Mission and History

We are a large Catholic community in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. The community is about 4,000 families and nearly 15,000 members, but we also have many programs and groups that gather in much smaller and more intimate settings. Holy Family worship services are stimulating, insightful and musical. Our faith community is vibrant, our reach-out is compassionate, our adult formation is creative, our education programs are cutting edge and our welcome is warm. Most importantly we believe that all of this is rooted in our commission from Jesus Christ to actively and courageously live the Gospel call and invite all to new life in Christ.
Our Mission 

To empower all to experience New Life in Christ through sacramental living, transformative worship, lifelong spiritual growth and community in service to others.

There is great depth and significance in our Mission Statement which guides everything we do at Holy Family. 

Sacramental Living –Our communal celebration of the Eucharist that marks our deepest identity as the Body of Christ. It calls us to membership in the Church with the hope, belief and promise of everlasting life.

Transformative Worship – Our commitment to a dynamic liturgy with a new, contemporary spirit.  We are open to all, providing an environment for worshipers to deepen their faith by giving praise to God, reflecting on the Gospel message, and proclaiming the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Lifelong Spiritual Growth – Our dedication to high quality, innovative education programs for children, teens, young adults, adults and seniors.  We offer abundant opportunities for everyone to experience spiritual growth and a deeper understanding of our faith.

Service to Others – Our promise of active involvement, energy and enthusiasm for our Catholic faith. We respond to God’s call to share our gifts and talents in order to make our community stronger.  We offer emotional, spiritual and charitable support to the sick, the bereaved, the poor and others experiencing some of life’s most challenging moments.

Our History

Holy Family Catholic Community was started in the fall of 1984 as a new parish to serve the Northwest suburbs in a new contemporary spirit.  Joseph Cardinal Bernardin appointed our first pastor, Rev. Medard Laz, to lead the development of Holy Family.  The first Mass was celebrated on December 1, 1984, in the cafeteria at Fremd High School while work began on a permanent home for our community, which was dedicated on April 30, 1988.

The completion of the new church brought a dramatic increase in the size of the congregation and the responsibilities of the parish.  Liturgies expanded, a parish council was formed and associate clergy were assigned to help meet the needs of the rapidly growing parish.

One of these associates, Rev. Patrick Brennan, began serving Holy Family part time in 1992 and was named pastor in 1994, Father Pat, who had extensive experience in guiding parish renewal programs and evangelization, continued to expand our campus as well as the community we served.  During Father Pat’s term as pastor, the number of registered families grew by more than 1,000; ministries expanded to over 100; and parish facilities increased from 40,000 square feet to nearly 128,000.

Rev. Terence M. Keehan was appointed in 2009 as the third pastor of Holy Family, leading the church in its next phase of growth and development. Prior to becoming a priest, Fr. Terry earned a Master’s Degree in Organizational Development which he used during a successful career in pharmaceutical sales. Fr. Terry also worked in the Vocations Office of the Archdiocese of Chicago and led several large and small, city and suburban parishes in associate pastor and pastor roles.  Under his direction, the Our Families, Our Faith, Our Future, capital campaign raised over $4 million dollars to maintain, complete, and enhance our campus.  The completion of the lower level of the Brennan Center added additional classrooms and meeting space for expanding ministry programs. The campaign also funded campus maintenance projects and enhancements, including new interior and exterior signage and narthex improvements. Other initiatives, led by Fr. Terry, include garnering resources to strengthen existing ministries and build new programs, with an emphasis on empowering the laity to share their gifts in order to further the church’s ambitious mission.  Holy Family continues to welcome over 100 new families to our membership each year.

The Cross of New Life, installed in 1997, is a central element of our community, depicting our faith and spirit of our parish.  Sculpted by Ernest Caballero in clear acrylic to take advantage of the light streaming through the large church window, the Cross of New Life is the largest acrylic art piece ever created.  Measuring 12 feet by 16 feet, and weighing almost 2,000 pounds, the cross depicts a Christ breaking loose from a very free-formed cross, reaching out with compassion to everyone. The rays of His risen presence surround Him in the form of a cross. The Cross of New Life is an instrument of evangelization and is a tangible sign of Holy Family’s mission to all who come here seeking understanding, acceptance, and love of the Lord and one another.

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