Saint Mary Parish sits at the corner of Lake-Cook Road and Buffalo Grove Road in the Village of Buffalo Grove, a Roman Catholic community in Lake County whose roots reach back to the fall of 1847, when a missionary priest said the first Mass in a settler's blockhouse on the Cook-Lake county line. Nearly two centuries later, the parish still occupies the same seven-acre tract of land on which its founders built their first church, and it remains one of the larger Catholic congregations in Chicago's northwest suburbs. The Archdiocese of Chicago counts Saint Mary among its oldest rural parishes, and its story is intertwined with the German Catholic immigration that shaped so much of northeastern Illinois.
A Blockhouse Mass on the Cook-Lake County Line
The Catholic history of Buffalo Grove begins with one immigrant from Schederndorf, near Bamberg, Bavaria. John Simon Hennemann had settled on the county line in 1846, and on one of his routine mission trips from Gross Point fifteen miles to the east, the Reverend J. N. Fortmann learned in the fall of 1847 that Catholics were living in the grove. He stopped at Hennemann's home the next morning, and word spread quickly to the scattered families of the neighborhood. The first Mass in Buffalo Grove was said in Hennemann's blockhouse that same morning, and exceptional hospitality was always reserved for the priest thereafter, both in the Hennemann home and in the Schoeneberger dwelling nearby.
Over the following months, more Catholic settlers arrived from Bavaria, the Saar region, Rhineland, and Trier. The Weidner family came as a sort of advance scout, with Jacob Weidner, nicknamed "Klein Jake," leading the way and dying in 1912 at the age of 92. The Pfister, Horcher, Raupp, and Sebastian families followed. By early 1852, about 25 Catholic families were living within roughly ten miles, and the desire for a church of their own had become urgent.
A meeting on February 15, 1852 resolved to build. The first building fund totaled 88 dollars, a remarkable sum at the time and a sign of the settlers' determination. Within the year, collections had grown to the point that seven acres of land could be secured on the borderline of Cook and Lake Counties. Hennemann donated two acres and sold another two, while Pankratz and John Weidner each sold two more. The carpenter Andreas Hoefer of Gross Point agreed to do the work for 75 dollars, and the men of the parish did much of the labor themselves.
An entry in the diary of William Schoeneberger on Monday, June 14, 1852 reads, "We drove to Chicago for the first time with five wagons to haul building wood," a distance of about 34 miles over roads that did not yet exist. On September 16, 1852, Mass was said for the first time in a building built for the purpose of divine worship. The following summer, Bishop James Oliver van de Velde, the second bishop of Chicago, came to bless the new church with assistance from the Reverend Messrs. A. Kopp, N. Stauber, and J. B. U. Jacomet, dedicating it to the Blessed Virgin Mary under her title of Immaculate Conception.
The little church was soon vandalized. Before the dedication it was robbed of accessories needed for worship, and on the night of February 19, 1885 it was set on fire and burned to the ground. A modest second church served the parish for forty-three years while Mass was sometimes offered in the log schoolhouse by Rev. John P. Carolus, O.S.B., pastor of McHenry and Buffalo Grove. The need for a resident priest led to the building of a rectory in 1866, and on April 1869 the Most Rev. James Duggan appointed Rev. Joseph Goldschmit as the first resident pastor.
The 1899 Gothic Church and Its 1978 Companion
In 1897, the Reverend Anthony Royer took over a parish that was outgrowing its second church. A new rectory was built for $2,854, and the following year, in spite of the hard times, a brick Gothic church was begun. House-to-house visits by the priest collected $14,500 from seventy families, fairs added another $3,000, and a loan of $11,500 covered the rest. The building rose over the prairie with miniature spires, a landmark steeple, beautiful stained glass windows, side altars dedicated to the Blessed Virgin and to St. Joseph, and a big bell. The rectory and church remain a lasting memorial to Father Royer and the congregation that built them, and a portrait of him still meets visitors at the church entry.
Music came with the building. The German settlers had a genuine love of music that modified the rough singing of the frontier, and the early people of Buffalo Grove were no exception. The teachers of the one-room school taught singing in the early days, and Peter Weidner conducted the choir from 1899 until 1911. In 1904, a new one-manual pipe organ from the Schaefer Factory of Slinger, Wisconsin was installed at a cost of $1,300, and the Reverend Father F. Rempe of Chicago preached at its dedication. The Mass most often sung was the Misa de Angelis, and the congregation joined the children in alternating with the priest at the Requiem and the High Mass. That organ still stands in the old chapel, and a parish fundraising appeal in August 2026 called on parishioners to help restore it.
