For more than 50 years, Saint Rosalie has kept its name as the only Catholic church in Harwood Heights, but parishioners could face an uncertain future as the Chicago Archdiocese undertakes a plan to merge and close some churches.
The church, on the 6700 block of West Montrose Avenue, is one of the 347 Catholic churches throughout the Chicago area under review by the Chicago Archdiocese as part of a massive plan to merge and close some parishes.
Known as the “Renew My Church” initiative, the campaign is a multi-year project to reimagine the Chicago Archdiocese by addressing issues including declining membership and increasingly thinly spread resources, including a dwindling number of priests.
No concrete decisions have been made yet about which churches — if any — will close, but part of the campaign calls for some churches to merge, either by combining programs or entire parishes or to close down completely.
The archdiocese plans to address several factors including the impact of changing demographics and the availability of priests, according to archdiocese spokeswoman Susan Burritt.
More Top Picks Best Hiking Pants For Women
“Its primary focus is to foster mission vitality and ensure all parishes are vibrant, vital and life-giving for generations to come,” Burritt said in an email. “Some parishes will merge, and some parishes will close, but all of those considerations will be balanced by the more important question — how will this lead to a spiritual renewal of the people we serve?”
That question and others will be addressed by pastors of the churches that have been included on the archdiocese’s list. They were asked to submit feedback by the end of September that will be reviewed by regional bishops and the Chicago Archdiocese.
Once that feedback is received, officials are expected to announce groups of churches that will be considered for mergers or to work together toward combining resources, according to the archdiocese. Saint Rosalie was tentatively grouped with two Chicago churches — St. Francis Borgia and St. Priscilla — on the 8000 and 6900 blocks of West Addison Street.
“Pastors are currently gathering feedback from parish leaders on the suitability of the proposed groupings,” Burritt said in an email. “It has been proposed to the pastors of St. Rosalie, St. Francis Borgia and St. Priscilla parishes that, going forward, they work together as a grouping, however none of the groupings are final at this time.”
When reached by phone, priests at all three churches declined to comment until after the archdiocese formally announces the groupings.
Natalie Hayes is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.