On the South Side of Chicago, tucked along a busy stretch of Western Avenue, sits a chapel that quietly holds one of the city’s most touching traditions. Once a month, folks gather to honor St. Rita of Cascia with a novena, and near the end, a first-class relic is brought out for everyone to see.
It costs nothing to walk in, and the sense of calm you find inside is the kind that stays with you. For Illinois families curious about old-fashioned faith and hidden local treasures, this humble shrine is a memory worth making.
A South Side Landmark on Western Avenue
Right at 7740 South Western Avenue in Chicago, this shrine chapel has been part of the neighborhood fabric for well over a century. It carries the name of St. Rita of Cascia, a saint many turn to when they feel like nothing else has worked.
Getting inside comes with a small local secret worth knowing. The main entrance to the shrine actually opens off West 77th Street rather than the busy Western Avenue side…