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Archdiocese of Chicago Provides Update on the Kedzie-Elston Corridor Renew My Church Grouping

May 14, 2021

The Archdiocese of Chicago today announced an update on the Kedzie-Elston Corridor 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 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 decision has been made for the Kedzie-Elston Corridor Grouping:

Kedzie-Elston Corridor Grouping

The Kedzie-Elston Corridor Renew My Church grouping includes the following Chicago parishes and school:

  • St. Edward Parish and School
  • Resurrection Parish
  • Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish
  • Our Lady of Mercy Parish

The new structure will be:

  • As announced previously, Resurrection Parish will fully unite into Our Lady of Mercy.
  • Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish will cease as a parish and be canonically divided between Our Lady of Mercy and St. Edward Parishes.  
  • These changes are effective July 1, 2021.
  • The Renew My Church Commission additionally recommended that all regularly scheduled Masses at Immaculate Heart of Mary transition to Our Lady of Mercy and St. Edward no later than June 30, 2021.  
  • St. Edward School operations will not change.

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 stronger, more sustainable and capable of reaching more people in their work of making disciples of Jesus Christ, building communities and inspiring witness.