Noticias

The Archdiocese of Chicago today announced updates on the Rogers Park/Edgewater, Our Lady’s Triangle, Jefferson/Portage Park and Old Irving Park/Addison 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 of Chicago. The Commission reviewed the feedback reports and other materials and information, including demographic data, financial summaries, and parish and grouping trends.  

Over 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.

Rogers Park/Edgewater Renew My Church Grouping

The Rogers Park/Edgewater Renew My Church grouping includes the following Chicago parishes:

• St. Ignatius
• St. Jerome
• St. Gertrude

St. Ignatius Parish will close as a separately organized parish and be canonically divided between St. Gertrude and St. Jerome Parishes. A portion of the territory of St. Ignatius will be assigned to St. Gertrude, and a portion will be assigned to St. Jerome. St. Gertrude Parish and St. Jerome Parish will retain their names. These changes will take effect no later than July 1, 2021.

The Renew My Church Commission has additionally recommended: 

• All regularly scheduled Masses will transition to St. Gertrude and St. Jerome no later than Nov. 28, 2021. Regularly scheduled Masses at St. Ignatius would conclude by the same date. The church will remain available for occasional use for special celebrations at least until the future of the entire campus is determined. 
• Northside Catholic Academy will continue to serve as the school connected to these parishes.

Our Lady’s Triangle Renew My Church Grouping 

The Our Lady’s Triangle Renew My Church grouping includes the following Chicago parishes:

• St. John Cantius
• St. Stanislaus Kostka
• Holy Trinity Polish Mission 

The parishes / mission will remain in their current structures: 

• The Canons Regular of St. John Cantius will continue to serve St. John Cantius Parish. 
• Rev. Anthony Bus will continue to serve as pastor of St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish.  
• Holy Trinity Polish Mission will continue to be served by priests of the Society of Christ. 

Jefferson/Portage Park and Old Irving Park/Addison Renew My Church Grouping

The Jefferson/Portage Park and Old Irving Park/Addison Renew My Church groupings include the following Chicago parishes and schools:

• St. Constance Parish and School
• Our Lady of Victory Parish
• St. Pascal Parish
• St. Robert Bellarmine Parish and School
• Pope Francis Global Academy
• St. Bartholomew Parish and School
• St. Viator Parish and School
• St. Wenceslaus Parish

The new structure will be:

• St. Constance and St. Robert Bellarmine will unite as a new parish with two Sunday worship centers. 
• St. Bartholomew, Our Lady of Victory, and St. Pascal will unite as a new parish with two Sunday worship centers at St. Bartholomew and St. Pascal. 
• St. Viator and St. Wenceslaus will unite as a new parish with two worship sites. 

These changes will take effect July 1, 2021. Each new parish will be formed under a new name. The new names will be decided by Cardinal Cupich after reviewing options proposed by each new parish’s leadership. 

The Renew My Church Commission has additionally recommended: 
St. Constance and St. Robert Bellarmine: 

• St. Constance and St. Robert Bellarmine Churches will both continue to host a regular Mass schedule for the newly united parish at their respective sites. 

• This united parish will be the host location for all parish-based Polish ministry in these two groupings. 

St. Bartholomew, Our Lady of Victory and St. Pascal: 

• St. Bartholomew and St. Pascal Churches will both continue to host a regular Mass schedule for the newly united parish.  
• Based on current and projected demographics, the Polish Mass currently at St. Pascal will cease as of July 1, 2021.  

• With the increased need for Hispanic ministry on the northwest side, at least one Spanish language Mass will be celebrated as part of the regular weekend Mass schedule at St. Pascal. 
• Regularly scheduled Masses at Our Lady of Victory will cease no later than the first Sunday of Advent 2021, Nov. 28.

St. Viator and St. Wenceslaus: 

• St. Viator and St. Wenceslaus Churches will both continue to host a regular Mass schedule for the newly united parish.  

• The school on St. Wenceslaus campus will be marketed for sale to generate proceeds to invest in the new parish. 

Schools: 

All of the schools will continue to operate, with governance changes to align with the new parish structure. 

• St. Robert Bellarmine School will serve as the parish school of the united parish of St. Constance and St. Robert Bellarmine. St. Constance School will continue under its current program and become a school governed administratively by the archdiocese rather than the parish.
• Pope Francis Global Academy will serve as the parish school of the united parish of St. Bartholomew, Our Lady of Victory, and St. Pascal. St. Bartholomew School will continue under its current program and become a school governed administratively by the archdiocese rather than the parish.
• St. Viator will serve as the parish school of the united parish of St. Viator and St. Wenceslaus. 

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.