Renew My Church



CHRIST THE KING
According to the Archdiocese of Chicago, the objective of the parish grouping process is intended to create and renew vital and sustainable parishes that have the appropriate vision, leadership, and resources to create an effective cultural evangelization that makes disciples, builds communities, and inspire witness.
The initial phase of the Renew My Church Process, known as the “Discernment & Decision Phase,” is for communities, equipped with a clear understanding of the current realities, strengths, and challenges of their grouping parishes (Christ the King and St. Barnabas), to prayerfully discern the right parish structures for future vitality, and to share their feedback with their local vicariate bishop and Cardinal Cupich.
The pastor of each parish selects a team of members from that parish to represent their parish in the Renew My Church process. Our CK team will be meeting with the St. Barnabas team to discuss and discern the structural, ministerial, and operational strengths and challenges of our parishes.
The role of a grouping team from each parish is charged with reflecting upon current parish realities, including, but not limited to their current: structural; ministerial; operational; and financial status. Based upon each, the grouping team provides Cardinal Cupich and the Archdiocese feedback on potential scenarios for the parish structures and to present recommendations to the Cardinal so he can make final decisions regarding potential changes to the parish structures with the Cardinal’s intent of the Church as a whole.
MEET THE CK TEAM:
Fr. Larry Sullivan – Fr. Larry was ordained a priest in May of 1992. He truly loves being a priest and serving the wonderful people of Christ the King parish. Fr. Larry feels incredibly blessed to be a part of our amazing community.
Ann Marie Riordan – Ann Marie and her husband have been parishioners of CK since 1999 and their four children all attended Christ the King School. Ann Marie is currently serving in her 8th year as the principal of CK School.
Tom Fahey – Tom and Mary Ellen have been parishioners since they bought their current home in Christ the King in 1981. They sent their five children through CK and will have their oldest grandchild starting her CK experience as a preschooler in the near future.
Maura Saas – Maura is an alumna of Christ the King School, class of 1983. She and her husband Mark have 4 grown children, all graduates of CK. Maura is currently in her 9th year as the CK Alumni Director and additionally works on special parish projects.
Lisa Livermore – Lisa and her husband Brian have been CK parishioners for 23 years. They have 2 grown children who graduated from CK. Lisa is a pediatrician in Hinsdale but still lives here because she loves the CK community.
Mark Singler – Mark is a graduate of Christ the King, class of 1991. Mark and his wife Josie have been CK parishioners since 2009. Their four children currently attend CK: 8th grade; 6th grade; 4th grade; and 1st grade.
GROUPING SESSION 1 SUMMARY
As our CK Team wants to provide as much information and transparency as possible throughout the Renew My Church Process, two of our CK Team members will be hosting a Renew My Church information reception in the Gleeson Center at 7:00 pm, following the Tuesday Winter Evening Respite in Church on January 18th; February 15th; and March 15th.
If you have any questions about the Renew My Church Process, you can attend the information receptions or you can email the CK Team Members:
Fr. Larry Sullivan: [email protected]
Ann Marie Riordan: [email protected]
Tom Fahey: [email protected]
Maura Saas: [email protected]
Lisa Livermore: [email protected]
Mark Singler: [email protected]
With that, the RMC program has been launched at CK.
- CK and St. Barnabas remain independent, with more resource and programmatic collaboration
- One or the other would close, with the surviving parish assuming the responsibility of the parishioners of the closed parish
- Both CK and St. Barnabas consolidate into a newly formed parish with a new name