About Our Lady of the Mount Church (Nuestra Señora del Monte):
For those who lament the re-design of beautiful old churches into rather plain multi-purpose structures….take hope!
Here in Cicero, Illinois you will find a church that has been renewed and has all the atmosphere of the traditional church buildings that so many people are looking for.
Relics of the Mexican Martyrs in Our Lady of the Mount Church:
Auxiliary Bishop Kevin Birmingham was the main celebrant during a Solemn Mass for the consecration of the new altar and the re-dedication of the church, on June 24, 2022. Relics of three Mexican martyrs were placed in the altar, where they are prominently displayed, at the time of the consecration. There was a time in the early 20th century (Aug 1, 1926 – Jun 21, 1929) when anti-Catholic forces ruled Mexico and executed hundreds of priests and laity under the Communist rule. The Cristero War (or La Cristiada) was a rebellion against this persecution.
You can read more about the Cristero War on our webpage here.
The Saints of the Cristero War whose relics are in the altar at Our Lady of the Mount Church are:
Saint José Luis Sánchez del Río was just 14 when he was killed by Mexican soldiers. Too young to join the Cristero rebellion, he volunteered as a flag bearer, was captured during a battle, tortured and slain.
Saint Turibio Romo was a parish priest in Jalisco, Mexico, who was shot and killed by soldiers who came to his home during the anti-clerical persecutions in 1928. He was 27.
Saint José María Robles was a diocesan priest who served in Guadalajara and had a particular devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He established a community of women religious there devoted to the Sacred Heart.
What makes the placement of these relics so unusual is the fact that they can be viewed from the front of the altar. Normally, relics are placed within the altar, where they cannot be seen by the faithful. In this case, the relics are visible to everyone through a window in its base on its front side and are available for veneration.
Finding Our Lady of the Mount Church in Cicero, Illinios:
Cicero is a suburb of Chicago easily reached by public transport from the city. This is a predominantly Spanish-speaking parish, so services will mostly be in Spanish, although there is at least one English-language Mass on Sundays.
Address: 2400 S 61st Ave, Cicero, IL 60804
Tel: +1 (708) 652-2791
There is no website for the church, but they do have a Facebook page.
