
St. Anne Society: St. Anne Society which is the local chapter of the American Slovenian Catholic Union (KSKJ) assigned to the Slovenian Catholic Mission. The American Slovenian Catholic Union was formed as a Catholic death and burial society in 1894. The local chapter was formed at the former St. Stephen parish in the 1920�s. The organizations has evolved beyond a death and burial society. It does considerable charitable work. The local branch runs the food pantry program for the Slovenian Catholic Mission. The food is given to the local Food Pantry of Lemont area Christian Churches. It raises money to be used for local charitable causes. These funds are matched by the national office�s matching funds program. They contribute to the college scholarship programs that are run by the National and State federations of the American Slovenian Catholic Union. They contribute to the missions and other charitable causes. St. Anne Society has three sources of income. It sponsors a benefit dinner annually. It sponsors a Sunday picnic every July on the grounds of the monastery; and it has membership dues.


Holy Cross Society: This is one of the oldest death and burial societies within the parish. It was begun at St. Stephen parish, for a time resided at Holy Trinity parish in Pilsen and then brought back to St. Stephen. Ever since the Slovenian Catholic Mission was initiated in Lemont, it has been part of this parish community. The founders of this group were all from Holy Cross parish in Crensovci, Slovenia. They named the organization for their home church. Many members today still originate from that area of Slovenia. The original purpose of the Holy Cross Society was to provide for the burial of its members. Early immigrants died in factory accidents before there was any compensation and many died from disease. Members paid a small stipend to join and the organization then fund raised to build a treasury that would permit it to make contributions for members of the parish. Times have changed and families are no longer destitute as they were many years ago. Although contributions are still made to defray a part of the cost of funerals, this organization has become more of a service organization for the parish providing volunteers for many events.


Prekmurje Social Club: This is a charitable organization begun in the 1920�s at the former St. Stephen parish. Its focus has been helping immigrants adjust to life in America. The Social in the title refers to dealing with social problems. This organization has helped people find shelter, provide aid for clothing and food, sought jobs for people and helped poor people any way it could. This remains one of the largest organizations in the parish. It provides the greatest number of volunteers for the various work that is done for the Parish and the Monastery in general. The members of this organization provided tens of thousands of hours of volunteer hours in the construction of the Center. They also donated significant funds for the purchase of materials to construct the Center. They still contribute significant amount of time and money for the maintenance of both the parish and its center. The organization sponsors religious pilgrimages to religious sites in the USA and Canada. They were a major donor for the Bell Tower that was erected in 2005 for the Monastery. Aside from the time and money they contribute to maintain the buildings on the Monastery property, they make an annual contribution to the Slovenian Catholic Mission.


Slovenian Women�s Union: This organization typically meets four times a year, on Sundays in the library of the Slovenian Cultural Center in Lemont. It began as a Catholic women�s group that also welcomes men members. The organization was begun as a Christian organization to enhance women�s role in society. Branch #99 proudly hosts three annual events: Mother/Member of the Year celebration, Bunco Party and Christmas Cookie Sale, This branch offers cooking classes where traditional Slovenian food recipes and secrets are passed on. In addition, this branch functions as a support group for the parish raising funds which are donated to the Slovenian Catholic Mission and other religious organizations. If you are interested in joining this organization, please contact Branch #99 Secretary, Barb Block at barbandlarryblock@att.net or 630-379-6442. Annual dues are $20 for an adult member, and $5 dollars for junior members, under the age of 18. If you do not wish to become a member, you are always welcome to attend Branch #99 events�just contact Barb!


Lipa Folklore Group: This Young Adult Group was formed in the 1960�s at St. Stephen Parish as an activity for young adults who were of high school and college age. Lipa is the Slovenian word for Linden Tree whose leaf is one of the symbols associated with Slovenia. The famous Lippazanner Stallions originate from Western Slovenia in an area known for its healthy grasses and climate for breeding championship horses. Lippazzanner is a German corruption of the Slovenian word Lipa.