By the 1950s the parish was growing rapidly as farms were sold for subdivisions, and enrollment at the parish school reached 568 in September 1959, the highest in its history at that point. Eight classrooms were built on the west side of the school and ready for occupancy in September 1961. Bishop Raymond Hillinger came to dedicate the convent and school on November 1, 1961 when he administered confirmation, and Archbishop John Patrick Cody returned on November 6, 1966 to bless the latest addition. By 1978 the church was overflowing, and Father Donald J. Duffy launched a one-million-dollar expansion that added a 1,000-seat worship space connected to the old church by a unique see-through altar, a Parish Activity Center, four classrooms in the renovated chapel, a library and learning center, a kindergarten, and new administrative offices. Cardinal Cody came back on Memorial Day, May 26, 1980, for the Solemn Blessing and Dedication of the enlarged church and school.
Further improvements came in the late 1990s. In 1994 Father Kenneth Kiepura launched the Restore the Gift campaign, which added a permanent baptismal font, an enlarged sanctuary, a new choir area, improved lighting and acoustics, an expanded library and learning center, additional classrooms, and repairs to the rectory. As part of the same period, the parish sold the original rectory property in 2002 and built a new residence and parish offices on the Eul property at the northwest corner of Lake-Cook and Buffalo Grove Roads, bringing all parish facilities onto the same side of the street for the first time. Shifting the football goalposts to the west opened up 50 more parking spaces.
Mass, Reconciliation, Adoration: The Rhythm of the Week
The parish keeps a steady weekly schedule. Weekday Mass is celebrated Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 6:30 AM; Tuesday and Thursday at 8:30 AM; and Saturday at 8:00 AM. The Saturday Vigil Mass is at 4:30 PM, and two Sunday Masses are offered at 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM. A Family Mass is celebrated at 5:00 PM on every third Sunday of the month. Reconciliation is heard Saturday morning from 8:30 to 9:30 AM.
Eucharistic Adoration is offered in the chapel every Thursday afternoon. The exposition of the Blessed Sacrament begins at 3:30 PM, with silent adoration until 4:15 PM, when the hour closes with Benediction. The parish describes the time as a chance to experience the Lord's presence, to receive the courage and strength to live a fruitful Christian life.
The Mass is broadcast on the Archdiocese of Chicago's television and radio network Monday through Friday at 10:00 AM and on Saturday at 4:00 PM. Recordings of the parish's own Sunday Masses are posted to a video archive, going back several years, and an act of spiritual communion is printed for those who cannot be present.
Music From the 1904 Pipe Organ to the Hand Bell Choir
Music has been central to Saint Mary since the brick church opened its doors. Today the Music Ministry offers several ensembles under the direction of Kristen Reiff. The Saturday Ensemble leads music at the 4:30 PM Mass with guitar, violin, and vocalists, rehearsing at 4:00 PM in the music room. The Parish Choir sings at the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass, rehearsing in the choir area at 10:00 AM and gathering once a month on Wednesday evenings for a full rehearsal. All voice parts are welcome.
At funeral Masses the Resurrection Choir gathers by phone tree and email when a grieving family requests it, honoring those who have gone before the parish. Under the direction of Megan Rullo, the Hand Bell Choir performs twice a year, during Lent and during the Advent and Christmas season. The parish continues to draw on the musical tradition of its founders, who carried figured music, Gregorian chant, and organ repertoire from their German villages to the open prairie.
Saint Mary School and Religious Education
The parish school sits just north of the church at 50 North Buffalo Grove Road. It is led by Principal John Fuja, with Tom Healy as facilities manager, and serves as a venue for many parish and organizational activities beyond the school day itself. The school phone line is 847-459-6270, and the school's email is school@stmarybg.org.
The Religious Education program for parish children who do not attend the school is coordinated by Julie Adreani and is housed in the same building. She can be reached at 847-537-9423, extension 221, or jadreani@stmarybg.org. Confirmation preparation and high-school ministry are coordinated by Daphne Kinzig, who can be reached at extension 234. The Order of Christian Initiation of Children (OCIC) meets on Wednesday evenings, with children and parents preparing together to celebrate Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation at Easter.
Saint Mary has long offered a Catholic education to the families of Buffalo Grove. The current school is the descendant of the two-story brick building that Father Nicholas J. Otto erected in the early twentieth century, expanded in 1961 and again in 1966, and again during the Restore the Gift campaign of the 1990s. Through that work the parish has kept Catholic education accessible while building capacity for a growing suburban population.
