St. Jerome’s Parish, one of the oldest Croatian parishes in the United States, still remains a place of encounter, faith and preservation of Croatian heritage, and the mass celebration was attended by CHF Director Zdeslav Milas.
Sunday Mass at the Croatian parish of St. Jerome in Chicago (St. Jerome Parish – Sv. Jeronim – Chicago) drew numerous believers, including CHF Director Zdeslav Milas.
The Holy Mass was led by the parish priest Fr. Antonio Musa, a young friar from Široki Brijeg who, at the age of 33 and with 10 years of service, brings together all generations and successfully leads the parish, pastoral work and cares for the needs of the Croats.
The Eucharistic celebration was followed by cordial socializing with parishioners and discussions on the importance of preserving Croatian identity, language and faith among generations of Croats in the diaspora.
St. Jerome’s Parish, which belongs to the Franciscan Province of Herzegovina and is part of the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Family, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, was founded in 1912 and is one of the oldest Croatian parishes in the United States. St. Jerome’s Parish has been the spiritual, cultural and social center of the Croatian community in Chicago for over a century. Founded during the great waves of Croatian emigration, it became a place where Croatian immigrants found support, nurtured their language, customs and religion, and built a sense of community away from their homeland. While the Croatian people were in the shackles of communist Yugoslavia, this parish was one of the most important bearers of Croatian identity, gathering emigrants around common values and preserving the awareness of belonging to the Croatian people. Today, it remains a symbol of the persistence of the Croatian community in Chicago and a bridge connecting homeland and diaspora Croatia.
Text and photo: CHF
