St. Pius X church marks 60 years with 'thank you' to parishioners

It’s the people who make the parish.

They’re the reason St. Pius X Catholic Community in Lombard has flourished for 60 years, says longtime parishioner Marylou Johnson, who handles marketing and communications for the parish.

“Our parishioners are very involved, caring and compassionate, and that’s what it’s all about,” she said. “Our leadership and volunteers are absolutely wonderful. People step up. If somebody needs something, somebody’s always there.”

The church is celebrating its 60th anniversary with a special Mass this Sunday. Immediately following Mass, the church will host a reception in the social center where a DVD with photos and videos dating back to the church’s beginning will play continuously.

“The celebration is a great big ‘thank you’ to our parishioners and volunteers. We want to recognize and thank them for what they’ve achieved,” Johnson said.

Bishop Joseph Siegel, auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Joliet, will celebrate the Mass along with St. Pius’s pastor, Rev. George Zieba. Johnson said having the bishop there will be very special.

“He’s a big deal,” Johnson said. “A lot of people are excited to see him, and they’re excited that he’s coming to their church.”

Donna Cooper, administrative assistant at St. Pius, said everyone is invited to attend Mass and the reception.

“We’ve also invited all our former pastors and anyone who’s been involved with the church,” Cooper said.

St. Pius X was established by the Joliet diocese in 1954. Masses originally took place at Jackson Middle School in Villa Park before a church building was built. The first Mass in the church was celebrated Sept. 4, 1956.

The parish originally served about 400 families and now boasts 1,900 families, Johnson said.

By 1967, as the church grew rapidly, a social center was opened that still is used for the parish school’s sporting events and church’s social gatherings. The church broke ground on a new rectory in 2008, and the old rectory now houses the parish office.

In 1974, St. Pius X became the first church in the country to get a shrine of Mary Immaculate Queen. The shrine consists of a statue of Mary that came from France, and it continues to be used today as an area for people to light candles and pray.

The church opened its school in 1956 with 276 students enrolled in first through sixth grades. By 1960, a second story was added to the rapidly growing school, which now has 487 students through eighth grade.

Lombard resident Betty Kramer has been a St. Pius parishioner for more than 50 years. She said the 60th anniversary is a time to reflect on the accomplishments of the past and look to the future.

“I’ve watched it grow and change since I joined in 1962,” Kramer said. “I’ve watched it go through a number of transitions. Each time we’ve been presented with a challenge, we’ve found a way to overcome it. We have such a strong, vibrant parish.”

Johnson said there are improvement projects in the works to accommodate a growing parish, including building new restrooms in the church, installing air conditioning in the social center and putting lights in the parking lot.

“It’s a notable anniversary. Sixty years, in this day and age – it’s a good thing,” Johnson said. “It’s being a part of Lombard, a part of the history of Lombard, and it’s important for people to know what’s on the corner of Madison and Westmore.”

In addition to serving the residents of Lombard, the church also draws parishioners from Villa Park.

Kramer said she feels “so fortunate” to be a member of the parish.

“It’s a place for faith, family and fellowship,” she said. “I’ve always been impressed with the love parishioners show each other, especially in a time of crisis. It’s a family. I see it as my faith family.”