Parish Event Calendar

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Mar 23
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Lenten Adoration
Mar 19 6:30PM
ST. LINUS
   
Recollection
for Women

Mar 21
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Stations of the Cross
Mar 22 6:30PM
ST. LINUS
   
KofC Fish Fry
Mar 22
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KofC Monthly Meeting
Mar 27
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First Friday Experience
Apr 5
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Apr 6-7
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Heartstrings - Support Group
Apr 8
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Religious Education
YEAR 2023-24
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YEAR 2023-24
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Eucharistic Adoration
Mon-Fri
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Eucharistic Adoration
Fri at OLOR
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Indoor Sports for RE Kids
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Port Ministry Meeting
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St. Linus Prayer Group
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Adult Choir Rehearsal
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Healing Prayer Ministry
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School Gift Card Program
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St. Linus Alumni Form
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Non-Parish Offsite Events
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COMMUNITY!

Dreaming Big about the Archdiocese of Chicago
Archbishop Cupich wants your participation!

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Archdiocesan Renew My Church Website
https://www.renewmychurch.org

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RENEW MY CHURCH UPDATE - JANUARY 31, 2021
APPOINTMENT OF A NEW PASTOR FOR THE COMBINED PARISH

On January 23-24, it was announced that Our Lady of the Ridge and St. Linus will unite as one parish with two worship sites (churches). The next decision of the Cardinal will be the appointment of one pastor for the combined parish. Fr. Wayne, the current pastor of Our Lady of the Ridge, and Fr. Mark Walter, our Pastor, step aside so that a decision can be reached regarding what is best for the new parish. The form below should be completed and requires your input. Please complete the form and return as directed. Our office can forward it, if that is easier for you. Thank you for your cooperation during this challenging and renewing time.

> PRIESTS' PLACEMENT BOARD INPUT FORM (PDF)

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RENEW MY CHURCH UPDATE - JANUARY 22, 2021
DECISION ANNOUNCEMENT AND NEXT STEPS

DISCERNMENT PROCESS - St. Linus, St. Patricia, Sacred Heart and Our Lady of the Ridge Parishes engaged in the Renew My Church (RMC) discernment process through the fall of 2020. The Grouping Feedback and Discernment team (GFDT), which was made up of members from each parish community, met to review and discern the future parish structure for the area. Our deepest appreciation goes to the GFDT who prayerfully discerned the parish grouping structure during this challenging time.

Based on their meetings and feedback gathered from the larger parish communities, they submitted feedback to the archdiocese. The Archdiocesan Standards and Recommendations Commission, which includes representatives from across the Archdiocese of Chicago, reviewed the feedback and other information, including financial summaries and parish trends.

Cardinal Cupich and Bishop Wypych are grateful to Fr. Walter, Fr. Svida, Fr. Pasciak, Fr. Wrona and the Grouping Teams who gathered throughout the past few months, and all parishioners who offered feedback through the recent discernment process.

OUTCOME - In the past few weeks, Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, the archdiocese’s auxiliary bishops, and the archdiocese’s Presbyteral Council met to discuss the Commission’s recommendation. Based upon those discussions and prayerful consideration, Cardinal Cupich made the following decisions regarding the parish structure in the Southwest Suburbs of Chicago Ridge, Hickory Hills, Oak Lawn and Palos Hills.

  • St. Patricia and Sacred Heart will each remain in their current structures.
    • Fr. Jacek Wrona will continue as pastor of Sacred Heart Parish.
    • With Fr. Marc Pasciak retiring June 30, 2021, the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Priests’ Placement Board will conduct a consultation with St. Patricia staff and parish leadership about the qualities needed in the parish’s next pastor. All parishioners will also have the opportunity to submit feedback in writing. The Placement Board seeks to recommend a pastor candidate to Cardinal Cupich no later than mid-March. A candidate may be identified and named by Cardinal Cupich sooner than that time.
  • Effective July 1, 2021, Our Lady of the Ridge and St. Linus will unite as a new parish, continuing to use both churches for Mass.
    • As one parish, the two communities will have one pastor and one pastoral team. The Archdiocese of Chicago’s Priests’ Placement Board will conduct a consultation with the staff and parish leadership of the uniting parishes about the qualities needed in the pastor of the new parish. All parishioners will also have the opportunity to submit feedback in writing. The Placement Board seeks to recommend a pastor candidate to Cardinal Cupich no later than mid-March. A candidate may be identified and named by Cardinal Cupich sooner than that time.
    • The united parish will receive a new name. The local community will discern possibilities for the new name, within guidelines provided by the archdiocese, and submit three to five options to Cardinal Cupich. Until Cardinal Cupich decides on a permanent name for the new parish, the new parish will have an interim name – Our Lady of the Ridge and St. Linus Parish.
    • St. Linus School will be the united parish’s school. The school will retain the name St. Linus School.
    • The Mass schedule at each worship site will be reviewed by the pastor in consultation with parish leadership between now and July 1. The Mass schedule after July 1 may differ from the current schedule.

