Community Mourns Closing of Queen of Martyrs School
Kevin and Shannon Carbonneau from Oak Lawn received the news late last year they were expecting a baby. Although school selection seemed distant, Kevin had a desire to send his child to Queen of Martyrs in Evergreen Park, the Catholic grade school he once attended. “It’s tradition,” Kevin remarked about the school. “Parents send their kids here, and for some families, it’s been a tradition for three or four generations.” Unfortunately, Lucy Carbonneau, born two weeks ago, won’t be part of this tradition.
As schools begin sessions nationwide, Queen of Martyrs is mourning its closure. The Archdiocese of Chicago announced in June that the school, operational since 1953, would close its doors. Hundreds gathered at St. Gianna Parish on Sunday for a final Mass, a school tour, and a chance to share memories. “I was devastated,” said Kevin Carbonneau. “Hearing the news was shocking, especially when you see it as part of the community all the time.” During Sunday’s visit, he shared a special moment with his former first-grade teacher, Eleanor Griegel, as he introduced her to his daughter Lucy.
Many reminisced about their school days. Griegel, who spent 18 years teaching there, noted changes to her old classroom. “We used to have coats in the back of the room,” she said, adding, “We never had this big-screen TV.” Among the visitors were Matt Reidy, Lauren Reidy, Sarah Scott, and Tim Reidy, who cherished revisiting the library where they once earned honors. “It’s sad to see it go,” said Matt Reidy. “But it will all live on in our hearts. We’ll carry on the legacy.”
The Archdiocese cited declining enrollment as the reason for closure. From over 325 students in 2016, numbers fell to 178 in the 2025-26 year, with projections showing a continued decline and financial losses. Historical data from January 1953 shows the $500,000 school having over 500 registered students before its opening, boasting full classrooms. Alumni like Gary Grohovena, who graduated in 1964, remember classrooms bustling with 50 kids each.
During the farewell Mass, St. Gianna pastor Rev. Benedykt Pazdan urged attendees to see the closure as a chance for new beginnings and learning opportunities. He is experienced with such sentiments, having presided over the final Mass at St. Bernadette Church, which merged with Queen of Martyrs to form St. Gianna Parish. Queen of Martyrs previously offered education from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. The June closure announcement prompted immediate efforts by church leaders to assist families in finding new schools.
Former students felt their Catholic education provided lifelong values. “It’s heartbreaking that it closed,” said Jim Grohovena, a 1967 graduate. “My parents were dedicated to getting us into Catholic school, and it instilled faith in my life; it remains a blessing today.” Advertisements from various schools seeking new students populated the Queen of Martyrs Facebook page shortly after the closure was announced.