The Men's Club, the Women's Club, and the Knights
Three major lay organizations shape the life of the parish. The Holy Name Society and Men's Club is open to every male parishioner aged 18 and older, with no dues, and is led by David Kukral. The club meets monthly for spiritual enrichment and fellowship, supports the parish with hands-on service such as set-up and clean-up for events, ushers at Mass, semi-annual trips to SisterHouse, and annual packing of food pantry boxes for St. Vincent de Paul. The capstone fundraiser is the annual Super Bowl party, and the club also sponsors March Madness finals, trips to minor league ballparks, and the parish picnic. On the first Saturday of each month, members visit local Catholic men and women who are homebound or residing in nursing facilities. Each newsletter carries "Words from the Chaplain," written by Father Rich Sztorc, and the club sponsors the annual parish Morning of Reflection.
The Women's Club, an affiliate of the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women, organizes its work through three guilds. St. Bridget Guild supports mothers of school-age children through evening gatherings. St. Monica Guild is a senior fellowship that meets for lunch, and St. Lydia Guild brings professional women together with a service focus. Standing committees include the Book Club, which meets monthly at the Vernon Area Library; the Garden Club, which tends the church grounds; Hospitality; Sunshine, which visits and supports members in need; and the Special and Fundraising Events committee. Each year the club sponsors the Anniversary Mass for couples celebrating wedding anniversaries in multiples of five years, the parish blood drive in January, the coat drive in September and October, the Giving Tree collection in Advent, the Inter-Faith Thanksgiving reception, meals on wheels deliveries in January, a meatless dish after the Stations of the Cross in Lent, and service hours at PADS and USO.
Our Lady of the Grove Council 13448 of the Knights of Columbus brings Catholic men of the parish together around four principles: Faith, Family, Community, and Life. The council channels much of its effort to the Tootsie Roll Drive for people with learning disabilities, Respect Life Ministry, support for seminarians, and the Women's Center. Grand Knight Rich Nuccio invites Catholic men to consider membership.
Feeding, Healing, and Accompanying: Human Concerns
Saint Mary's Human Concerns outreach is woven into the parish's identity. The Bereavement Ministry walks with families through the funeral liturgy, helping them choose readings and hymns, printing programs for the Mass, praying for the deceased, and keeping in touch afterwards. Members are also available to help with pre-planning. Caren Soltysiak coordinates the ministry at the parish office.
The Ministry of Care brings the Eucharist to parishioners who are sick, elderly, homebound, hospitalized, or otherwise in need, and training is offered twice a year, in spring and fall. The Interfaith Council gathers representatives of local synagogues and churches to promote understanding and cooperation across religious lines. The Sharing Parish Committee focuses on spiritual and social sharing with St. John de la Salle Parish, and the Substance Abuse Team offers a place for those dealing with addiction or living with someone who is, coordinated by Ellen Kelly. The Cancer Ministry keeps a daily prayer list and emails members about webinars, research findings, free publications, and counseling resources; Karen Preston leads it.
The Saint Vincent de Paul Society focuses on immediate help for the poor and needy, sponsoring the parish food pantry, helping with rent, electric, and heating bills when needed, and running a Christmas gift program. The pantry is open on the first and third Saturday of each month, financed by donations to the poor boxes at the church entrances and by individual contributions.
The parish also hosts Scouting. Girl Scouts troops are open to girls from kindergarten through eighth grade for crafts, games, field trips, camp-outs, and service projects, with troops taking part in the Mother-Daughter Luncheon, Girl Scout Sunday, and a Valentine's Party. Cub Scout Pack 140 invites boys and girls from kindergarten through fifth grade for monthly meetings, and Boy Scout Troop 140 holds weekly meetings leading up to a monthly weekend outing and a week-long summer camp.
Growing in Faith as Adults
The parish offers a rich program for adults who want to keep growing. Alpha begins in late September each year with a free dinner, a short video talk, and small-group discussion, meeting in the parish school lunchroom. The Tuesday Evening Group meets from 7:00 to 8:30 PM in the Marian Room in the rectory basement and on Zoom, with Tom and Debby Cicero coordinating the series of presentations that walk through the mystical tradition of Catholic spirituality. Faith Enrichment meets on Thursday mornings from 9:30 to 11:00 AM in the Marian Room, led by Rose Albert and joined via Zoom by Father Denis Carneiro; topics range from the saints to current films to field trips.
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) provides spiritual formation and catechesis for adults preparing to receive the Sacraments of Initiation, with Father Rich Sztorc serving as the parish contact. The Give and Take Library in the church vestibule invites parishioners to take a book, CD, or DVD that inspires them and to leave one for someone else. Lectio Divina resources for the upcoming Sunday Gospel are posted through Catholic.Bible, and a Vocations page links to the four vocations of religious life, priesthood, married life, and single life, with archdiocesan resources for discernment.
