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Archdiocese of Chicago Provides Updates on St. Bernardine and St. Luke Renew My Church Grouping

March 12, 2021

The Archdiocese of Chicago today announced an update on the St. Bernardine (Forest Park) and St. Luke (River Forest) Renew My Church grouping.

Over the past several months, the grouping’s Feedback and Discernment Team, made up of representatives from each of the parishes, met to review and discern the future parish and church structures. Based on its meetings and discussions with the larger parish communities, the team 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.  

During 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 decision has been made for the grouping of St. Bernardine and St. Luke:

  • Effective July 1, 2021, St. Bernardine and St. Luke will unite as one parish with two worship sites, a new name, one pastor and one pastoral team.   
  • Both St. Bernardine and St. Luke will continue to host a regular schedule of Masses and the specific schedule will be determined by the pastor in consultation with parish leadership.  
  • St. Luke will formally be designated the parish church where the united parish’s sacramental records will be kept.  
  • Fr. Stan Kuca will be pastor of the newly united parish.
  • The RMC Commission recommends an annual review beginning in 2024 regarding the sustainability of St. Bernardine and St. Luke’s two campuses, giving that united parish’s leadership the next three years to focus on unification.
  • There are no changes to St. Luke School.

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 structure. 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. The newly-united parish community, will embark upon the next phase of renewal, focusing on strong evangelization.

 

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.