"Restore Our Tower, Refresh Our Church" campaign begins at SJB

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"Restore Our Tower, Refresh Our Church" campaign has begun at SJB to replace windows and frames that stand in silent testimony to the toll that heat, cold, snow, and wind the structure has faced over more than 60 years.

A Niles landmark since its construction in 1964, St. John Brebeuf Church has stood as an architectural, engineering and artistic feat winning both national and international recognition. Now a tower restoration project is hopefully to begin this fall to replace the windows and frames that stand in silent testimony to the toll that heat, cold, snow, and wind the structure has faced over more than 60 years.

This is the first phase of several restoration efforts at the 65-year-old parish church and grounds. Later projects will include replacement of the church parking lot, updates of the church bathrooms, and replacement of the church organ.

Constructed from the “sky down, not from the ground up,” the building supports one of the largest clear span domes ever built on a church. An example of the design principle of “post-tension steel,” the tower and its upper structure, the stainless-steel cross above it, plus the entire weight of the ceiling push down on a point directly underneath the center of the church.

“It is hard to imagine St. John Brebeuf without its tower,” said Fr. Michael Meany, pastor. “We get excited when we see the cross up above the trees when we drive down Harlem Avenue. On cold winter nights, we see the glow from inside the church and know that the warmth of friendships and of God’s love awaits us underneath.”

The tower repairs will be performed by UnitedSkys, based in Round Lake, Illinois. UnitedSkys is an industry leader in the installation and repair of glass skylights, canopies, and vertical glazing. Because of the one-of-a-kind challenges presented by the St. John Brebeuf church tower, the plans have been carefully reviewed by the structural engineer and architect as well as by the facilities team at the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Gifts for the "Restore Our Tower, Refresh Our Church" campaign are being accepted now, and donors may give at many levels ranging from $100 to $25,000 with payment plans available. For information or to make a gift, please visit www.sjbrebeuf.org/tower, or contact St. John Brebeuf, 8305 N. Harlem Ave., Niles, IL 60714, phone 847-966-8145.