The Archdiocese of Chicago announced Aug. 8 an update on its Schiller Park parishes, St. Beatrice and St. Maria Goretti, following their Renew My Church discernment process. The pastoral and finance councils of both parishes have met over the past two months to review and discern the future parish structure for the area. Based on their meetings and input gathered from the larger parish community, they submitted feedback to the archdiocese. The Archdiocesan Standards and Recommendations Commission, which includes representatives from across the Archdiocese of Chicago, reviewed the feedback and other information, including financial summaries, capital needs and parish trends, and made a recommendation to Cardinal Cupich. Earlier this month, Cardinal Cupich, the archdiocese’s auxiliary bishops and the archdiocese’s Presbyteral Council met to discuss the commission’s recommendation. Based on those discussions and prayerful consideration, Cardinal Cupich made the following decisions on the parish structure in Schiller Park: Effective Oct. 1, St. Beatrice and St. Maria Goretti will unite to form one, new parish, which will be named at a later date. St. Beatrice will be designated the parish church, where the business office and sacramental records are kept. The Renew My Church Commission recommended the new parish’s regularly scheduled Masses transition to St. Beatrice no later than Nov. 28-29, the first Sunday of Advent. In the coming weeks, parish leadership and parishioners will discern possibilities for the name of the new parish, within guidelines provided by the archdiocese and submit their considerations to Cardinal Cupich for his decision. The united parish community will embark on the next phase of the renewal process to become a stronger, more sustainable presence for the future, capable of reaching more people in their work of making disciples of Jesus Christ, building communities and inspiring witness in the world around them.
Grants from Lilly Endowment to help spiritually renew parishes Three organizations in the Archdiocese of Chicago have received grants from the Lilly Endowment’s Thriving Congregations Initiative to support projects aimed at helping parishes engage in ongoing spiritual renewal.
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.