Parish History

During the 1940's and 1950's people began to move from the city of Chicago to the North West suburbs. Elk Grove Village was established in 1956 based upon the fact that industries began to expand here. The expansion was rapid.

Queen of the Rosary Parish was established in 1959 when Cardinal Meyer appointed Father John Ward Morrison to organize a parish. The archdiocese had purchased ten and one-half acres - an open field. While driving through the village he noticed most families had children. He decided to build the school first. The first Mass was celebrated on July 5, 1959 in the Mark Hopkins School, located at Landmeier and Higgins roads. While construction for the church and school were in progress, school classes were held at our Lady of Hope for the first and second grades with sixty-six children. A convent with two class rooms was built and ready for use in December 1959. On May 21, 1961 Cardinal Meyer traveled to Elk Grove Village to dedicate the new church, school, and rectory. In the summer, construction began on the first addition to the convent. Later that year the addition to the school was completed. There were now twenty-two classrooms with nine sisters and the rest lay teachers.

A new facet of our parish was introduced as Readers and Commentators began their ministry during 1964 and 1965. The first graduation was held in the summer of 1967 with 57 graduates. The population in Elk Grove Village continued to grow at a tremendous rate.

In 1967 construction began on the present church. The first Mass with 130 children receiving First Holy Communion was celebrated on February 5, 1969. John Cardinal Cody dedicated the new Church on May 23, 1969.

The Parish was led by Father Morrison until his retirement on January 6, 1980. Father Francis Cerniglia was appointed as his successor, that year. He sought to continue the good work done by the founding pastor, while taking on the financial challenges of replacing furnaces, roofs, and parking lots, and repairing other Parish facilities.

On October 7, 1984, the Parish celebrated its 25th Anniversary, with Joseph Cardinal Bernardin offering the Mass of Thanksgiving. The Parish reflected upon the many accomplishments of its first quarter-century, and offered thanks for the many who had given of themselves in selfless dedication for the good of the others. That same year, Queen of the Rosary began its Renew Program, which helped the Parish grow in awareness through small-group faith sharing.

On April 12, 1987, Fr. John Morrison passed away.

In 1989, after 30 years of dedicated service, the Sisters of the Resurrection departed from their mission as educators at Queen of the Rosary. The convent was converted into the Parish Ministry Center in 1990.

Father Cerniglia retired in 1996, and was succeeded by Father Art Fagan. Father Fagan sought to expand Parish services, work in close cooperation with Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village, and form outreach programs to achieve his constant theme that "everyone is always welcome at Queen of the Rosary Parish".

One of the darkest moments in Queen of the Rosary Parish's history came during the last week of July 2007. Not only did the parish loose Father Francis Cerniglia, Pastor Emeritus but the community was to receive yet another blow. Two days later it was announced the much beloved Father Arthur Fagan had also passed. The community had lost two of the hardest working, most giving men in the parish.

Cardinal Francis George descends the church steps during the funeral
for the Rev. Arthur Fagan at St. Julian Eymard in Elk Grove Village. (Joe Lewnard/Daily Herald)

After patiently waiting, it was announced to the parish community in November of 2007 that Father Edward J. Pelrine would be the next pastor at Queen of the Rosary Church.

Father Edward Pelrine was ordained a priest by Francis Cardinal George at Holy Name Cathedral on May 19, 2001. His first assignment was to St. Cajetan Church on the southwest side of Chicago. In December 2003 he was assigned as associate pastor of St. Celestine Church in Elmwood Park, where he served until his appointment as pastor of our parish.

Father Pelrine was born in Evanston and raised in St. Gertrude Parish on the north side of Chicago where he attended grade school. His parents, Aileen and John Pelrine, are parishioners of Immaculate Conception at Talcott and Harlem. He is one of seven children (five of whom live in the Chicago area, and two in Arizona). He attended Loyola University and received a Master’s Degree in Business Administration before beginning studies for the priesthood at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein and graduating in 2001.

One of Father Ed's first welcomed changes to the church arrived in the manner of moving the tabernacle to a place "noble, worthy, conspicuous, well decorated and suitable for prayer". It was placed in the spot previously occupied by the celebrant's chair. In addition to moving the tabernacle, the altar was also moved to a more suitable place - back to its original location on the raised platform that was built for it.