- From its beginnings in 1947, St. Ambrose Parish has been and continues to be a pilgrim parish, its people a pilgrim people. A pilgrim is a person on a journey to a sacred place. We are such pilgrims - on an ongoing journey to sacred places - sacred because they unite us in our quest for union with God.
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- On August 1, 1947, two years after World War II ended, the pastors of St. Mary's and SS. Peter and Paul announced the beginning of the St. Ambrose pilgrimage as a new parish family. It would begin at the Catholic Children's Home where Mass would be celebrated for the parishioners until a new church could be constructed; and so the pilgrimage began.
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This log cabin housed the 7th & 8th grades of St. Ambrose School in 1947
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- Father Andrew Robinson was chosen by Bishop James Griffith to shepherd this new parish family on their quest for God. At Mass that first Sunday, a meeting was announced. Plans for a new parish facility were the first order of business for the new parish leaders who gathered together. Fourteen acres of land were purchased from the Maher family at a cost of $10,500. It was to house a simple church, a parish rectory, and the beginnings of an elementary school. In the meantime, parishioners continued to worship at the Children's Home and school was in session in the Ursuline Convent and at the home of the John Springman Family.
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In the basement of John Springman's Home, four grades of St. Ambrose students met in 1947
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- With much hard work and determination on the part of Father Robinson and the parishioners, the new church was completed on February 8, 1948. Two hundred fifty families worshiped together in their new church home, and one hundred thirty five students, along with their four Ursuline teachers, welcomed their new school building. The first part of the journey was completed, but only to continue as the surrounding area developed and the spiritual needs of the people continued to grow.
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St. Ambrose Church and School in 1949
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- By 1959, the parish plant grew to include four classrooms on the north side of Homer Adams Parkway. In 1964, six additional classrooms were added. Catholic education was a priority to the people then as it continues to be now.
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- Father Robinson shepherded the people until his death on June 11, 1967. Monsignor Henry Knoedler was named the new pastor and led the people of St. Ambrose on their continued pilgrimage until 1977 when Father Terry Shea became pastor.
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- Although Father Shea's stay at St. Ambrose was brief, it was a time of significant growth and change. During his time at St. Ambrose, Father Shea and the parishioners worked together to build a larger and more fitting house of worship for the parish. Included in the project were a new living area for the priests, offices, and two additional classrooms. On February 8, 1978, the thirtieth anniversary of the first Mass in the original church, Father Shea celebrated the first Mass in our present church. In spite of a vigorous blizzard outside, two hundred faithful parishioners worshiped the Lord without pews, carpeting, or even an altar. A pilgrim spirit continued to be a mark of St. Ambrose people.
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- On April 29, 1979, Bishop McNicholas processed with the people on the pilgrimage from their simple little church to the new St. Ambrose for its dedication. Less than three years after Father Shea arrived, he celebrated with the people of St. Ambrose the realization of their dream of having a new and more fitting place to worship the Lord.
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- Beginning on July 2, 1979, Father James Hill followed Father Shea as pastor. During Father Hill's time at St. Ambrose, fire damaged the original Church plant including the classrooms. Additional classrooms were constructed so that all the students could be served in one building. Father Hill's interest in the parishioners as well as his business expertise served the needs of the parish very well at that time.
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- Father Hill's sucessor, Father Don Blickhan, arrived in March of 1986. His stay at St. Ambrose was very brief. During his pastorate, the original parish plant was sold to another Christian denomination. The parish continued to grow and needs continued to change. When Father Virgil Mank arrived in June of 1988, his work as shepherd was cut out for him.
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- While the school continued to thrive, Father Mank, whose vision and leadership were hoped for by the waiting parishioners, sensed unmet needs in other areas of parish life. True to his commitment to the universal call to holiness for all God's people and his own personal spirituality, Father Mank set out to provide the space and staff to address the needs of adult members of the parish seeking renewal and information, persons wishing to become Catholic, youth who were no longer enrolled at St. Ambrose, and older adult members who needed to build their own community.
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- While staff members were added and a place was provided in the area formerly used as a rectory, needs continued to surface and it was time for the construction of a new community center and gymnasium - which had both been lost when fire damaged the original facility - and so the pilgrimage continued. With the encouragement and support of the people, the facilities were carefully designed, and constructed, and then happily dedicated by Bishop Daniel L. Ryan on April 22, 1996.
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- In many ways, it would seem that after these years, the pilgrimage is completed. Perhaps that is true of the pilgrimage involving sacred places. Our own personal pilgrimages, however, continue on here in our parish of St. Ambrose. Each one of us is called to personal holiness. We have every advantage in terms of space, environment, opportunity, resources, leadership, and companionship. May we each continue to answer our own personal call as a thanksgiving for all that we have here at St. Ambrose, our pilgrim parish.
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Present facilities of the St. Ambrose Parish of Godfrey, IL
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