Changes Coming For Sts. Benedict, Walter, Peter Claver Mission

BLUE ISLAND, IL — Catholic churches in Chicago, Blue Island, Posen and Robbins will reunite as one parish under the Archdiocese of Chicago’s “Renew My Church” grouping.

The grouping includes St. Benedict (Blue Island), St. Donatus (Blue Island), St. Walter Parish (Chicago) and the St. Peter Claver Mission (Robbins). Representatives from each of the parishes, mission and schools have been meeting with Archdiocese officials to review and discern the future parish, school 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 Archdiocese said in a news release.

The commission reviewed the feedback reports and other materials and information, including demographic data, financial summaries, and parish and grouping trends. The following decision has been made for the Blue Island, Posen, Robbins and St. Walter grouping:

Effective July 1, St. Benedict, St. Walter and St. Peter Claver Mission will unite as a new parish, with a new name, one pastor and pastoral team.

• Regular parish Masses will be held (only) at St. Benedict.
• St. Benedict will be the parish church where the sacramental records are kept.
• Monsignor Dennis J. Lyle has been designated as pastor of the united parish.
• As announced in January, St. Benedict and St. Walter schools will unite for the next school year as one school with two campuses.
• St. Walter will continue as a sacred space but will not have a regular Sunday Mass. The church may be used for school Masses, funerals and other special occasions.
• St. Peter Claver’s Gospel Mass will be incorporated into the style and schedule of Masses at St. Benedict Church and the site will remain available for occasional events.
• The local community will discern possibilities for the new name of the parish, within guidelines provided by the archdiocese, and submit three to five options to Cardinal Cupich.
• St. Donatus will remain in its current structure with Fr. Diego Cadavid as its pastor.

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.