The Archdiocese of Chicago released updates on two Renew My Church groupings on May 19. Over the past several months, the groupings’ feedback and discernment teams, made up of representatives from each of the parishes and schools, met to review and discern the future parish, school and church structures for their respective areas. Based on their meetings and discussions with the larger parish communities, they submitted feedback reports to the Archdiocesan Standards and Recommendations Commission, which includes representatives from across the archdiocese. The commission reviewed the reports and other materials and information, including demographic data, financial summaries and parish and grouping trends. Over the course of the past several weeks, Cardinal Cupich, the archdiocese’s auxiliary bishops and Presbyteral Council discussed the commission’s recommendations. Based on those discussions and prayerful consideration, the following decisions have been made: St. Turibius grouping The St. Turibius grouping includes St. Mary, Star of the Sea and St. Turibius, both in Chicago. The two parishes will remain separate, but commit to shared ministry efforts. St. Mary, Star of the Sea Parish will continue to be staffed by an archdiocesan pastor, Father Roger Corrales-Diaz. St. Turibius Parish will continue to be staffed by Augustinian Father Bill Lego. This structure will be reviewed every four years in alignment with the timeline of the Augustinians discerning their ministries. The Augustinians are committed to St. Turibius Parish through June 30, 2026. St. Turibius Parish will continue to offer a Mass in Polish if the parish retains a Polish-speaking priest. Archdiocesan support for growing Polish ministry in this area will be focused on St. Faustina Kowalska and Sts. Bruno and Richard Parish. St. Mary, Star of the Sea School will continue in its current structure. Mount Greenwood-West Beverly and Christ the King-St. Barnabas grouping Mount Greenwood-West Beverly and Christ the King-St. Barnabas grouping includes the following parishes in Chicago: Christ the King, St. Barnabas, St. Cajetan, St. John Fisher and St. Christina. All five parishes and schools will embark on dedicated evangelization efforts while remaining in their current structures, with the following modifications: Each parish and school will retain its identity. As of July 1, Father Ken Budzikowski will serve as pastor of both St. John Fisher and St. Cajetan parishes. An associate pastor will be assigned to work with Budzikowski; Father Jim Donovan will continue as pastor of St. Barnabas; and Father Larry Sullivan will continue as pastor of Christ the King. In the future, St. Barnabas and Christ the King are expected to share the same pastor. The effective date when the two parishes are expected to share a pastor is to be determined each year based on pastor placement needs across the archdiocese. As of July 1, Father Tom Conde will continue to serve as pastor of St. Christina. St. Christina is expected to remain staffed by a full-time pastor into the future. Each parish will make a financial commitment to evangelization, which will include training of parishioners, engaging of school families, accountability to the archdiocese and building an evangelization team. As proposed by the Grouping Feedback and Discernment Team, an Oversight Council of lay parishioners will be created to guide shared ministries, maintain accountability across the parishes and ensure efficient use of resources. The Oversight Council will focus on the four parishes of St. Barnabas, St. Cajetan, Christ the King and St. John Fisher. The four parishes involved in the Oversight Council and St. Christina Parish will engage in evangelization efforts with support of archdiocesan teams. This structure and plan will be reviewed within three years by the Presbyteral Council. Next steps The archdiocese and the current parish pastors, together with the archdiocese Renew My Church Accompaniment Team, will work with local leaders to ensure uniting faith communities and staff are supported through this time of change. All parishes will embark on the next phase of renewal to become stronger, more sustainable and capable of reaching more people in their work of making disciples of Jesus Christ, building communities and inspiring witness. About Renew My Church Renew My Church is the Archdiocese of Chicago’s response to Christ’s call and our invitation for renewal. The Renew My Church process will transform the archdiocese over the next several years by working with groupings of parishes to determine how they will achieve the goal of having vibrant, life-giving faith communities accessible to all Catholics. To learn more about Renew My Church, visit renewmychurch.org.
Day of Renewal invites leaders to deeper understanding of the Eucharist Hundreds of parish leaders and clergy attended the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Day of Renewal on Sept. 25 at the Rosemont Theater in Rosemont.
Parish leaders to gather for Day of Renewal Sept. 25 in Rosemont Archdiocesan priests, clergy serving in parishes and parish leaders will gather at the Rosemont Theater for a Day of Renewal on Sept. 25. It is the first time leaders from across the archdiocese will gather since in the Renew My Church Summit in 2018.
Archdiocese provides updates on Renew My Church groupings On June 22, the Archdiocese of Chicago announced an update on the Round Lake/Volo, Deerfield/Lake Forest and Hanover Township Renew My Church groupings.