A new Catholic parish in Waukegan has its new pastor, a Loyola U.-Chicago philosophy teacher and veteran of the Peru mission. He is Rev. Daniel Hartnett, S.J., who is to lead “a new Catholic presence in Waukegan,” according to the Chicago archdiocese’s director of research and planning, Jean Welter.
Welter explained to the News-Sun: “There were so many original ethnic parishes up there, and it’s still diverse . . . We still have the older ethnic groups and Latinos.”
A Waukegan priest, Rev. Gary Graf, and representatives of three parishes worked out a quasi-merger plan. The resulting quasi-single parish has been handed over to Father Hartnett.
It seems to be where a shortage of priests meets a shortage of anglos, which together meet a reasonable solution. It’s announced as a new-pastor story —
A philosophy professor who spent 23 years ministering to the poor in a squatter settlement in Peru has been named pastor of a newly formed Roman Catholic parish in Waukegan.
— but seems equally if not primarily a neat bit of ecclesiastical problem-solving. Not till the sixth paragraph, however, do we have details:
Each church will continue to operate, but will be referred to as the Holy Family site, IC [Immaculate Conception] site and Queen of Peace site. “Thank God,” Graf said. “We need every building we have.”
Come to think more on it, it’s one priest for three parishes — not quite a sow’s ear, but calling nonetheless for silk-purse treatment?
Blithe Spirit 
This research re-raises the new-old question — where does the Bible prohibit female priests and/or married ones? I’m told by celibate priests “It’s all in there.” I’m told by priests now married “I’m not so sure.” Where does one look….?
LikeLike
Living a few miles south of Waukegan, I’m familar with Rev. Gary Graf. He is know for his refusal to support the local police in their attempts to deal with Waukegan’s huge illegal immigrant population. As far as diversity is concerned, there could be little in Waukegan. Hispanics and the Catholic church go together. The idea that Rev. Daniel Hartnett will lead “a new Catholic presence in Waukegan” sounds irrational and impossible to me.
LikeLike
I for one think this is a great solution, and that we need to stop scapegoating our immigrant population and start recognizing them for the blessing that they are. After heavy industry left, Waukegan was doomed. If we stop getting in the Latinos’ way, we’ll be a hip metropolis in no time with plenty of young industrious workers and homeowners all paying taxes!
LikeLike