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Once known as Forksville, Volo is located approximately five miles from Fox Lake, Round Lake, Johnsburg, McHenry and Wauconda. In 1868, the dairy farmers in Volo banded together and erected a small wooden structure. This building was swept away by fire as the parishioners prepared for the day of dedication and for the first Mass. The hearty German pioneers built a second frame church. St. Peter’s was only a mission Church looked after by various pastors of nearby Churches and continued so until 1904. In August, 1904, Archbishop James E. Quigley named Father Joseph Rempe as the first resident pastor of St. Peter’s. The present rectory was completed in 1904. Father George L. Schark began his long pastorate at Volo in
April 1916. He recalled that Archbishop Mundelein had told him: “Father, Volo
needs a new church. Go and see what you can do.” It was nearly 10 years before
Father Schark could carry out the order. At first, construction was delayed
because the outbreak of WWI had driven up the price of building materials. A
history of St. Peter Parish written in 1920 contained the information that the
opportunity to celebrate the golden jubilee of St. Peter’s was passed in quiet
on June 29, 1919, for very good reasons. The old spirit of the parishioners
reasserted itself, in the resolution not to celebrate until the completion of a
grand new church, a modern new school building, and a new sisters’ dwelling,
all to cost in the neighborhood of $60,000. The old buildings were sold to
Edward Lusk who moved them from the parish property. The cornerstone was laid on October 24, 1925. By then construction was well underway on a combination school-convent. Mass was celebrated in the new Gothic church for the first time on June 20, 1926, the opening day of the XXVIII International Eucharistic Congress. According to the parish’s 1926 financial report, the cost of constructing the church and school was nearly $100,000. This was an enormous undertaking in any parish in the Chicago Archdiocese, but especially so because St. Peter Parish numbered 44 families. On July 3, 1927, Auxiliary Bishop Edward Hoban dedicated St. Peter Church and the school-convent building. For decades, St. Peter Parish remained a small community of dairy farmers. In 1980 the family count was still 45 families. Today we have 239 families. We’re not done yet. . . . .
THE STORY OF OUR CHURCH BUILDINGS OF ST. PETER The first church was built in 1868, 139 years ago. The present church is about 81 years old. This is the third church building at St. Peter. The present school is about 81 years old. This is the second school building at St. Peter. St. Therese House is about 103 years old, St. Joseph House is about 50 years old, a gift from Henry Diedrich. The present St. Mary House is an older house with a very recent enlargement.
5 MISSION PASTORS OF ST. PETER (36 years) St. John of Johnsburg 1968-1883 15 yrs Father Hubert Fegers 1883-1884 1 yr. Father Otto Groenebaum 1884-1889 5 yrs. Father Henry Mehring St. Mary of Freemont 1889-1901 12 yrs. Father Joseph Rohde 1901-1904 3 yrs. Father George Thiele 9 RESIDENT PASTORS (103 years) 1904-1911 7 yrs. Father Joseph Rempe 1911-1913 2 yrs. Father Arthur A. Riss 1913-1916 3 yrs. Father Francis J. Epstein 1916-1959 43 yrs. Father George L. Schark 1959-1973 14 yrs. Father Edmund L. Slingerland 1973-1983 10 yrs. Father Charles Heaney 1983-1994 11 yrs. Father James Lyons 1994-1998 4 yrs. Father James P. Doyle 1999-2007 9 yrs. Father Donald Dietz, OMI 2007– present Father Dennis Kolinski, SJC 6 GROUPS OF SCHOOL TEACHERS (68 years) 1892-1910 18 yrs. Sisters of St. Francis, St. Francis, WI 1910-1915 5 yrs. Lay teachers 1915-1927 12 yrs. Sisters of St. Francis, Milw, WI 1927-1951 24 yrs. Sisters of the Divine Savior, Milw, 1951-1952 1 yr. Fr Schark & housekeeper Louise Bloom 1952-1960 8 yrs. Sisters of St. Casimir, Chicago, IL
FRANCIS CARDINAL GEORGE, O.M.I. His Coat of Arms reads: “Christo gloria in ecclesia” “Glory to Christ in the Church” Cardinal George celebrated confirmation and the eucharist at St. Peter of Volo on Sundays, April 11, 1999 and April 30, 2000. He celebrated the Eucharist for our 100th Anniversary on Saturday, June 26, 2004.
ST. PETER CHURCH BANNER The banner of St. Peter in Volo for the Great Jubilee 2000 expresses the mission and identity of the parish. We are centered on Jesus our Brother and Friend and Savior, His word and body and blood and heart and love, on His beloved Mary and Joseph, on the successor of His servant Peter the fisherman. Our symbols are the host and chalice for Jesus, the rose and the lily for Mary and Joseph, the fish for the successor of Peter.
VOLO VILLAGE & ST. PETER CHURCH There is nothing in the history of Volo like St. Peter Catholic Church. The village is officially 14 years old, St. Peter is 139 years old. Father James Lyons and Representative Al Salvi were main forces in rerouting Highway 120 from Volo Village Road and in forming the village officially. The Village which numbered 180 people in 2000 is poised for dramatic growth.
PRESENT BUILDINGS St. Peter Church 1926 St. Peter School 1926 Old Rectory St. Therese House 1904 Old St. Joseph House July 2000 made Guardian Angel Parking Lot October 2001 St. Joseph House April 2001 St. Mary House October 2003 AGE OF PARISH As mission 1868-1904 (36 yrs) As parish with pastor 1904-2001 (103 yrs)
ORGANIZATIONS OF ST. PETER Catechists Altar Servers Lectors and Communion Distributors St. Cecelia Choir St. Gregory Choir Latin Choir Spanish Choir Church Cleaners Holy Name Society St. Anne Sodality St. Peter Teen Group St. Peter Boys Group
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