News Releases

The Archdiocese of Chicago today announced updates on the Edens Valley and Logan Square/Avondale Renew My Church groupings.

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 feedback 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 Blase J. Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, 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:

Edens Valley Grouping

The Edens Valley Renew My Church grouping includes the following parishes and school:

• St. Lambert Parish (Skokie)
• St. Peter Parish (Skokie)
• St. Isaac Jogues Parish (Niles)
• St. Martha Parish (Morton Grove)
• St. John Brebeuf Parish and School (Niles)

The new structure will be:

• Effective July 1, 2021, St. Lambert and St. Peter will unite to form a new parish, with a new name that will be determined later, at two worship sites. Both churches will continue to have a regular schedule of Masses, which may differ from their current schedule.
• Effective July 1, 2021, St. Isaac Jogues and St. Martha will unite to form a new parish, with a new name that will be determined later, at two worship sites. Both churches will continue to have a regular schedule of Masses, which may differ from their current schedule. The Shrine of All Saints at St. Martha will continue to operate as an important ministry.
• The united parishes will evaluate their ability to reduce auxiliary properties via sale or long-term lease.
• St. John Brebeuf Parish and School will continue in their current structures.

Additional information will be forthcoming regarding the assigned pastors. We hope to share this information within the next few weeks.

Logan Square/Avondale Grouping

The Logan Square/Avondale Renew My Church grouping includes the following Chicago parishes and schools:

• Our Lady of Grace Parish and School
• St. Sylvester Parish and School
• St. Hyacinth Basilica

The new structure will be:

• Effective July 1, 2021, Our Lady of Grace and St. Sylvester will unite as a new parish with a new name that will be determined later, with two worship sites.
• Both churches will continue to have a regular schedule of Masses, which may differ from their current schedule.
• St. Hyacinth Basilica will remain in its current structure and continue under the leadership of the Resurrectionist Fathers.
• Our Lady of Grace School and St. Sylvester School will continue to operate under their current programs.

Next Steps

Over the next few months, the archdiocese and the pastors of the current parishes will support the communities in their transition to the new parish and school structures. The archdiocese’s Renew My Church Accompaniment Team will work with local leaders to ensure the uniting faith communities and staff are supported through this time of change. All parishes will embark on the next phase of renewal to become a 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.