St. Anastasia and St. Dismas parishes in Waukegan merging
St. Anastasia Parish and School and St. Dismas Parish in Waukegan will unite to form a new parish, effective July 1, under the Archdiocese of Chicago's Renew My Church effort to combat a shortage of priests and best use limited church resources, it was announced this week.
While the two churches will remain open, St. Dismas will be designated the parish church, where the parish records are kept. St. Anastasia School will serve as the parish school.
The leaders and parishioners of the new parish will work on a name for 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.
The action comes after months of study by representatives from the churches and school, who reported to the Archdiocesan Standards and Recommendations Commission, with the final decision make by Cupich, the archdiocese's auxiliary bishops and the Presbyteral Council.