News Releases

Over the past several months, the West Blest Side, Far Southside and 294 South Corridor grouping’s Feedback and Discernment Teams, made up of representatives from each parish community, met to review and discern future parish and church structures. 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 information, including demographic data, financial summaries, and parish and grouping trends.

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:

West Blest Side Grouping

The West Blest Side Renew My Church grouping includes the following parishes and school in Chicago:

• St. Agatha Parish
• Our Lady of Sorrows Basilica Parish
• St. Martin de Porres Parish
• St. Angela School

The new structure will be:

• St. Agatha and St. Martin de Porres will unite as a new parish with two worship and ministry sites, one pastor and one pastoral team, effective July 1, 2022.
  • Both churches will continue to hold Masses. The pastor will determine the schedule in consultation with parish leadership.
  • St. Martin de Porres will serve as the parish church where the united parish’s sacramental records will be kept.
  • St. Angela School will continue in its current structure in association with the united parish.
  • The local community will discern possibilities for the new permanent name of the united parish, within guidelines provided by the archdiocese.
• Our Lady of Sorrows Basilica will continue in its current structure, with enhanced collaboration with the new, united parish formed by St. Agatha and St. Martin de Porres.

Far Southside Grouping

The Far Southside Grouping includes the following Chicago parishes and schools:

• Holy Name of Mary Parish
• SS. Peter & Paul Parish
• St. Anthony Parish
• St. John De La Salle Parish and School
• St. Kilian Parish
• St. Margaret of Scotland Parish and School
• St. Sabina Parish and Academy
• Sacred Heart Mission
• St. Ethelreda School

The new structure will be:

• Holy Name of Mary, SS. Peter and Paul and St. John De La Salle will unite as a new parish with one church for Sunday worship (Holy Name of Mary Church), a new name, one pastor and one pastoral team, effective July 1, 2022.
  • The pastor in consultation with parish leadership will issue a timeline for fully transitioning Masses to Holy Name of Mary Church in the coming months.
  • The local community will discern possibilities for the new permanent name of the united parish, within guidelines provided by the archdiocese.
• St. Margaret of Scotland and St. Kilian will unite as a new parish with one church for Sunday worship (St. Margaret of Scotland), a new name, one pastor and one pastoral team, effective July 1, 2022.
  • The pastor in consultation with parish leadership will issue a timeline for fully transitioning Masses to St. Margaret of Scotland in the coming months.
  • The local community will discern possibilities for the new permanent name of the united parish, within guidelines provided by the archdiocese.
• St. Anthony Parish will continue in its current structure.
• St. Sabina Parish will continue in its current structure.
• Sacred Heart Mission’s future structure will have continued discernment.
• There are no changes to St. Ethelreda School, St. John De La Salle School, St. Margaret of Scotland School and St. Sabina Academy.

294 South Corridor Grouping

The 294 South Corridor Grouping includes the following parishes and schools:

• Infant Jesus of Prague Parish and School (Flossmoor)
• St. Anne Parish (Hazel Crest)
• St. Irenaeus Parish (Park Forest)
• St. Emeric Parish (Country Club Hills)
• St. Joseph Parish (Homewood)
• St. Lawrence O’Toole Parish (Matteson)

The new structure will be:

• St. Anne, St. Emeric and St. Joseph will unite as a new parish, with a new name, one pastor and one pastoral team, effective July 1, 2022.
  • St. Joseph will serve as the parish church and the pastor in consultation with parish leadership will issue the timeline for fully transitioning Masses to St. Joseph Church in the coming months.
  • The local community will discern possibilities for the new permanent name of the united parish, within guidelines provided by the archdiocese.
• Infant Jesus of Prague (IJP), St. Irenaeus and St. Lawrence O’Toole will unite as a new parish, with a new name, one pastor and one pastoral team, effective July 1, 2022.
  • IJP will serve as the parish church and the pastor in consultation with parish leadership will issue a timeline for fully transitioning Masses to IJP in the coming months.
  • The local community will discern possibilities for the new permanent name of the united parish, within guidelines provided by the archdiocese.
  • Infant Jesus of Prague School will serve as the parish school.

Next Steps

Over the next few months, 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.