August 26, 2024 // Diocese

Bishop Decrees Merger of St. Patrick, St. Hedwig Parishes in South Bend

Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades

SINGULAR DECREE

CONSOLIDATION OF ST. PATRICK PARISH AND ST. HEDWIG PARISH, SOUTH BEND, INDIANA

According to CJC/83 canon 515 §2 of the Code of Canon Law, “The diocesan bishop alone is competent to erect, suppress, or alter parishes. … “ The Second Vatican Council, in its Decree on the Pastoral Office of Bishops in the Church, Christus Dominus, Number 32, teaches that in creating or in any way changing the status of a parish, the bishop is to be motivated by his concern for the salvation of souls. This teaching was expanded upon by Pope Paul VI in his apostolic letter, Ecclesiae Sanctae I, Number 21, “Every possible effort should be made that parishes where, because of too great a population or too large a territory or for any cause whatsoever, apostolic activity can be exercised only with difficulty or less effectively, should be suitably divided or dismembered, as the circumstances require. And likewise parishes which are too small should be united as conditions and circumstances demand.”

The pastor of St. Patrick and St. Hedwig parishes, on the advice of the parish and finance councils of both parishes, approached me with the recommendation that the parishes should be consolidated. This recommendation is based on declining attendance and sacramental life, especially at St. Hedwig Parish, and the close proximity of the two parish churches. Consolidation is seen as a means to pool the resources of both parishes so as to seek to build up one vibrant parish community.

I then met with the parish and finance councils of both parishes on June 26, 2024, in order to discuss their recommendation in person. I further conducted an open parish meeting on July 11, 2024, in which any member of both parishes could attend to be heard regarding the proposed consolidation. This consolidation would be in accord with CIC/83 canon 121, that is, one new parish would be formed from the two existing parishes. All were overwhelmingly in favor of the proposal.

Thus, on August 20, 2024, in accord with CJC/82 canons 127 and 515 §2, I convened the Presbyteral Council of the diocese for the purpose of consulting with them regarding the consolidation of these parishes. The matter was presented to the council for advice.

After a discussion, the advice of the Council, without a dissenting opinion, was to consolidate these two parishes to form one new parish named St. Patrick-St. Hedwig Parish.

Therefore, after careful consideration of the advice of the Presbyteral Council as well as the input of pastor of the parishes, the pastoral and finance councils of the parishes, and various members of the parish communities, I decree:

St. Patrick Parish, South Bend, Indiana, and St. Hedwig Parish, South Bend, Indiana are consolidated in accord with CIC/83 canon 121 into a new parish named St. Patrick-St. Hedwig Parish.

Its territorial boundaries will be:

East: St. Joseph River

South: Sample Street

North and West: South Arnold Street to Maple Street to Linden Avenue to Allen Street to Lindsey Street to Forest Avenue.

Further, in accord with canon 121, St. Patrick-St. Hedwig Parish will assume all assets and liabilities of St. Patrick Parish and St. Hedwig Parish. Also, in accord with the norm of law, although the parish itself is named St. Patrick-St. Hedwig Parish, the current consecrated church buildings will retain their respective names of St. Patrick Church and St. Hedwig Church.

Finally, I decree that all parish records and registers from St. Patrick Parish and St. Hedwig Parish will be maintained and preserved in accord with the norm of law.

Most Reverend Kevin C. Rhoades,
Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend

Mr. Joseph Garcia,
Chancellor

Given on August 22, 2024,

Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, at the Archbishop Noll Center, Fort Wayne, Indiana.