ACTIVITIES OF THE CROATIAN FRANCISCAN CUSTODY 

General Historical Review (Part1)

Custody Activities (Part 2)

The Friars (Part 3)

 

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

 1. ST. JEROME PARISH, CHICAGO ILLINOIS

        This parish was established by Fr. Leon Medić, who arrived in Chicago in 1912.  In the beginning masses for Croatians were held in the Czech church St. John Nepomucene in Chicago.  During the same year, however, a Protestant church on 25^th Street was purchased and the Croatians used it for a full ten years.  In 1922 a Swedish Lutheran church on Princeton Avenue was purchased.  For over 80 years this church has been a principal gathering place for Croatians in Chicago.   Sisters,  Adorers of the Blood of Christ, arrived in Chicago and began teaching at St. Jerome’s Parish School in 1922. In 1928 a new convent was built for the sisters, and the old convent was made into a kindergarten.  During this period the parish debt was cleared.  During Fr. Ferdinand Skoko’s pastorate (1943 – 1955) another new convent was built, the rectory was expanded and the church was renovated.  Finally, during Fr. Vitomir Naletilić’s pastorate, a new school and parish hall were constructed.  In 1974, a supplementary Croatian school was opened for instructing children in the Croatian language, culture and dances.  This school operates to this day.  A Croatian radio program was started in 1979 but only lasted for a few months. It again began operating in 1998.

        From the founding of the parish (1912) until 1995, a total of 5970 children were baptized, 3457 individuals were buried, 4143 individuals were confirmed, and 2818 children received First Holy Communion. Masses are celebrated both in Croatian and English.

        The following friars have served in the parish:

Year	Pastor	Year	Associate Pastor
1912-16	fra Leon Medić
1916-19	fra Ambrozije Širca
1919-21	fra Placid Belavić
1921-28	fra Vjenceslav Vukonić
1928-36	fra Blaž Jerković	1928-30	fra Gabro Cvitanović
		1930-31	fra Anzelmo Slišković
		1934-36	fra Ferdinand Skoko
		1931-34	fra Hugolin Feysz
		1932-44	brat fra Alojzije Soldo
1936-43	fra Franjo Čuturić	1936-38	fra Teofil Pehar
		1938-42	fra Bono Bilandžić
			fra Kornelije Ravlić
1943-55	fra Ferdinand Skoko	1944-45	fra Charles Pleše
		1946-49	fra Steve Raich
		1946-47	fra Serafin Vištica
		1950-53	fra Berto Dragičević
			fra Marcel Ćabo
		1953-58	fra Charles Pleše
1955-56	fra Serafin Vištica	1955-56	fra Dominik Ćorić
		1955-58	fra Vitomir Naletilić
1956-58	fra Ferdinand Skoko	1957-58	fra Gracijan Raspudić
1958-60	fra Zvonko Mandurić	1957-59	fra Predrag Kordić
		1958-62	fra Anthony Dukić
1960-65	fra Vitomir Naletilić	1960-62	fra Tugomir Soldo
		1962-65	fra Marko Kozina
1965-67	fra Steve Raich	1964-71	fra Dominik Ćorić
1967-69	fra Božidar Benković
1969-76	fra Marko Kozina	1972-75	fra Ivan Bradvica
		1975-79	fra Leon Galić
1976-79	fra Pavao Maslać
		1977-79	fra Slavko Soldo
1979-82	fra Anthony Dukić	1979-80	fra Ljubo Krasić
		1980-82	fra Jozo Čuić
1982-85	fra Jerko Kućan	1982-92	fra Hrvoslav Ban
1985-95	fra Mate Ruyechan
		1992-93	fra Veselko Kvesić
		1993-94	fra Miro Grubišić
		1994-96	fra Marko Kozina
1995-97	fra Zvonimir Kutleša	1996-01	fra Jozo Grbeš
1997-01	fra Jozo Grubišić	1998.	fra Robert Jolić
2001-	fra Jozo Grbeš	2001-04	fra Tomislav Puljić

