Discernment Process:
Incarnation, St. Alexander and St. Terrence Parishes engaged in the Renew My Church (RMC) review and discernment process over the past few months. The Grouping Feedback and Discernment team (GFDT), which was made up of members from each 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 structure during this challenging time of the pandemic.

Based on their meetings and feedback gathered from the larger parish community, 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. Falana, Fr. Michniewicz, Fr. Abraham and the Grouping Team who gathered together, and all 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 this grouping.

► Incarnation and St. Terrence will unite as a new parish with two worship sites, one pastor and one pastoral team, effective July 1, 2022.

● Both churches will continue to host a regular schedule of Masses. The specific schedule will be determined by the pastor in consultation with parish leadership.

● Incarnation will formally be designated the parish church where the united parish’s sacramental records will be kept.

● The interim name of the united parish will be Incarnation and St. Terrence Parish. The local community will discern possibilities for the new permanent name of the united parish, within guidelines provided by the archdiocese, and submit three to five options to Cardinal Cupich. Continuing with the combined name is an option. Each church building retains its name.

● Fr. Arek Falana will be the pastor of the united parish.

► St. Alexander Parish and School will continue in its current structure.

Rationale:
● The Grouping Team recognized the need for Incarnation and St. Terrence to unite as one parish to have a parish structure in the grouping in which all parishes surpass the benchmarks for sustainability and vitality set forth through the Renew My Church process.

● Uniting Incarnation and St. Terrence will better support developing a cohesive pastoral and evangelization plan for their areas of Palos Heights, Crestwood and Alsip, help address realities of the declining number of pastors available to staff parishes and provide a structure to most effectively build a full parish staff to support ministry in the area.

● Using both Incarnation and St. Terrence churches as worship sites allows for continued physical presence in both communities, along with providing parish leadership the opportunity to decide how best to use each campus’s ministry spaces in support of evangelization, formation, and social outreach.

● St. Alexander, as well as a united Incarnation and St. Terrence, recognize the need to engage in the work of evangelization in the next phases of the RMC process.

Next Steps:
● 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.

● We know that this structural change is just the beginning of our journey of renewal. All the parishes in this grouping, including the newly united parish community, will embark upon the next phase of renewal, focusing on strong evangelization to the world around us. Renewal of our Church means that every Catholic, every searcher, and everyone who loves Jesus and his Church, will have to look anew at what it means to be Jesus’ disciple and to live out that discipleship.

● Profound gratitude to all involved in the process to date, and prayers for all those who will take up the next phase of renewal, sharing faith and evangelizing those searching to know Jesus more deeply.


RENEW MY CHURCH DECREE - APRIL 25, 2022  

It is not unusual for the Catholic Church to call a synod, a gathering of leaders. What is unique about the synod that Pope Francis called on October 9 & 10, 2021 is that this two-year synod is being called a “Synod on Synodality.” What does that mean? It means that Pope Francis is inviting the entire Church, the People of God, to reflect on its life and mission. We are each being called to reflect on and share what we experience as life-giving and disciple-forming in our parishes and communities.

Then, by sharing these experiences with each other, and by reflecting together on what the Holy Spirit is saying to the Church today, the Pope and Church leadership will be able to explore which processes are helping Her to live communion, to achieve widespread participation, and to open Herself more to living the mission of Christ.

So how do we join in the discussion?

1. Share your own voice about what you experience as Church here at Incarnation Parish.
Click here to participate. 

2. Connect to the Archdiocese of Chicago’s SYNOD website information. 

3. Connect to the USCCB’s SYNOD website information.

Be a part of the movement of the Holy Spirit in our Catholic Church! Experience the journey of Synodality!

YouTube Live Stream Masses
Facebook Live Stream Masses

We Live Stream All Liturgies.

An Act of Spiritual Communion

(Permission to podcast & stream the music in our services obtained from ONE LICENSE, License #A-721856. All rights reserved).



  

WATCH RECORDED VIDEO DEVOTIONS

Consecration of Ukraine and Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary:

Incarnation Parish joined in prayer Pope Francis in Consecration of Ukraine and Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on Friday, March 25, 2022. 

1. Visit our official Facebook page, click ‘like’
    and make sure to ‘follow’ us.

2. Text @2g77e to the following phone
     number: 81010 to receive parish updates
     and weekly inspirational text messages.

3. Keep visiting our website at    
    www.incparish.com
    to view our recent bulletins and parish
    information.

4. Follow us on Instagram    
                                    @IncarnationCatholic

5. Please call the Parish Office if you would like to be added to our "robocall" list, to receive essential messages from the Pastor.

Answering the call for the New Evangelization, all leaders and members of all ministries from Formation/Education, Spiritual Life, Parish Life and Human Concerns Commissions participated in the spiritual and evangelical renewal program “Alpha” that was adopted to the needs of Incarnation Parish and given our own name of “Journey to the Heart of the Faith.”  This faith formation in our Parish is ongoing.  We continue by offering programs to all parishioners throughout the year.  Please watch the video below:

We are happy to share with our parish community that the long-awaited statue of St. Michael the Archangel has been completed and is on display in our church. 
 
May St. Michael the Archangel and all Saints intercede for our parish, for our Archdiocese, and the whole Church.  May their example inspire us to imitate Jesus in our own life.

We also welcomed the first-class relic of St. Faustina Kowalska to our Parish! In the specially built reliquary in our Church, you can also find the following first-class relics:

- True Cross of our Lord Jesus
- St. John of the Cross
- St. Simon Stock
- St. Germaine
- St. Maria Goretti
- St. Brother Albert Chmielowski
- St. Vincent de Paul
- Bl. Francis Xavier Seelos
- Bl. Sister Bernardyna Jablonska

May God continue to bless our Incarnation Family, and may the Saints intercede for us.