PARISH STRUCTURE RATIONALE - During the discernment process the GFDT expressed a preference for each parish to remain in its current structure, however there was also concern about the need to review the structure again in the near future if downward trends continue. While the RMC Commission and Cardinal Cupich are encouraged by the feedback from the GFDT, as well as the work begun by the Missionary Discipleship and Evangelization Teams at Our Lady of the Ridge, they believe it is better to make the decision now to unite Our Lady of the Ridge and St. Linus rather than continuing to question whether structural changes will be needed in the future.

Additionally, uniting the parishes now allows them to share their talents and resources, as well as work on evangelization, confident in their future structure.

Based on the geographic coverage and size of Sacred Heart and St. Patricia, the RMC Commission, Bishop Wypych, and Cardinal Cupich are confident in each continuing in its current structure. Sacred Heart, St. Patricia, and a united Our Lady of the Ridge and St. Linus are encouraged to continue working together on a broader scale, leveraging the gifts, talents and conversations brought forward during the discernment process. Just as renewal is ongoing, so must the parishes continue to support each other.

NEXT STEPS - St. Patricia, Sacred Heart, and the united Our Lady of the Ridge and St. Linus Parish will each embark upon the next phase of renewal, focusing on strong evangelization to the world around us. The renewal process calls us to become a stronger, more sustainable presence for the future, capable of reaching more people in their work of making disciples of Jesus Christ, building communities with one another and inspiring witness in the world around us.

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LATEST UPDATE AS OF JANUARY 17, 2021 FROM FATHER MARK

For Your Calendar - Friday, January 22 is the scheduled day the Archdiocese will formally announce the result of Renew My Church as it pertains to St. Linus. Go to the Archdiocesan Renew My Church Website for more information.

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LATEST UPDATE AS OF DECEMBER 13, 2020 FROM FATHER MARK

Renew My Church News - Thank you to all who provided feedback on the recent scenarios. A group of parishioners from all four parishes met and crafted a narrative which included all the responses. This narrative will be presented formally on Monday, December 14 to the Archdiocese. After that, the Cardinal will make a decision which should be announced in mid-January.

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OUR DIFFERENT SCENARIOS
LATEST UPDATE AS OF SEPTEMBER 27, 2020 FROM FATHER MARK

> CLICK HERE TO SEE THE SCENARIOS IN MORE DETAIL - PDF DOC

Responses can be returned via regular mail or Parish Email at stlinusol@comcast.net

Renew My Church Update - Thank you to all who submitted responses to the recent survey. While the response was not overwhelming, the data was sufficient to submit a report. In summary,

Some strengths were:

  • Strong school and RE program
  • St. Vincent DePaul Society
  • Church Music and Homilies
  • Issues responded to quickly
  • Spirituality and God Focus

Some weaknesses were:

  • Evangelization / adding new members
  • Adult RE / Formation
  • Volunteerism

Preparing for our future reality as a parish, the following scenarios have been offered for consideration. These scenarios are speculative, not decrees. They do however require your input. A final decision will be made by the Cardinal by the end of the calendar year. So, do not wait until January 1st to offer your opinion. Consider the strengths and weaknesses of the scenarios prayerfully. Your opinions will be part of the thought the Archdiocese uses to make its decision. The following scenarios are in no particular order. Remember our grouping is: St. Linus, Our Lady of the Ridge, Sacred Heart, St. Patricia.

Thank you to those who have responded. There is not a consensus yet. I would appreciate knowing what you consider strengths and weaknesses of these scenarios. Please read them carefully and reflect upon them before responding.