The Young Adult Ministry brings Catholics in their twenties and thirties together for monthly fellowship after the 10:30 AM Mass at Deerfields Bakery on Buffalo Grove Road, with the next gathering typically on the third Sunday of the month. The ministry also coordinates outings to programming for young adults at neighboring parishes in the northwest suburbs and in Lake County.
Generation to Generation: Building for the Future
In 2025 the Archdiocese of Chicago launched its Generation to Generation capital campaign, with a parish goal for Saint Mary of $1,725,000 and an archdiocesan-wide goal of $300,000,000. As of December 7 of the campaign year, Saint Mary's parishioners had pledged $2,400,000, surpassing the parish goal and directing funds back to local priorities.
The parish share of the campaign is being used to make the church more accessible by redoing the front steps of the church with a ramp so the front entrance is open to all, to replace the school roof so the building can continue to serve every ministry and organization in the parish, to invest in faith programs and the staff who walk with parishioners in their growth, and to enhance an endowment fund for tuition assistance so Catholic education remains affordable for the next generation. General maintenance funding is also a priority.
Pledges can be spread over five years, with monthly, quarterly, or annual payments. Gifts are tax-deductible, and the parish has asked every household to prayerfully consider a sacrificial gift. Campaign leaders include Randy and Maria Wildenhein, Mike Bryscan, Mike McEvoy, Jun Minon, John Moxley, and Mike Sarlitto.
The Pastors and the People
The roll of pastors at Saint Mary reads like a small history of the American priesthood. After Father Goldschmit's brief tenure, Father William Goebbels served the parish for twenty-one years; Father Mathias Orth for six. Father Anthony Royer built the brick church. Father Nicholas J. Otto added the school and wrote much of the parish history. Father Frank G. Mattes was remembered for eloquent sermons and a new roof. Father Charles J. Mertens added the upper porch to the school. Father F. J. Schildgen and Father Anthony J. Boecker both served during the long 1934 to 1945 vacancy; Father Boecker, who intended only to fill in until Father Schildgen's return, ended up staying until his death and was remembered for his early morning prayers and his care for the cemetery.
Father George F. Ballweber presided over the major expansion of the 1950s and 1960s, founding new parishes in Prospect Heights, Lake Zurich, and Arlington Heights along the way. Father Edward Morgan succeeded him in 1968. Father Donald J. Duffy led the parish for nearly twenty years, from 1969 to 1988, fostering community through Ice Cream Socials, Summerfest, Golf Outings, ten years of "Passport Shows," the Christmas Ornament Service with the Suzuki Strings, and the Seven Last Words of Christ on Palm Sunday. Father Kenneth Kiepura launched the Restore the Gift campaign. Father Marc W. Reszel ushered in Threshold 2000, hosted the Jubilee Year ecumenical prayer service, received an anonymous three-million-dollar gift for Catholic education, and moved the parish offices across the street. Father Duffy returned as Pastor Emeritus from 1988 to 2010.
Father Daniel Whiteside has served as pastor since 2012. He is joined by Associate Pastor Father Mike Nacius, who was ordained a Diocesan Priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1989 and previously served as pastor of the Church of St. Mary in Lake Forest, and by Resident Priest Father Richard Sztorc. The diaconate is served by Deacons Gene Kukla, Dan Georgen, and Matthew Hahn. The pastoral staff includes Operations Director Marek Wisniowski, Financial Assistant Mary Starbeck, Bulletin Editor Amanda Pomareda, Religious Education Coordinator Julie Adreani, Confirmation and High School Ministry Coordinator Daphne Kinzig, Director of Liturgical Music Kristen Reiff, Facilities Manager Tom Healy, and School Principal John Fuja.
The church building is open daily from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM. The parish office at 10 North Buffalo Grove Road is open Monday and Tuesday from 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM, Wednesday through Friday from 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM, with a midday closure from 12:00 to 12:45 PM each day, and closed on weekends. The parish phone is 847-541-1450, the fax is 847-541-2443, and the email is parish@stmarybg.org. Saint Mary Cemetery can be reached at 847-397-3284. Online giving is available through the parish's giving platform, and the Annual Catholic Appeal is administered by the Archdiocese of Chicago.
The parish has carried the faith of its founders for nearly 180 years. The same settlers who hauled wood from Chicago in wagons for the first Mass in 1852 would still recognize the steeple, the stained glass, and the bell of the 1899 Gothic chapel, and they would recognize, too, the sight of their descendants gathering on a Sunday morning at the see-through altar that joins the old church to the new.