Parish History

April 6, 1956 
Groundbreaking for Holy Family Parish in Peoria, Illinois 

June 1956 
Bishop Cousins appoints Father Walter Buche as Pastor of the new parish 

July 15, 1956 
First Mass celebrated as a parish community in the chapel located in the school building 

September 10, 1956 
Holy Family Parish School begins its first school year, staffed by three Benedictine Sisters and three lay teachers 

Spring 1957 
construction of Rectory completed 

Fall 1959
Construction of Cafeteria and additional classrooms completed 

May 1961 
Benedictine Sisters move into new convent on Wagner Lane 

March 25, 1973
Groundbreaking for church building 

December 24, 1973 
First Mass celebrated in the church 

April 28, 1974 
Mass of Dedication for Holy Family Church

June 12–13, 1981 
First annual Heritage Days Festival marks twenty–fifth anniversary of the parish 

October 4, 1982 
Dedication of new organ for church

Fall 1988 
Renovation of Sanctuary and new carpeting in church 

April 19, 1991 
Dedication of the Holy Family Memory Garden 

October 4, 1998 
Opening of the Bread of Life Eucharistic Adoration Chapel 

July 14–16, 2006 
Holy Family celebrates its fiftieth anniversary 

November 12, 2006 
Rectory/Friary destroyed by fire 

Summer 2007 
Construction begins on new friary residence and office complex 

Spring 2008 
New friary residence and parish offices completed 

October 2008 
Parish celebrates 10th anniversary of Eucharistic Adoration Chapel 

October 2009 
30th anniversary of the Conventual Franciscans arriving at Holy Family

Spring 2013
Renovation of Church; improvements to parking lot