PEORIA, Ill. — The Diocese of Peoria has announced massive restructuring plans, impacting several parishes in the Quad Cities region.
The Growing Disciples Pastoral Plan for the Diocese of Peoria, which the Diocese said will begin on July 1, 2024, will see the Diocese's current 156 parishes merge into 75 parishes.
According to Bishop Louis Tylka, the reduction in parishes is due in large part to a declining number of priests. The Diocese currently has 145 active priests, 11 fewer than the number of total parishes in the Diocese. Tylka said that 70% of current priests are over the age of 50. The Diocese projects to have 100 priests remaining by 2034.
Several other factors led to the Diocese's decision. The number of parishioners attending mass in the Diocese has dropped significantly in the last decade. Tylka said that nationwide, 85% of children confirmed as Catholics leave the faith by the time they turn 21. Here are some other statistics provided by the Diocese that highlight the decreasing number of parishioners:
- Mass attendance dropped 19% from 2011-2019, with an additional 22% decrease from 2019-2022
- Infant baptisms are down 27% since 2015
- Catholic marriages are down 34% since 2015
- Funerals are down 10% since 2015
The new plan will lead the Diocese to be reduced from 156 parishes to 75 parishes with 129 worship sites. 12 parishes will merge into neighboring parishes, while 107 parishes will merge to create 38 new parishes.
The 3-year restructuring process will begin on July 1, 2024.
Tylka issued 156 letters to each parish outlining how the restructuring would affect each. Here's a full rundown of parishes in the greater Quad Cities region and how they will be impacted, in alphabetical order.
- Christ the King, Moline
- No Change
- Corpus Christi, Galesburg
- Merging with Immaculate Heart of Mary in Galesburg, St. Patrick in Galesburg, St. James in Williamsfield and St. Aloysius in Wataga
- Primary worship site at Immaculate Heart of Mary
- Immaculate Conception, Monmouth
- Merging with St. Patrick in Raritan
- Primary worship site at Immaculate Conception
- Immaculate Heart of Mary, Galesburg
- Merging with Corpus Christi, St. Patrick in Galesburg, St. James in Williamsfield and St. Aloysius in Wataga
- Primary worship site at Immaculate Heart of Mary
- Mary, Our Lady of Peace, Orion
- Merging with St. Maria Goretti in Coal Valley
- Primary worship site at Mary, Our Lady of Peace
- Nativity of our Lord, Spring Valley
- Merging with St. Mary in DePue
- Primary worship site at Nativity of our Lord
- Our Lady of Guadalupe, Silvis
- Merging with St. Patrick in Colona
- Primary worship site at Our Lady of Guadalupe
- Sacred Heart, Abingdon
- Merging with St. Augustine in St. Augustine and St. Bernard in Bushnell
- Primary worship site at St. Augustine
- Sacred Heart, Annawan
- Merging with St. Anthony in Atkinson and St. Patrick in Sheffield
- Primary worship site at St. Anthony
- Sacred Heart, Dallas City
- Merging with Sts. Peter and Paul in Nauvoo, Immaculate Conception in Carthage, Sacred Heart in Warsaw and St. Mary in Hamilton
- Primary worship site at Sts. Peter and Paul
- Sacred Heart, Moline
- No Change
- Sacred Heart, Rock Island
- No Change
- St. Aloysius, Wataga
- Merging with Immaculate Heart of Mary in Galesburg, St. Patrick in Galesburg and St. James in Williamsfield
- Primary worship site at Immaculate Heart of Mary
- St. Ambrose, Milan
- Merging with St. Patrick in Andalusia
- Primary worship site at St. Ambrose
- St. Anne, East Moline
- Merging with St. John the Baptist in Rapids City and St. Mary in Hampton
- Primary worship site at St. Anne
- St. Anthony, Atkinson
- Merging with Sacred Heart in Annawan and St. Patrick in Sheffield
- Primary worship site at St. Anthony
- St. Augustine, St. Augustine
- Merging with Sacred Heart in Abingdon and St. Bernard in Bushnell
- Primary worship site at St. Augustine
- St. James, Williamsfield
- Immaculate Heart of Mary, Corpus Christi, and St. Patrick in Galesburg and St. Aloysius in Wataga
- Primary worship site at Immaculate Heart of Mary
- St. John Paul II, Kewanee
- No Change
- St. John the Apostle, Woodhull
- Merging with St. John the Evangelist in Galva and St. John Vianney in Cambridge
- Primary worship site at St. John the Apostle
- St. John the Baptist, Rapids City
- Merging with St. Anne in East Moline and St. Mary in Hampton
- Primary worship site at St. Anne
- St. John the Evangelist, Galva
- Merging with St. John the Apostle in Woodhull and St. John Vianney in Cambridge
- Primary worship site at St. John the Apostle
- St. John the Evangelist, Walnut
- Merging with St. Louis in Princeton, Immaculate Conception in Ohio and St. Mary in Tiskilwa
- Primary worship site at St. Louis
- St. John Vianney, Cambridge
- Merging with St. John the Evangelist in Galva and St. John the Apostle in Woodhull
- Primary worship site at St. John the Apostle
- St. Louis, Princeton
- Merging with St. John the Evangelist in Walnut, Immaculate Conception in Ohio and St. Mary in Tiskilwa
- Primary worship site at St. Louis
- St. Malachy, Geneseo
- No Change
- St. Maria Goretti, Coal Valley
- Merging with Mary, Our Lady of Peace in Orion
- Primary worship site at Mar, Our Lady of Peace
- St. Mary, Hampton
- Merging with St. Anne in East Moline and St. John the Baptist in Rapids City
- St. Mary of the Fields Shrine, Hooppole
- St. Anthony in Atkinson, Sacred Heart in Annawan and St. Patrick in Sheffield will be merged to become one new parish, with a primary worship site at St. Anthony. This parish will also care for the Shrine of St. Mary of the Fields.
- St. Mary, Moline
- No Change
- St. Mary, Rock Island
- No Change
- St. Mary, Tiskilwa
- Merging with St. Louis in Princeton, St. John the Evangelist in Walnut and Immaculate Conception in Ohio
- Primary worship site at St. Louis
- St. Mary Magdalene (St. Anthony Church), Matherville
- No Change
- St. Mary Magdalene (St. Catherine Church), Aledo
- No Change
- St. Patrick, Andalusia
- Merging with St. Ambrose in Milan
- Primary worship site at St. Ambrose in Milan
- St. Patrick, Colona
- Merging with Our Lady of Guadalupe in Silvis
- Primary worship site at Our Lady of Guadalupe
- St. Patrick, Galesburg
- Merging with Immaculate Heart of Mary, Corpus Christi, and St. Patrick in Galesburg, St. James in Williamsfield, and St. Aloysius in Wataga
- Primary worship site at Immaculate Heart of Mary
- St. Patrick, Raritan
- Merging with Immaculate Conception Parish in Monmouth
- Primary worship site at Immaculate Conception Parish
- St. Patrick, Sheffield
- Merging with St. Anthony in Atkinson, Sacred Heart in Annawan
- Primary worship site at St. Anthony
- St. Pius X, Rock Island
- No Change
- St. Theresa, Alexis
- St. Patrick in Raritan will merge with Immaculate Conception Parish in Monmouth, which will be the primary worship site. St. Theresa Church in Alexis will not be in use.
The Diocese announced last month that Our Lady of Grace Catholic Academy in East Moline was closing permanently following the end of the 2023-24 school year due to declining enrollment and teacher shortages.
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