To initiate discussion, the Archdiocese has offered a set of initial scenarios that show potential models of how our parishes and schools could be configured in the future. These initial scenarios have been developed accounting for data such as demographics, Mass attendance, financial and facility conditions. The scenarios reflect input from archdiocese staff, vicariate leaders, and local pastors. These initial scenarios, which will be shared in detail at our next parish meeting, are conversation starters only. No decisions have been made. The Grouping Feedback & Discernment team may propose additional scenarios they believe merit discussion as long as they would be viable. These scenarios will be evaluated against a set of criteria determined using data across the Archdiocese for how a structure would support vitality and ensure viability, such as:

  • Ministerial and spiritual needs of the parish: To support this staffing and basic operations, such as paying utilities, parishes generally will need operating revenue of $750,000 or more (excluding rental income). In financial year 2019 St. Ladislaus parish income was $ 455,594.
  • Parishioner count and Mass attendance: Based on the number of pastors expected to be available across the Archdiocese in the future, a minimum of 800 parishioners attending weekend Mass is generally needed to be assigned a full-time, resident pastor. October census in 2019 at St. Ladislaus church showed an average of 1,502 people per weekend.
  • Pastoral manageability.
  • Parish financial stability and facilities.

 Note on Foundational Principles in relation to the challenges posed by COVID-19

Parish data will need to be compared against the foundational principles considering both pre-COVID data (i.e., Fiscal Year 2019 financials and October 2019 Mass attendance) and how COVID has impacted the financial sustainability of each parish and potential scenario.

Initial Parish Scenarios for Discernment

Scenario 1: 1 united parish, 2 active church sites

  • Ferdinand and St. Ladislaus unite to form one parish.
  • Both churches continue to have a regular schedule of Masses (specific schedule determine by the pastor after consultation with parish leadership).

Scenario 2: 2 parishes, 1 shared pastor, 2 active church sites

  • Ferdinand and St. Ladislaus share one pastor but remain separate parishes.
  • The parishes begin to share resources, e.g., staff who supports operations and administration.

Scenario 3: 2 parishes, 2 separate pastors

  • Ferdinand and St. Ladislaus remain separate parishes.
  • Each parish has its own separate pastor.
  • The parishes work toward sharing resources, e.g., staff who support operations and administration.

 

Additional Information:

    • A united parish has one pastor, budget, staff, Finance Council, etc. – but may have multiple churches. The assets of each parish uniting as one parish become the assets of the united parish.
    • A united parish may take the form of a new parish with a new name (Parish A and Parish B form New Parish C) or Parish B becoming part of Parish A. In either case, the church buildings retain their names. So Church B would still be Church B even if it becomes part of Parish A.
    • When a parish would have two churches, one of the churches would be designated as the parish church where the sacramental records would be kept.

Share your commend by sending an e-mail to: stladislauschicago@gmail.com