Chicagoland

University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary archives preserve historical gems of the local, world church

By Joyce Duriga | Editor
Apr 22, 2026 6:06:00 PM

University of St. Mary of the Lake archives hold treasures of church history

Samantha Lynn Seay, director of the Feehan Memorial Library and McEssy Theological Resource Center, shows off artifacts from the archives on March 26, 2025, at the Feehan Memorial Library on the campus of the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. The archives include handwritten letters by saints, an early copy of St. Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologica and the chair St. John Paul II sat in during the Mass in Grant Park in 1979. Some of the artifacts are on display in the library's museum. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Samantha Lynn Seay, director of the Feehan Memorial Library and McEssy Theological Resource Center, shows off artifacts from the archives on March 26, 2025, at the Feehan Memorial Library on the campus of the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. The archives include handwritten letters by saints, an early copy of St. Thomas Aquinas' "Summa Theologica" and the chair St. John Paul II sat in during the Mass in Grant Park in 1979. Some of the artifacts are on display in the library's museum. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
The presiders chair St. John Paul II sat in during the historic Mass in Grant Park on Oct. 5, 1979. Over 1 million people attended the Mass, which was the highlight of his 37-hour trip to Chicago. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
A handwritten letter by St. Vincent de Paul. During his lifetime, Cardinal George Mundelein collected original handwritten letters of saints. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
The lead-lined casket used to transport the body of Cardinal Samuel Stritch back to Chicago from Rome in 1958. He died of a stroke shortly after moving to Rome to serves at Pro-Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith. He was the first American ever appointed to serve in the Roman Curia. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Zucchettos worn by Pope Leo XIII and Pope John XXIII on display in the museum. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
A display of artifacts from the 1926 International Eucharistic Congress held in Chicago and at Mundelein Seminary. The congress was a major event in the history of the Catholic Church in the United States and Chicago. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
A document bearing the original signature of President Abraham Lincoln on display in the museum. Cardinal George Mundelein was an admirer of Lincoln. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
An alb belonging to St. Pius X on display in the museum along with personal items such as a rosary. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic) A commemorative football given to Cardinal Francis George by the McCaskey family, the owners of the Chicago Bears. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic) A mitre belonging to Cardinal John Cody. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic) Samantha Lynn Seay shows an early copy of a volume of St. Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologica. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic) A bust of Cardinal George Mundelein as seen in the lobby of the Refectory on the campus of the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. Behind the bust is a photo display of important moments in the history of the seminary. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Handwritten letters by holy people of God such as St. Vincent de Paul and St. Teresa of Avila.

An early copy of St. Thomas Aquinas’ “Summa Theologica.”

Artifacts from the 1926 International Eucharistic Congress held in Chicago and Mundelein where tens of thousands of people were in attendance.

The chair St. John Paul II sat in during the historic Mass in Grant Park on Oct. 5, 1979.

These are just a few of the historical gems housed in the archives and museum at the Feehan Memorial Library on the campus of the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein.

Much of the collection of saints’ letters and early copies of church documents come from the personal collection of Cardinal George Mundelein, who founded the seminary and hosted the Eucharistic Congress.

He was a leading figure not just in the church at the time but in the United States. He also had an appreciation for history.

Other items were collected and stored along the way waiting for someone to unpack them. In recent years, the archives have been organized and many of the letters and documents made available for online searches at usml.edu/library.

There is also a small museum in the library’s basement that is open for tours. People can see treasures such as the office of Cardinal Mundelein, a document signed by President Abraham Lincoln and an alb and rosary worn by St. Pius X. 

“History is meant to be preserved, not just because it’s interesting to look at how people lived 100 years ago, but because time is not as linear as you might think,” said Samantha Lynn Seay, director of the Feehan Memorial Library and McEssy Theological Resource Center. “It really is a flowing stream, and it’s a conversation between the people of the present and the people of the past. It is our way of looking at their lives and learning from them and learning about our own behavior and why we behave the way we do and why our society is the way it is. And once we can understand that, we are a lot more tolerant of the people around us.”

Here are a few of the artifacts housed in the archives and museum. To learn more about the archives or to plan a visit to the museum, visit usml.edu/library/museum.

Topics:

  • usml
Related Articles

Advertising