PROVINCE OF UNITED STATES

The Province of Chicago traces to 1865, when French-Canadian leaders south of Chicago invited Viatorians from the Province of Canada to Bourbonnais, Illinois. They were asked to take leadership of Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church and lead a boys’ school. So, Fr. Pierre Beaudoin, CSV, Br. Augustin Martel, CSV, and Br. Jean-Baptiste Bernard, CSV, came to the US, and MBVM became the first permanent Viatorian ministry here.

In 1882, as Viatorian membership and ministries expanded, the congregation established the Province of Chicago with Fr. Cyril Fournier, CSV, as the first provincial. We established St. Viator Parish in Chicago in 1888 and relocated our novitiate to the city. We continue in Chicago today as co-sponsors of Catholic Theological Union, the seminary where Pope Leo XIV went and where many Viatorians have studied and taught.

Viatorians have continued serving in the Bourbonnais area, where we established and ran St. Viator College from 1868 to 1938. In addition to MBVM, we continue as pastors of St. George and St. Patrick, and, in 2025, added Sacred Heart Church, a small parish in a very poor rural community not unlike Vourles.

In the 1950s, the Viatorians purchased farmland in Arlington Heights, Illinois. The building there became the Province Center, with our community chapel, administrative offices, and retirement community. This land was then subdivided to create the campus for Saint Viator High School, which we founded in 1961.

Also in the 1950s, Viatorians were invited to the Las Vegas area. We founded Bishop Gorman High School and administered it for almost 50 years. We also established St. Viator Catholic Community and Parish School, which we continue to lead today.

In 1961, Fr. John Stafford, CSV, sent three Viatorians to establish Colegio San Viator in Bogotá, Colombia. The Foundation of Colombia has grown to foster religious vocations. In 2017, Viatorians established a second Colegio San Viator in Tunja, and recently built a new church for Parroquia San Viator in Bogotá.

In modern times, the Province adopted lay association beginning in 1999. Viatorians got involved in the Cristo Rey Network of high schools. In 2004, we helped found Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep in Waukegan, Illinois. In 2019, we established Cristo Rey St. Viator College Prep in North Las Vegas, Nevada.

Our commitment to walk closely with people who society accounts of little importance has drawn Viatorians to accompany people in immigration. Two of our men founded Viator House of Hospitality in 2017, a residential program for young men seeking asylum in the US.

Today, Fr. Mark Francis, CSV, serves as Provincial Superior. He is assisted by Fr. Richard Rinn, CSV, Assistant Provincial, and councilors Br. Michael Gosch, CSV, Fr. Edgar Suarez, CSV, and Fr. Thomas von Behren, CSV.