2. SACRED HEART OF JESUS PARISH, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

 The origins of  this parish stem from a Slovenian-Croatian parish  which was founded in 1903, with Rev. Janez Kranjec, a Slovenian, as pastor until 1911.  Together with the parishioners, Rev. Kranjec built the church of St. George in 1904 on Ewing Avenue and 96 Street.  Following the appointment of a second Slovenian priest as pastor in 1911, a rift occurred between the Croatian and Slovenian parishioners in 1912.  Despite the five to one  ratio of Croatians to Slovenes both in numbers and in sharing the cost for  the construction of the church, the church remained with the Slovenes and the Croatians needed to build another church for themselves.  In 1913 the Rev. Ivan Stipanoviƒ was named pastor of the Croatian Church where he remained until 1916. Together with his parishioners, he built Sacred Heart Croatian church in 1913/1914 on Escanaba Avenue and 96 Street.  On the second floor of the church, a grade school was organized and was staffed by the School Sisters of St. Francis beginning in 1915.  Rev. Mate Čanić was the pastor from 1916 to 1919; after him the parish was entrusted to the Franciscans from the Commissariat.  The first Franciscan pastor was Fr. Luka Terzić, who was dedicated to renovating the school building.  The friars who succeeded him worked to reduce the construction debt, as well as to lessen tensions among the parishioners and the Croatians in general.  The community was divided because of political partisanship and because of the infiltration of Yugoslav and Communist notions into the community.  After World War II the pastor, Fr. Ljubo Čuvalo, prepared for a construction project.  His plans were carried out by the next pastor, Fr. Myron Lasić, who built a large school building in 1959 and a magnificent and functional church in 1963/1964.  During Fr. Vendelin Vasilj’s pastorate, a parish hall and convent were built.  The debts incurred were paid off by future pastors.

        From 1913 to 1995, 5364 children were baptized, 2633 individuals were buried, 1899 couples were married, 3072 individuals were confirmed and 2560 children received First Holy Communion.  Masses are celebrated both in English and Croatian.

        The following friars have served in the parish:

Year	Pastor	Year	Associate Pastor
1919-22	fra Luka Terzić
1922-31	fra Bono Andačić	1924-26	fra Ambro Mišetić
		1928.	fra Blaž Jerković
		1928-29	fra Špiro Andrijanić
		1930-31	fra Gabrijel Cvitanović
1931-47	fra Špiro Andrijanić	1931-32	fra Vladislav Luburić
		1936-39	fra Bono Bilandžić
		1939-42	fra Kornelije Ravlić
		1942-44	fra Silvije Grubišić
		1944-45	fra Marcel Ćabo
1947-49	fra Teofil Pehar	1946-53	fra Vilim Primorac
1949-58	fra Lubo Čuvalo	1950-52	fra Oton Knezović
		1954-54	fra Kruno Pandžić
		1954-56	fra Zoran Ostojić
		1953-58	fra Berto Dragičević
		1955-57	fra Serafin Vištica
		1955-56	fra Dominik Ćorić
		1957-58	fra Miron Lasić
1958-68	fra Miron Lasić	1958-59	fra Steve Raich
		1958-61	fra Kvirin Vasilj
		1959-63	fra Gracijan Raspudić
		1962-64	fra Pavao Maslać
		1964-68	fra Charles Pleše
1968-71	fra Vendelin Vasilj	1968-71	fra Eugen Petrović
1971-79	fra Eugen Petrović	1971-76	fra Zvonimir Kutleša
		1976-78	fra Vincent Cvitković
1979-94	fra Marko Kozina	1981-82	fra Gregory Furjanić
		1982-85	fra Mate Ruyechan
		1985-87	fra Stjepan Pandžić
		1987-88	fra Pavao Maslać
		1988.	fra Stipe Pervan
		1989-94	fra Stjepan Bedeniković
1994-95	fra Jerko Kućan	1994-95	fra Ilija Puljić
1995-2000	fra Pavao Maslać	1995-97	fra Jago Soče
2000-	fra Stjepan Bedeniković	1997-2000	fra Marko Kozina

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