When was it founded: May 1960
Where is it located: 1400 East Central Road
Has it moved: No
First Pastor or Priest: John A. McLoraine
History and interesting stories about the church:
In 1960, Father John McLoraine organized a new parish in an area of Cook County that later became incorporated into Mount Prospect. Initially, 900 families joined St. Emily’s and celebrated Mass in the auditorium of Maryville Academy. Although without a permanent place of worship, the church supported the families’ pleas for a parish school, which opened in 1961. As if in direct correlation, as the church’s popularity increased, so did school enrollment and congregation size. Eventually, St. Emily’s officials recognized the need for the existence of permanent facilities. So in 1964, an activities hall was built, while construction on the main building began in 1969. After using various locations to perform Mass, St. Emily’s finally had a permanent one to accommodate each of its 1600 families with the building’s dedication on Mother’s Day in 1971. By 1988, more than seven thousand people attended a single Sunday Mass; while, the parish school boasted a higher academic rating than any other school in the area.
In addition to the traditional church services, St. Emily’s has been a haven for parish organizations. From the School Board and Athletic Association to the Women’s Club and various Scouting groups, organizations have found warmth and friendship inside the walls of St. Emily’s. The church has also made strides in reaching out to its outlying community through the initiation of anti-narcotic, anti-vandalism programs and Spanish-language Mass. In the case of the latter, in 1997, St. Emily’s was one of five parishes to introduce Spanish-language Mass to accommodate the nearly eleven thousand Hispanic Roman Catholics in Mount Prospect.