St. Joseph-Joliet parishioners speak out on diocese reorganization

Parishioners at St. Joseph Church in Joliet are objecting to its placement as a subservient church in the new structure announced by the Diocese of Joliet.

The church, established in 1891, traces its roots to the Slovenian immigration that was a major factor in the development of Joliet.

The Diocese of Joliet relegates the church to a status that parishioners said leaves its future uncertain, although their financial support of the church is crucial to the creation of a new parish under the diocese reorganization plan.

The Diocese of Joliet in January announced a consolidation plan that primarily involves churches in Joliet and Crest Hill.

The restructuring places St. Joseph under a new parish headed by St. Mary Magdalene, which St. Joseph parishioners said attracts a fraction of the churchgoers that come to St. Joseph’s.

St. Joseph had 240 churchgoers at its 10:30 a.m. Mass on Feb. 11, compared with 40 at St. Mary Magdalene, said Mary Petrella, a parishioner at St. Joseph.

“We just would like to do what we’ve been doing for 134 years,” Petrella said. “We want to be left alone, if that’s possible. If that’s not possible, we would like to be a parish seat.”

A news release issued Friday by St. Joseph parishioners said the parish has “more money in the bank” than the other three parishes with which it would be merged – St. Mary Magdalene, St. Anthony and St. Bernard.

St. Mary Magdalene would become the lead church under the new diocesan arrangement.

St. Joseph has no debts, but its assets would be transferred to the new parish, according to the release.

“Parishioners are keenly aware that the only way the new parish can survive is with St. Joseph’s assets,” according to the release.

The future of St. Joseph is left uncertain under the diocese reorganization plan.

The Diocese of Joliet did not respond to a request for comment.

St. Joseph is among the remaining churches in Joliet that can trace its roots to 19th century European immigrants.

The diocese in 2010 ordered the closing of the parish school at St. Joseph, although a private school named St. Joseph Academy subsequently was opened and remans in operation.

The Diocese of Joliet announced the current consolidation in January, noting that it would mean the closing of five churches, including four in Joliet – St. Anthony, St. Bernard, St. Jude and Sacred Heart. St. Anne in Crest Hill also will be closed.