  • Scenario # 1 - All four parishes unite to form a new united parish continuing to use all four campuses. Sacred Heart would serve as the central location for the united parish.
  • Scenario # 2 - St Linus and Our Lady of the Ridge unite to form one parish using both churches. St. Patricia and Sacred Heart unite to form one parish using both churches.
  • Scenario # 3 - St. Linus and Our Lady of the Ridge unite to form one parish using both churches. St. Patricia remains one parish. Sacred Heart remains one parish.
  • Scenario # 4 - Our Lady of the Ridge and St. Patricia unite to form one parish using both churches. St. Linus remains one parish. Sacred Heart remains one parish.
  • Scenario # 5 - Our Lady of the Ridge and Sacred Heart unite to form one parish using both churches. St. Linus remains one parish. St. Patricia remains one parish.
  • Scenario # 6 - Every parish remains its own parish while exploring ideas to work collaboratively.

As I mentioned, please consider these scenarios prayerfully considering the needs of the entire Church in addition to the needs of our own parish. I look forward to your thoughts.

Please respond by regular mail or email at stlinusol@comcast.net.

Have a great week,
Fr. Mark Walter

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OUR PARISH GROUPING
LATEST UPDATE AS OF SEPTEMBER 22, 2019 FROM FATHER MARK

Our ‘grouping’ is: St. Linus, Our Lady of the Ridge, St. Patricia (Hickory Hills), and Sacred Heart (Palos Hills). The purpose of the groupings is to provide a framework to maintain the church of Chicago while at the same time being realistic about personnel and resources. The specifics vary from region to region. Our needs and the needs of another area may require different implementations. The needs of our grouping will be uncovered in the months and years ahead. That we will have to look beyond our parish boundaries certainly will be a reality. Please continue to pray for the process and our involvement in it. The Renew My Church initiative is scheduled to begin at St. Linus in the late Spring 2020 and be in full motion by next Fall 2020. The outcome will be determined by parish meetings in which parishioners will be included. Between now and then we will meet with parish leadership and continue to give updates as they occur. We will begin giving details about this process so that we are prepared. For now, please pray for the process and the renewal it will generate. We will keep you updated as plans evolve.

Please go to renewmychurch.org and study this program. We welcome your questions and comments. We believe this can be a positive experience for our parish, and we look forward to its beginning.

The Renew My Church initiative continues throughout the Archdiocese, and as we have mentioned will eventually reach us. When our parish becomes an activated group, sometime in the next year of two, there will be many meetings and discussions, led by the Archdiocese. The Archdiocese is very prepared for this process, and will help make the changes as ‘easy’ as possible. In the meantime, pray for the Renew My Church initiative and the currently activated groupings.

Essentially, the Church is asking that we develop a sustainable model of Parish life for the next generation (or 2) in the midst of a reduced number of clergy. Developing such a model of parish life can be life-giving, but only if we understand it will require change on all of our parts. In the midst of fewer clergy, can the Church still be alive and vibrant? Of course it can!! The groupings will give us the opportunity to see and explore new possibilities.

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From Our Pastor Father Mark Walter on Bulletin - March 17, 2019

The Renew My Church initiative which I have mentioned in the past, will begin at St. Linus in 2020. I will begin giving details about this process so that we are prepared.

For now, please pray for the process and the renewal it will generate.

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From Our Pastor Father Mark Walter on Bulletin - September 30, 2018

The challenge the church faces today especially as it implements Renew My Church is that none of us is so possessive or territorial that we cannot envision our church in a different way.

The grouping of which St. Linus is a part, has not been activated with no clear indication of when it will happen. In the meantime, our neighbors to the east have been given their final outcome.

“Cardinal Cupich and the Presbyteral Council met and based on the Archdiocesan Commission’s recommendation and other consideratoons, the Cardinal made a final decision regarding the grouping’s structure.

Our Lady of Loretto and St. Germaine Parishes will unite to form one new parish led by one pastor and one staff team, effective July 1, 2019… St. Germaine School will remain as a ministry of the parish.

St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish will remain, structurally, as is with St. Catherine of Alexandria School continuing as a ministry of the parish. St. Terrence Parish will also remain structurally as is.”

Other groupings in the archdiocese have been announced as well. We continue to pray for the ministry of the Church, proclaiming the Gospel of Christ, especially in our Archdiocese.

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From Our Pastor Father Mark Walter on Bulletin - July 16, 2017

The Renew My Church initiative continues throughout the Archdiocese, and as I have mentioned will eventually reach us. When our parish becomes an activated group, sometime in the next year of two, there will be many meetings and discussions, led by the Archdiocese. The Archdiocese is very prepared for this process, and will help make the changes as ‘easy’ as possible. In the meantime, pray for the Renew My Church initiative and the currently activated groupings.

