Whiting’s Roman Catholic Churches: The Beginnings of Sacred Heart, Saints Peter and Paul, and Immaculate Conception Churches

Frank Vargo
May 2021

The area that was to become known as the Calumet Region was one of the last parts of the state of Indiana to be settled.  It wasn’t until February 16, 1837, that Lake County was officially created out of parts of Porter and Newton counties.  At that time, it is estimated that only about 600 Europeans were settled here.  Almost all Native Americans had left the region because of government mandate. 

Early settlement along the southern shores of Lake Michigan did not appeal to settlers because of the sand dunes and sloughs.  The area did have one great advantage however.  In order to travel to the growing city of Chicago, you had to pass along the southern shore of Lake Michigan.  In the early 1850s, the coming of the railroads would make the trip faster and forever change life for area residents. 

With Herbert “Pop” Whiting, and his famous derailment of his Lake Shore Railroad train, Whiting’s Crossing was placed on the map of the Calumet Region.  As Irish and German immigrants came to work on the railroads, Whiting’s Crossing began to grow.  With the decision to build the Standard Oil Refinery in Whiting in 1889, a jump in population occurred.   

Sacred Heart  

About twenty families and over 100 single men who were of the Roman Catholic faith wrote a letter to the bishop of the Fort Wayne diocese asking him to send a priest to minister to them.  The bishop sent the Rev. H.F. Joseph Kroll from St. Patrick’s church in Chesterton to establish a mission in Whiting.  Fr. Kroll, when he was able to make the trek, said mass in private homes, in a school-house in the “Oklahoma” section of town and even in a hall over Green’s tavern.  Father Kroll began to raise funds for a permanent church and was able to purchase four lots on Center Street.  A fifth lot was donated by Colonel Forsyth.  Work was begun in early 1891 on what was to become Sacred Heart Church. 

Ground was broken on March 19, 1891, and the dedication of Sacred Heart Church took place on May 24, 1891.  The building was of frame construction and measured 50x35 feet. A 1000 pound bell was placed in the tower of the church in 1892.  A school to provide education to the children called St. Michael’s opened on September 3, 1895.  It consisted of two classrooms and was staffed by the Sisters of Providence from St. Mary-of-the-Woods.  The first day attendance was 150 students. 

Progress continued to be made as the parish grew.  In 1897, a two-story brick building was erected with three large classrooms on the first floor and an auditorium on the second.  A residence for the sisters and a brick rectory were also built.  However, Whiting was expanding and the parish complex on Center Street was no longer the center of population. The decision to move westward was made.  

Father Charles Thiele became the pastor.  He purchased ten lots on LaPorte Avenue for $2,500.00 and planned to build a new parish plant on that site.  Rev. Thiele was reassigned to a parish in Fort Wayne and it became the duty of the new pastor, Father John Berg to begin the project. In 1909, ground was broken for the new Sacred Heart Church and School. 

The present day school building complex included classrooms, meeting rooms and an auditorium on the top floor.  This auditorium was used as the church until the present Sacred Heart Church was completed in 1927. 

Herman Gaul and Sons of Chicago were hired to draw the plans for the new church.  Ed Greenwald, a local contractor, was awarded the contract for the church construction.  The cornerstone for the church was laid on Sunday, July 11, 1926. The parishioners were led in a parade from the Whiting Community House to the church grounds.  The formal dedication took place on October 9, 1927, with Bishop Noll of Fort Wayne officiating.    

Saints Peter and Paul  

In June of 1910, after Sacred Heart parishioners had moved into their new building on LaPorte Avenue, the Croatian people of Whiting, Hammond and East Chicago inquired about using the empty church as their own place for worship.  Rev. Francis Podgorsek, founder of the parish, agreed to pay Sacred Heart parish $35.00 a month in rent for the use of the church and rectory.  In 1916, the Center Street property was purchased from Sacred Heart for the price of $12,000.00.  The church was remodeled and the debt retired within a few years with the donations of parish members and friends. Saints Peter and Paul members organized a choir, a Glee club, a Rosary and Holy Name Society and even a baseball team in the Whiting city league.  New windows and an organ were added in the 1930s.  A school was not built, so parish children attended other parochial schools or the Whiting public schools. 

Like most of the other European immigrants that settled in Whiting, the Croatians were poor.  They came to America to build a better future for themselves and their families.  They brought their language, traditions, food and religion with them.  In later years, Sts. Peter and Paul parishioners were known throughout the Calumet Region for their barbecuing of lambs at their annual picnics.  Their church, like all the other Catholic churches at the time, helped their people to be part of the “Melting Pot” of society and proud American citizens.   

Immaculate Conception 

Just as immigrants from Croatia came to America in search of a better life, Slovaks from the Austro-Hungarian Empire left Europe and made their way to the shores of the United States.  After being processed through Ellis Island many Slovaks settled in Pennsylvania, Iowa, Minnesota and northern Indiana and Illinois.  The Catholic Slovaks in Whiting were all members of St. John the Baptist Church in Robertsdale.  Some Slovaks living in Whiting wanted a Slovak church within the city of Whiting itself.  These people lived closer to the northern and eastern end of town.   

A new parish was organized on August 13, 1922.  The parishioners chose the name “Immaculate Conception” to honor Mary, the mother of Jesus.

These people also wanted a church and school where the Slovak culture and language would be preserved for the adults and passed on to their children. 

In February of 1923 the site for the church building was purchased from land owned by Henry Schrage for $25,000.00.  The site was located between White Oak and Schrage Avenues and John and Fred Streets. 

The Rev. Michael Kosko arrived in Whiting on August 24, 1923 and became the first pastor.  The church cornerstone was laid on June 1, 1924.  Father Kosko celebrated the first mass in the new church at midnight on Christmas Eve, 1924.  Immaculate Conception was officially dedicated on November 21, 1926, with the Rt. Rev. J.F. Noll, D.D., bishop of the Diocese of Fort Wayne presiding. 

The Rev. John J. Lach was transferred from Knox, Indiana, and was appointed pastor on June 28, 1926.  He continued as pastor until his death in 1960 at the age of 66.  Father Lach worked to keep the Slovak cultural heritage alive in America.  He helped hundreds of Slovaks to immigrate to America.  He was an author, publisher and educator.  Most of all, his concern and care for his parishioners were at the forefront of all his actions.  

Father John made sure that the new ten room school would be ready to open for the 376 students in September of 1926.  The sisters of Saints Cyril and Methodius from Danville, Pennsylvania, were selected to teach in the new school. 

The Lourdes Grotto was erected on the church grounds through the help and generosity of the parishioners.   The grotto was built similar to the world famous Lourdes Grotto in France.  The stone was imported from the area around Lake Superior.  Bishop Noll dedicated the grotto on July 4, 1928. 

Parishioners also organized many religious and social clubs.  The Holy Name Society, St. Ann’s Sodality, a drama club, a choir and Father Lach’s world famous band that toured the United States and Europe in 1937, to name a few.  Each year the school children presented a program for Mother’s Day at the Community Center.  Sports also played an important role in the parish, from competing in national Sokol events, to entering a baseball team in the Whiting city league.  In the 1930’s Father Lach was known to start a game or two on the mound at Whiting Park.  It was said that he wasn’t afraid to brush back an opposing player if the situation called for it.    

As with the Irish and Germans, the Croatians and the Slovaks, immigrants from many countries helped to build Whiting into the city that it is today. They laid the foundations for their respective parishes and their churches continued for decades to help people on their earthly and spiritual journey.