Saint Florian Church
132nd and Houston Avenue

Saint Florian Original Church at Corner

    On the far southeast side of Chicago stands Saint Florian church which was organized in 1905.  Saint Florian church served about one hundred Polish families when it first opened.  Saint Florian was organized within the boundaries of the English speaking parish of Saint Columba.  The church formed when Reverend Florian M. Chodniewicz resigned from his position at Saint Columba to form his own parish for people of Polish descent. 
       In 1907 construction of the school began.  In 1908 the parish opened a school.  The school was a three-story brick building which was located at 13109 S. Houston Avenue.  The school contained eight classrooms and a parish hall when it was opened. The present rectory, which is located at 13145 S. Houston Avenue, was built in 1912.  A few years later the two-story frame residence was remodeled to be a convent. 
      The parish still has many parishioners including families and single people.  The church can hold 1,200 people.  There are over eight hundred children attending the parish school.   The new school building is modern and fireproof. 
       When Father Konsowski came to the parish he led remodeling of the parish convent and school.  Ground was broken on February 7, 1965.  Fox & Fox, the architectural firm, designed both buildings.  The total cost of the erection of these buildings was $450,000.  The new school was completed at the location of 13111 S. Baltimore Avenue and the convent at 3125 E. 131st street.

St. Florian Church Interior View

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