Uphold the command to love one another, even when love seems impossible.” – Feb. 17, 1994.

Events catered to the African-American community:

• Events catered to the African-American community:

• “The Lira Singers – A Special Performance of African-American Song.”
• “Archdiocese Black Catholics Celebration of Marriage”
• “Commemoration of 22 Ugandan Martyrs who died in 1895.”

In the 1990s the community was not stable as parishes typically have been throughout the century.

• In the 1990s the community was not stable as parishes typically have been throughout the century.

• In 1993, a white senior citizen was killed by a 21-year-old African-American man.

• Number of houses for sale in 1993: 10

• Number of houses for sale in 1994: 46

• The Church is no longer a community anchor.

Since the Church has turned into a servant church, it needs more money than ever to finance operations.

• Since the Church has turned into a servant church, it needs more money than ever to finance operations.

• As parishioners leave for the suburbs, their financial support obviously leaves as well.

• Catholic schools cannot be funded therefore they have to close. We must ask ourselves what will be a way of socializing urban residents into upward mobility if schools are closed and a sense of a stable community is lost.

Questions?

• Questions?
• Thank you!