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(Above) Queen of Angels Catholic Church in the Lincoln Square neighborhood north of the Loop. (Click on images to view larger versions.)

By Peter von Buol and Steven Dahlman

16-Nov-19 – Four parishes in Lincoln Square are being consolidated into two parishes as part of a new campaign by the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Effective next July 1, St. Matthias Parish, 2310 West Ainslie Street, will merge with Queen of Angels Parish, the offices of which are located at 4412 North Western Avenue. Transfiguration of Our Lord Parish, 2609 West Carmen Avenue, will merge with St. Hilary Parish, 5600 North Fairfield Avenue.

After the parishes are combined, Queen of Angels and St. Hilary will be the designated parish churches, and the locations of offices and records of the combined parishes. They will, however, choose new parish names.

St. Hilary Parish
St. Matthias Parish
Transfiguration of Our Lord Parish

“The leaders and parishioners of each newly formed parish will discern possibilities for the name of the new parish within guidelines provided by the Archdiocese and will submit their candidates to Cardinal Blase Cupich for his decision on the permanent names,” explained Anne Maselli, Director of Communications and Marketing for Archdiocese of Chicago.

As for St. Matthias and Transfiguration of Our Lord, Maselli says it will be up to those parishes to decide what to do with the church buildings. The properties could be sold, leased, or they could continue being used by the new parishes.

(Left) St. Hilary, St. Matthias, and Transfiguration of Our Lord Catholic churches.

Three schools operated by the four parishes will be mostly unaffected by the consolidations. St. Hilary, St. Matthias, and Queen of Angels will continue with their current programs, according to Maselli, if each school remains financially independent. St. Hilary and Queen of Angels will be the parish schools of the new parishes. St. Matthias will continue to operate as an archdiocesan school not directly affiliated with a parish.

The Archdiocese announced the consolidations on November 8. The campaign, Renew My Church, is a process of “structural and spiritual renewal” of Catholic churches, both of which are needed, said Archbishop Cupich in August, “if we are going to make our parishes vibrant, vital, and sustainable for the long term.”