Description: The first sanctuary of St. Monica Roman Catholic Church in Berwyn was constructed in 1889 in the middle of the block on Church Avenue opposite the Berwyn Methodist Episcopal Church, and dedicated in 1893. This Lucy Sampson image, taken in 1904, looks south from what was the formal entry gate for horse and buggy, and is now officially called Ambleside Court. Immediately south of the sanctuary can be seen the rectory. The original pastor of Saint Monica Parish, Rev. Hugh Dugan, proudly stands in front of his church. The original church building was destroyed by fire from a construction accident on May 22, 1991. The ruins of the sanctuary and the old rectory were razed, and a new church rose from the ashes, accompanied by a new Parish Center, Gymnasium and Meeting Center, and dedicated on September 12, 1993. - Herb Fry and Roger Thorne
