Diocese of Joliet to close four churches across Chicago suburbs

The Brief

• The Diocese of Joliet announced it will close four of its churches later this year.

• The closures are the latest step in the diocese’s process of “targeted restructuring.”

• Several other parishes will amalgamate, or essentially combine, later this summer as well.

CREST HILL, Ill. – The Diocese of Joliet announced it will close four of its churches and essentially combine several others as a part of its “targeted restructuring” amid declining mass attendance and donations.

Bishop Ronald Hicks made the announcement last week which came as a result of months of work by a committee of clergy and laypeople to determine how the diocese should restructure.

The Diocese of Joliet was established in 1948 and serves more than 500,000 Catholics across DuPage, Kankakee, Will, Grundy, Ford, Iroquois, and Kendall counties. The data is accurate as of 2021, according to the diocese website.

Church closures this summer

What we know

Four parishes in DuPage, Grundy and Will counties will close effective July 1, Hicks said.

One chapel will also close.

They include:

These closure announcements are part of the third phase of the diocese’s restructuring process, which began last year. Diocese officials underwent an 11-month “listening, review and discussion process,” Hicks said.

The committee made recommendations to Hicks for his approval.

Multiple parishes will amalgamate, or one parish will join an existing parish. Two parishes, St. Paul the Apostle in Peotone and Christ the Servant in Woodridge, will continue to operate as independent parishes.

These changes will also take effect on July 1.

“While I’m confident we are doing the right things and making sound decisions to make our diocese and our church stronger and able to thrive, I also appreciate and understand that if these outcomes directly affect you, or where you may worship, these actions may be difficult changes for you,” Hicks said. “And cause great hurt, sadness, and grieving.”

Previous efforts to close other parishes have been met with pushback from church members.

The bishop discussed the announcements at length in a video posted to the Diocese of Joliet YouTube channel.

‘Pruning’ of the diocese

The backstory

The closures are just the latest step in a process that began in 2021 to “prune” the diocese, a reference to a passage from the Gospel of St. John when Jesus tells his disciples that branches must be pruned from the vine to bear more fruit.

The diocese explained on its website that, like other Catholic diocese across the U.S., the process of consolidating and downsizing came about due to an aging priest population and a decline in Mass attendance and donations.

The population of those identifying as Catholic has been on the decline for years and more people are identifying as “nones,” or those claiming no religious affiliation.

The diocese also cited increased costs for building maintenance at its aging churches and schools. Catholic school enrollment is also on the decline, made worse by a nationwide teacher shortage.

For more information on the diocese’s restructuring process, visit diojoliet.org.