about the parish

Saint Edna presently is home to about 3000 families celebrating the rhythms of their faith lives and is being served by 800 plus lay volunteer ministers.

A 14-acre site, the former Stade farm, was purchased on Arlington Heights road. Until the new church could be built, parishioners attended Mass in the gymnasium of MacArthur Junior High School at Palatine and Schoenbeck Roads.

After some remodeling and renovation, the old farmhouse became the parish rectory when Father James Doherty moved in on July 8, 1965. Then, what had been the old farmhouse parlor became a chapel for daily Mass as well as for administration of the Sacraments of Baptism and Penance.

Small group meetings, and later religious education classes for children were also held in the rectory. Meanwhile, crews were busy clearing away brush and tearing down some old farm buildings.

In November of 1966, Archbishop Cody gave his approval to the building of the church and parish center. Final approval was given to the architectural design and ground breaking ceremonies were held on September 3, 1967.

Construction was completed on the new church in the fall of 1968. The first Sunday Mass was celebrated there on November 10th, 1968.

The first Saturday evening Mass was January 3, 1970.

In 1973, the farmhouse/rectory was torn down, and a new rectory was built, northeast of the church.

The parish celebrated the 15th anniversary in May of 1980.  Fr.  Doherty died suddenly on December 27, 1980.

St. Edna celebrated the paying off the mortgage in October of 1984.

The 1985 Parish census  showed we had grown to more than 2500 families.

A Space Needs Assessment Committee was formed in 1987, and as a result of evaluations, a new Parish Center building was recommended.

The original parish center, now named the Hurley Center, was completed and dedicated on Memorial Day weekend of 1992.  The Hurley Center provided additional administration office space, classrooms, a teen center and spaces for meetings and recreation.   

In 2018, the rectory was demolished to make room for a new and modern Parish Center.  It was dedicated by Cardinal Cupich March 30, 2019.  It is used for parish and multi-parish events, volleyball/basketball & social events, and for Vicariate 1 events.

Reverend Darrio Boscutti
(2018-Present)