Hoffman board approves street sign honoring church pastor

The Rev. Pat Brennan has spent more than two decades in the Northwest suburbs, and Hoffman Estates is showing its appreciation with an honorary street name.

"Hoffman Estates will always be home. I'm touched," Brennan said.

The Hoffman Estates Village Board on Monday gave preliminary approval for an honorary street sign named for Brennan on Thornbark Drive between Downey and Palatine roads. That stretch of borders Holy Family Parish in Inverness, where Brennan's spent 14 years as pastor. He also worked at St. Hubert Catholic Church in Hoffman Estates. Brennan said he's spent 24 years combined at the two churches.

The 61-year-old priest said he appreciates the street-sign honor, and admitted it's funny to have something that bears your name. It's not the first for him: Holy Family opened a new wing in September called the Brennan Center for Children, Youth and Families.

Despite pleas from loyal followers to keep him, the Chicago Archdiocese reassigned Brennan, and on July 1 he'll depart Holy Family and become chaplain of The Claire at Water Tower, a Chicago retirement facility. Brennan will reside in Naperville at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church and also work with that parish.

"I'm leaving the Northwest Suburbs, but I'll always carry the people of Hoffman Estates in my heart," Brennan said.

However thankful for his community service, Hoffman Estates Trustee Karen Mills voted against the measure, saying honorary signs can cause confusion. Hoffman Estates does have a stretch of Gannon Drive between Golf and Higgins roads that bears the honorary name "Spirit of the Hawk Way" for Hoffman Estates High School, whose mascot is the Hawk.

Honorary street names won't appear on maps or GPS.

But Mills isn't the only one with the concern. Last month, a Chicago alderman objected over honorary names saying they would cause confusion among tourists as the city has more than 1,000 streets with the customary brown, honorary signs.