The purpose of the Group is to provide enjoyable wholesome activities for our teen-agers while simultaneously teaching them about Slovenian traditions including religious traditions. It is for this reason it was associated with the St. Stephen Catholic Church and not one of the secular Slovenian organizations. This organization was moved to the Slovenian Catholic Mission after we lost St. Stephen parish. This group participates in service projects for the Parish on a regular basis. They serve at the monthly benefit dinners and help clean tables after these events. Many of our Parish liturgies use escorts in Slovenian costume. The young adults in the Lipa Folklore Group provide this service. They perform for free at many of the monthly benefit dinners. This is of course an attraction which draws more people to the event. They also help in the dance instruction of the younger children in the Slovenian School.

The Lipa Young Adults Folklore Group also participates in the Christmas Around the World presentation at the Museum of Science and Industry. They are key presenters of Slovenian religious customs focused on Christmas, New Year and Epiphany holy days. These presentations are done for the general public and no cost to the Museum of Science and Industry.

On April 3rd they performed at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The Center sponsored a bus to take them to this performance which was open to the public. This was a free performance on the part of the Lipa group.

The proceeds from one of the monthly benefit dinners is used by the Center to defray the costs of funding their activities. This includes an annual Lock-In, reimbursement for costumes they use in their Folklore activities and the cost of renting buses to transport them to a couple of events each year where they perform for the general public. These events include going to other Slovenian Catholic Parishes in other parts of the USA and Canada to meet with other young adults.

One activity they organize is a folklore dance group. They have dance practices on the stage in the Large Hall of the Center at 9:30am on Sunday mornings prior to 11am Mass.


Center (SCC/SKC) Board: An organizational meeting is held every second Tuesday of the month. All parish members are invited to attend these meetings. It is expected that the people who have agreed to sit on the board as board members make most of the meetings. Three Franciscans sit on the board and they are referred to as Directors, the same title canonically given to the pastor of the Slovenian Catholic Mission. He is a Director of the Slovenian Catholic Mission with all privileges and duties awarded to pastors with territorial parishes. The SCC/SKC board has always recognized the canonical right of the Franciscans to provide guidance on all of our activities because we are a parish organization. The three Franciscans who were the original Directors are identified as such in the commemoration book of the opening of the Center. The acknowledgement of the Franciscans as Directors ensures that our activities are consistent with the mission of the Holy Cross Commissariat as well as the Blessed Slomsek Slovenian Catholic Mission. This guidance includes prohibiting any activity which they deem inconsistent with their mission. The Franciscans attend every monthly board meeting and their advice and consent is sought on a variety of issues. Since major parish organizations of the Slovenian Catholic Mission have a representative on the Church Council, the president of the SCC is designated to sit on the Church Council.


Cultural Committee: This is an informal group of people who organize at least one event a month which occur mostly after Sunday mass. There is usually at least one presentation a month except during summer months and when there are conflicts with other activities. The list below begins with 1998 when records started to be kept for the Center and ends in 2005. Prior to that these monthly events were held at St. Stephen Parish in Pilsen. Months not listed had an informal gatherings that were more entertainment for the people gathered at the fellowship lunches. All presentations are open to the public. There is no fee charged and no donations are accepted.The cultural committee also organizes the ongoing Art Exhibit that utilizes many of the walls within the Center. The Art Exhibit offers Slovenian and non-Slovenian artists an opportunity to exhibit their work at no cost. The public is welcomed to the viewings of the Art Exhibit and nothing is charged and no donations are accepted for this.

The cultural committee also organizes our archives which are currently mostly made up of videography from Parish events at St. Stephen and the Slovenian Catholic Parish and cd�s from Concerts of the St. Stephen Church Choir and the choral group Slovenska Pesem which was organized and directed by Fr. Vendelin Spendov, OFM, PhD. The Archives also include documents important to the history of the Slovenian Catholic community in Northern Illinois.

Finally the library holdings in the Retreat House and the Reading Library in the Center are organized and run by the Cultural Committee.

Members of the Cultural Committee have qualified for continuing education held by the Slovenian Government on topics related to holding cultural events and building archives of historical materials.


Bishop Baraga Association � Chicago Chapter: The national Bishop Baraga Association was formed in the 1930�s in the basement of the St. Stephen church. When the parish was moved to the Slovenian Catholic Mission, this organization moved its headquarters to the SCC/SKC. Its archives are housed in the SCC. The organization was formed to promote the canonization of Bishop Frederic Baraga, the first bishop of Marquette, Michigan who is known as the Snowshoe Priest and the Apostle to the Ojibway Indians. The national office is now staffed by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Marquette, Michigan and the offices are located there. The Bishop Baraga Association has meetings in the SKC. It sponsors a benefit dinner on the second Sunday of January whose proceeds are donated to the National Bishop Baraga Association to defray costs of the canonization process. The local chapter also organizes the annual pilgrimage to the National Bishop Baraga Days.


