Joliet’s Slovenian Union celebrating 95 years with Mass, museum open house

Come celebrate part of Joliet’s ethnic heritage Saturday and the milestone anniversaries of a nonprofit.

Branch 20-Joliet of the Slovenian Union of America is hosting a Mass and open house for its members and the community.

The Mass, which honors the union’s 95th anniversary, will take place at 4 p.m. at St. Joseph Church, 416 N. Chicago St. in Joliet, which was founded by Slovenians in 1891. The Rev. Metod Ogorevc of St. Mary Catholic Mission in Lemont will officiate.

“Some of the hymns will be sung in Slovenian by members of the Slovenian choir from Lemont,” said Georgene Agnich, secretary of Branch 20.

Agnich also is a member of the Slovenian Union of America national board of directors and is the vice president of culture and heritage.

An open house in honor of the 40th anniversary of the union’s Slovenian Heritage Museum will take place immediately after Mass until 7 p.m. at the museum, located at 431 N. Chicago St. in Joliet. Refreshments will be served.

The museum is housed within a building once owned by prominent Joliet businessman George Stonich, who died in the 1940s, Agnich said.

Agnich said these two events are wonderful ways to share the history of the union and the role of Slovenian immigrants in Joliet. Slovenians were part of the great wave of immigration in the late 19th century.

“A lot of them came to Joliet because there was work in the factories,” Agnich said. “So it’s part of the ethnic history and heritage of our city of Joliet.”

The museum contains artifacts Slovenian immigrants and their descendants donated over the years, Agnich said.

“We have a mannequin wearing a Slovenian costume that was handmade in Slovenia and donated to us last year,” Agnich said.

The museum also has more than 1,000 books in its library covering many topics. The books also include parish anniversary commemorative books, Bibles and other religious books, and works of fiction, Agnich said.

“The majority are in the Slovenian language, but some are in other Slavic languages, such as Serbian and Croatian,” Agnich said. “Many of them once belonged to the Slovenian pioneers, who crossed the ocean and came to live in Joliet. Many names of the Slovenian original owners are in them.”

The museum also holds union membership records, union archives, copies of the Union’s heritage magazine, Zarja – The Dawn, from 1929 to date; and items that belonged to the union’s founder Marie Prisland, who began the union in 1926 in Chicago.

“She passed away in 1979 but her grandchildren have, in recent months, donated may of their personal as well as archival items,” Agnich said.

This includes an art deco curio cabinet, some of her stitchery and other handiwork Agnich said.

“We have an oil portrait of her that was painted by a Slovenian artist and presented to our organization in 1976 on the 50th anniversary of the Slovenian Women’s Union of America,” Agnich said.

Agnich said Prisland began the union to help Slovenian immigrant women. The women didn’t speak English and yet needed to learn to navigate their new country.

“A lot of them [Slovenians] came to Joliet because there was work in the factories. So it’s part of the ethnic history and heritage of our city of Joliet.”

—  Georgene Agnich, secretary of Branch 20-Joliet of the Slovenian Union of America

The Slovenian Women’s Union of America changed its name to the Slovenian Union of America when it became a nonprofit in 2011, Agnich said. The union’s focus has since shifted to preserving Slovenian history and customs.

Although women still comprise the bulk of membership, men are now joining and “taking active roles,” Agnich said.

“They love their Slovenian heritage as well,” Agnich said.

About the Slovenian Union of America

The Slovenian Union of America was founded in 1926 in Chicago as The Slovenian Women’s Union of America.

Slovenian immigrant Marie Prisland started the organization to “meet the needs of Slovenian immigrant women in their new country,” according to a news release from the Slovenian Union of America. Branches soon sprang up in Slovenian settlements throughout America.

Josephine Erjavec of Joliet and Barbara Kramer of California founded Joliet’s Branch 20, which was the third of 12 total branches in Illinois. Many Slovenian settlements across the U.S. also formed branches.

Branch 20 held its first meeting on June 11, 1928, at Mary Russ’ home at 1020 N. Broadway St., Joliet. The first officers were Antonia Struna, president; Agnes Skedel, vice-president; Anna Pluth, secretary; Rose Gorsich, treasurer; and trustees Josephine Erjavec, Louise Riffel, and Mary Zupancich.

The 14 charter members also included Josephine Judnich, Mary Kunstek, Catherine Petric, Mary Russ, Mary Setina, Catherine Skoff, and Barbara Zelko.

Branch 20 had 292 members in 1928 and eventually became one of the union’s largest and most active branches.

Joliet native and Cultural Heritage Chairwoman Irene Odorizzi founded the Slovenian Heritage Museum in 1983. The museum is within the historic Stonich Building, which the Union bought in 1976 when it moved its home office from Chicago to Joliet.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Slovenian Union of America anniversary celebrations

WHEN: Saturday. Mass will be at 4 p.m. An open house will follow until 7 p.m.

WHERE: at St. Joseph Church, 416 N. Chicago St. in Joliet (Mass) and Slovenian Heritage Museum will at 431 N. Chicago St. in Joliet (open house)

INFORMATION: Call the union 815-727-1926 or visit solvenianunion.org or contact Georgene Agnich at georgeneagnich@gmail.com.