In 1838, two priests, Fathers Joseph B. Raho and Aloysius Parodi, arrived in Peru by steamboat to establish the LaSalle Mission. They initially stayed in William Byrne’s home which was described as being on the north side of the canal near its confluence with the Illinois River. Before St. Joseph Mission and later Church was established in Peru in 1854, Catholics who lived in Peru and wanted to attend mass would most likely go to the LaSalle Mission. Therefore, the articles here explore this early church in the area.
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Father Joseph B. Raho: A Story of Correction and Caution
Read more: Father Joseph B. Raho: A Story of Correction and CautionToday, a casual search online for information about the first Catholic priests assigned to the LaSalle Mission in Illinois will result in the names Father John Blasius Raho and Aloysius John Parodi. Artificial Intelligence (AI) will also confidently state, as it is known to do, the priests were Rev. John Blasius Raho and Rev. Aloysius…
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A Sad Duty: Bridget Halligan and the Removal of Her Family’s Remains
Read more: A Sad Duty: Bridget Halligan and the Removal of Her Family’s RemainsPeople in the Illinois Valley may be familiar with the story of the LaSalle Mission, the early Catholic burial ground at 24th and Chartres streets—also known as Wenzel and Airport roads. If so, they may also be aware of the eventual removal of remains from that cemetery to St. Vincent Cemetery during the second half…
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The LaSalle Mission Cemetery
Read more: The LaSalle Mission CemeteryBelow is a very short summary of the LaSalle Mission Cemetery for those who may not be aware of this long abandoned, Catholic burial ground and its importance to the early, local community: When this area was first settled in the 1830s, there was little infrastructure other than the river and some trails and a…