Slovenian Roman Catholic Churches in the United States: Birth of Christ Rojstva Gospoda 545 Linden Ave San Francisco CA

Mary of the Rosary Marija Roznivenska 4670 Pearl St. Denver CO

St. Joseph Sv. Jozef 424 W. 2nd St. Leadville CO

St. Mary, Mother Help of Christians Marija Pomagaj 217 Messa Ave Pueblo CO

Holy Cross Sv. Kriz 424 Pine St. Bridgeport CT

St. George Sv. Jurij 9546 S. Ewing Ave Chicago IL

St. Stephen Sv, Stefan 1852 W. 22nd St Chicago IL 60608

St. Joseph Sv. Jozef 810 N. Chicago St. Joliet IL

St. Roch Sv. Rok 542 Crosat St. LaSalle IL

Slovenian Catholic Mission Slovensko Versko Sredisce 14246 Main St Lemont IL 60439 Metod Ogorevc

St. Constantine Sv. Konstantin Oglesby IL Michael Andrejek

St. Joseph Sv. Jozef Rockland IL

St. Barbara Sv. Barbara Springfield IL

Mother of God Matere Bozje 510 Tenth St. Waukegan IL

Holy Trinity Sv. Trojica Indianapolis IN

Holy Family Sv. Druzina 274 Orchard St. Kansas City KS

St. Joseph Sv. Jozef Calumet MI

St. John Vianney Sv. Janez Viane 386 Geneva Ave Highland Park MI

St. Joseph Sv. Jozef Chisolm MN

St. Anthony Sv. Anton Ely MN

St. Joseph Sv. Jozef Gilbert MN

Greaney MN

St. Elizabeth Sv. Elizabeta New Duluth MN

St. Stephen Sv. Stefan Rice MN

St. Martin Sv. Martin Tower MN

St. Peter and St. Paul Sv. Peter in Sv. Pavel 406 Alder St. Anaconda MT

Savior of our Lord Bozjega Odresenika 1901 Leatherwood St. Butte MT

Meadsville MT

St. Cyril Sv. Ciril 62 St. Mark's Pl New York NY Krizolog

Akron OH

Sacred Heart of Jesus Presveta Srca Jezusovega 264 15th St. Barberton OH

St. Lawrence Sv. Lavrenc 3547 E. 80th St. Cleveland OH

St. Mary Marija Vnebozetje 15519 Holmes Ave Cleveland OH John Kumse

Mother of God Matere Bozje St. Clair Cleveland OH Incorporated into St. Vitus

St. Paul Cleveland OH

St. Vitus Sv. Vid 1114 Norwood Ave. Cleveland OH 44103 Joseph Boznar

St. Christine Sv. Kristine 881 E. 222nd St. Euclid OH

St. Rose Girard OH

St. Cyril and Methodius Sv. Cirila in Metoda 1708 E. 31st St. Lorain OH Pavle Krajnik

St. John Szv. Ivana Bethlehem PA Evangelical

St. Joseph Sv. Jozef 416 East 5th St. Bethlehem PA

St. Barbara Sv. Barbara Bridgeville PA

St. Joseph Sv. Jozef Forest City PA

St. Theresa Sv. Terezija Johnstown PA

St. Theresa Sv. Terezija 481 Decker St. Johnstown PA Bernard Karmonicki

Mother of God Matere Bozje 225 57th St Pittsburgh PA

St. Peter Sv. Peter 386 S. Third St Steelton PA

Holy Trinity Sv. Trojica 613 S. 4th St. Milwaukee WI

St. John the Evangelist Sv. Janez Evangelist 501 Mineral St. Milwaukee WI Brookfield

St. Cyril and Methodius Sv. Ciril in Metod 810 New Jersey St. Sheboygan WI

St. Mary, Mother Help of Christians Marija Pomagaj 1210 S. 61st West Allis WI

Holy Family Sv. Druzina Willard WI

St. Cyril and Methodius Sv. Ciril in Metod 116 Fourth St. Rock Springs WY

Slovenian Catholic Center