"Old" St. Columbkille Parish was established in 1871 by Father James O'Reilly. The cornerstone for the parish was laid on June 13, 1902 with the church of St. Columbkille being dedicated on October 9, 1904. In 1933, the Most Reverend Archbishop Joseph Schrembs made St. Columbkille Parish the diocesan center for the deaf and hearing impaired. The parish's pastor, Father Arthur Gallagher, was appointed diocesan director of the deaf St. Columbkille Parish celebrated the Golden Jubilee of its founding on June 2, 1946.               
 
The last Mass to be celebrated in "old" St. Columbkille Parish was on September 26, 1957. The property was razed shortly thereafter for construction of the Inner Belt Freeway (Interstate 90). Pews, vestments, the baptismal font, chalices, monstrance, and ambry were brought from the "old" church to the "new" suburban parish. The baptismal font and ambry (repository for Holy Oils) were installed in the temporary church in 1959. The ambry was installed in the permanent church in 1971 as a permanent link with the "old" St. Columbkille parish.
 
The "new'' St. Columbkille Parish was originally intended for the intersection of Broadview Road and Ridgewood Drive. The first Mass was celebrated at the Parmadale Chapel on June 17, 1956. The first pastor of the parish was Father Bernard A. Stalder. Father Stalder was ordained March 11, 1933. Unexpectedly, Father Stalder died on September 16, 1956. Father Michael G. Hnat was appointed pastor September 27, 1956. Father Hnat's first task was to find a new location for the parish.        The original site was determined to be of insufficient size for a church, school, and other parish buildings. A new thirty-five (35) acre site was purchased on Broadview Road between Chestnut Road and Mapleview Drive. Groundbreaking for the temporary church and school complex was held on October 13, 1957.

The temporary church/school complex was designed by John F. Lipaj and Associates. St. Columbkille School opened in September 1958. The first Mass in the temporary church was celebrated on December 19, 1958. The church/school complex was dedicated on April 5, 1959 by the Most Reverend Archbishop Edward F. Hoban. The parishioners of the parish would devote time, talent, and financial resources over the next several years to building a Rectory, Convent, and an expanded school facility. The convent was built entirely by the craftsmen of the parish on weekends and on weekday evenings. The only expense to the parish was for building materials. Without the efforts and talents of these "pioneers", the physical facility we are all most proud of today could not have become a reality.