Welcome!

Our welcoming Christian community of St. Irenaeus Parish inspired by the words of our patron - "Humankind fully alive is God truly glorified" - journeys together to bring the love of Christ to all in our parish family through worship, faith formation, social justice, and loving service while reaching out to the broader community.

Renew My Church

Update May 19, 2022

The Renew My Church (RMC) Listening Sessions have all been held

At the session held at St. Emeric, on Fri. May, 13, 2022, LeRoy Chalmers said we are in the organizational phase.

LeRoy cleared up confusion regarding the formation of the Unification Committees. He said there are no Unification teams chosen yet. Parishioners can submit their name but no members will be chosen until July 1st.

The Unification Committee will include an equal number of parishioners from each existing parish but no more than 20 total for each of the two new parishes. The Archdiocese RMC team is hoping people from different cultures and traditions sign up to be considered for the Unification Committee from each parish. They are looking for people who may have never stepped up to the plate. New leadership is encouraged.

The Archdiocese will do their best to continue masses for a while at each parish after July 1st.

Renew My Church

Update May 2, 2022

Cardinal Cupich signed a Decree on April 25th, 2022 stating that St. Irenaeus, Infant Jesus of Prague and St. Lawrence O'Toole will form a new parish on July 1, 2022.

Click here for full text of the Decree.

Renew My Church

Update April 17, 2022

The following announcement is from the Archdiocesan Renew My Church Team:

In the April 10, 2022 bulletin, it was stated the Mass on June 26, 2022 is the last Mass at St. Irenaeus Parish. While it is the last Mass as an independent parish this is not the final Mass, nor is it the end to regular Sunday worship.

Beginning July 1, 2022, we will be united with St. Lawrence O’Toole and Infant Jesus of Prague. Masses will continue to be celebrated at all three church sites for now. After our new pastor, Fr. Kris Paluch, arrives in July, he will begin meeting with members of the three parish communities to make plans to move forward as one, united community.

Together, with input from us, the parishioners, the date for the end to regular Sunday worship at St. Irenaeus will be determined. To be clear, no date has been determined at this time.

Special celebrations will be planned with input from us, the parishioners, for these final weekend Masses. The date will be announced in advance, so all who wish to join in the celebration can be there.

On May 15, 2022, Fr. Kris will celebrate Mass here at St. Irenaeus, to meet us, the parishioners, of the new parish community.

The Renew My Church (RMC) Listening Sessions:

All parishioners are invited to participate in a “Listening Session” where they can share their concerns, ask questions and receive honest answers from the RMC team.

The following dates have been set for Listening Sessions:

Sunday, May 1 Following the 9:30am Mass at St. Irenaeus Church
Monday, May 2 6:30pm-8:00pm at Infant Jesus of Prague
Wednesday, May 4 6:30pm-8:00pm at St. Lawrence O’Toole
Tuesday, May 10 6:30pm-8pm at St. Joseph
Friday, May 13 6:30pm-8pm at St. Emeric
Sunday, May 15 Following the 9:30am Mass at St. Anne Church

Renew My Church

Update February 19, 2022

Pastor and Associate Pastor assignments for the 294 South Grouping have been announced by Bishop Joseph Perry. These assignments will be effective July, 1, 2022.

For the newly united parish to be formed by Infant Jesus of Prague, St. Irenaeus and St. Lawrence O'Toole:

Fr. Kris Paluch will serve as Pastor. Fr. Paluch is currently Pastor of St. Christopher Parish in Midlothian.
Fr. Ron Kondziolka will serve as Associate Pastor.

Download pdf version of this information here: https://stirenaeuschurch.com/documents/2-19-2022-rmc-pastor-assignment-letter

Public Liturgy: Sundays at 9:30am

2/10/2022 Archdiocesan Update regarding masks

Beginning Thursday, February 10, 2022, archdiocesan churches and chapels in Lake and Suburban Cook Counties can move to mask-optional for all Masses, liturgies, and Religious Education classes.

Renew My Church

Update Jan. 25, 2022

Bishop Joseph Perry, our regional bishop and Cardinal Cupich's representative to Vicariate VI, our region of the archdiocese, shared an update on the future of the parishes in our grouping (294 South Corridor) on Monday, January 24, 2022.

Over the past several months, the 294 South Corridor grouping’s Feedback and Discernment Teams, made up of representatives from each parish community, met to review and discern future parish and church structures. Based on their meetings and discussions with the larger parish communities, they submitted feedback reports to the Archdiocesan Standards and Recommendations Commission, which includes representatives from across the archdiocese. The commission reviewed the feedback reports and other information, including demographic data, financial summaries, and parish and grouping trends. Cardinal Cupich, our auxiliary bishops and Presbyteral Council discussed the commission’s recommendations. Based on those discussions and prayerful consideration, the following decisions have been made:

The 294 South Corridor Grouping includes the following parishes and schools:

Infant Jesus of Prague Parish and School (Flossmoor)
St. Anne Parish (Hazel Crest)
St. Irenaeus Parish (Park Forest)
St. Emeric Parish (Country Club Hills)
St. Joseph Parish (Homewood)
St. Lawrence O’Toole Parish (Matteson)

The new structure will be:

St. Anne, St. Emeric and St. Joseph will unite as a new parish, with a new name, one pastor and one pastoral team, effective July 1, 2022.
- St. Joseph will serve as the parish church and the pastor in consultation with parish leadership will issue the timeline for fully transitioning Masses to St. Joseph Church in the coming months.
- The local community will discern possibilities for the new permanent name of the united parish, within guidelines provided by the archdiocese.
Infant Jesus of Prague (IJP), St. Irenaeus and St. Lawrence O’Toole will unite as a new parish, with a new name, one pastor and one pastoral team, effective July 1, 2022.
- IJP will serve as the parish church and the pastor in consultation with parish leadership will issue a timeline for fully transitioning Masses to IJP in the coming months.
- The local community will discern possibilities for the new permanent name of the united parish, within guidelines provided by the archdiocese.
- Infant Jesus of Prague School will serve as the parish school.

Next Steps

Over the next few months, the archdiocese and the current parish pastors together with the archdiocese Renew My Church Accompaniment Team will work with local leaders to ensure uniting faith communities and staff are supported through this time of change. All parishes will embark on the next phase of renewal to become stronger, more sustainable and capable of reaching more people in their work of making disciples of Jesus Christ, building communities and inspiring witness.

Read official statement from the Archdiocese of Chicago on the 294 South Corridor grouping here.

STAY SOCIALLY CONNECTED WITH ST. IRENAEUS

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YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB0UWs1-hYb_nLcBfMknVvg

DONATIONS

Online at GiveCentral - https://www.givecentral.org/location/410
Checks may be mailed or dropped off at the Parish office at the following address:
St Irenaeus Church
78 Cherry Street
Park Forest, Illinois 60466