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From Our Pastor Father Mark Walter on Bulletin - June 18, 2017

The Renew My Church initiative continues throughout the Archdiocese, and as I have mentioned will eventually reach us. The Vicariate V, (of which we are part), activated groupings for the second half of 2017 are: St. Adrian, St. Nicholas of Tolentine, and Queen of the Universe. When we become an activated group, sometime in the next year or two, there will be many meetings and discussions, led by the Archdiocese. The Archdiocese is very prepared for this process, and will help make the changes as ‘easy’ as possible. In the meantime, pray for the Renew My Church initiative and the currently activated groupings.

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From Our Pastor Father Mark Walter on Bulletin - May 21, 2017

The Renew My Church groupings will be progressively implemented throughout the Archdiocese of Chicago over the next five years. I am fairly certain the grouping of which we are part, will not be implemented in the 2017/18 fiscal year. I think there is a good possibility it could be the following year, but that is just an educated guess. I will remind you of this occasionally and update you as I receive new information.

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From Our Pastor Father Mark Walter on Bulletin - February 26, 2017

There was a meeting of the Priests of the Archdiocese last week, which continued the conversation of Renew My Church. The first dimension of the renewal is preparation. The preparation will provide structured programs for spiritual readiness of changing leadership. Though I don’t know for certain, I think the process for the grouping St. Linus is in, will begin in 2018 or 2019. I understand my reflections on this renewal lack the specifics you (and I) would like. But, I really do want to keep you informed as best I can. More to come!!

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From Our Pastor Father Mark Walter on Bulletin - February 5, 2017

The Renew My Church initiative has now been presented to the people of the Archdiocese. For us at St. Linus, there will be no immediate impact, but eventually will call us to work in collaboration with the members of our grouping. Until that time, continue to pray for the initiative and the ministry of the Catholic Church in Chicago.

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From Our Pastor Father Mark Walter on Bulletin - November 13, 2016

Next weekend on November 19-20, I will speak at all the Masses regarding the Renew My Church initiative. This structural change of the administration of parishes throughout the Archdiocese is the result of many shifts in our local church, which makes it impossible to administer our parishes in the same fashion as in the past. It will be the responsibility of pastors and all parish leadership to integrate this new leadership model in local parish communities. In a lot of ways, this initiative is still a work in progress, with some blessings and challenges. The changes will happen gradually and will not be the same everywhere. As the changes affect our parish I, of course, will keep you informed. When it is all said and done, the real purpose of any parish is to praise and serve God and minister to all in need. Our Church, and our parish will continue to do just that!!

I think it is helpful to consider in prayer, how we may be asked to change as a Church, and how we the Church will continue to proclaim Christ. Things will be different for parishes in the near future. Is our heart and spirit ready to ‘Let Go, and Let God’?

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From Our Pastor Father Mark Walter on Bulletins - October 16, 23 and 30, 2016

The Renew My Church initiative is intended to look in an honest and positive way at the challenges, our church of Chicago faces. The key is that we are all one church, not merely individual parishes. The process suggests opening our imaginations to a church, not merely defined by parish name, but by our common belief in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Obviously, this can open quite a conversation, but I believe that this is the initial point of this initiative. In what ways can we work and minister and pray as a church that is not exclusively defined by parish and parish boundaries?

Here are reflections on Renew My Church from the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Renew My Church, is a multi-year initiative to ensure the sustainable growth of our Church for the future. It will create vital, vibrant, life-giving, Catholic communities across the Archdiocese of Chicago and inspire disciples to accompany members of our family of faith to seize this moment to make the mission of Christ our own - for our time.

At the parish level, Renew My Church calls each of us to face our challenges, and commit to a renewal of faith, active participation, engagement in a broader and more diverse family of families, and most importantly, to deepen our personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Difficult decisions will have to be made. But those considerations will be balanced by the more important questions: How will this enable us to carry out Christ’s mission in the communities we serve? How will this lead to Renewal?

I think it is helpful to consider in prayer, how we may be asked to change as a Church, and how we the Church will continue to proclaim Christ. Things will be different for parishes in the near future. Is our heart and spirit ready to ‘Let Go, and Let God’?

I will continue to update you each week, in anticipation of an Archdiocesan-wide promotion of the initiative on Christ the King weekend (November 19 and 20). In the meantime, please continue to pray for this initiative and all the many ways it will affect our local church.

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