The first major diocesan-wide synod in 2017 proposed eight ecclesial areas of focus. In 2022, the diocese engaged in a follow-up synod, which further clarified and more narrowly focused our priorities on missionary discipleship and evangelization. In his pastoral letter, “We Proclaim Jesus as Lord,” Bishop McClory outlined ten principles of missionary discipleship to guide the faithful to live out this essential calling.

Our diocesan vision is simple: “Be Disciples. Be Missionaries.”

The Diocese of Gary stands at a pivotal moment.  The current pastoral planning has asked our parishes to be courageous, to restructure for the sake of mission rather than maintenance, and to utilize human and material resources to revitalize ministries to create vibrant, thriving communities. 

As we move forward, every priest, deacon, and member of the lay faithful is invited to see this moment not as a burden, but as a missionary opportunity. This is a chance to reinvigorate and renew the Church in Northwest Indiana.

Let us be guided by the Holy Spirit to become a diocese where every parish is missionary, every community is vibrant, and every leader is formed to bring the Gospel to Northwest Indiana with clarity, joy, and conviction.

Pastoral planning is a prayerful, strategic process by which a parish or group of parishes takes inventory of the current human and financial resources of a community and realigns them to meet the current sacramental and pastoral needs. 

The planning process involves meetings with key parish leaders and parishioners over several months to explore relevant data and mission goals to propose a plan to organize ministries and worship opportunities for local Catholic communities. After key leaders make their recommendations, the bishop prayerfully considers how to best serve the local church. 

All parishes in the Diocese of Gary have entered the process of pastoral planning at strategic points: 

  • In 2020, the Merrillville parishes began the pastoral planning process and formally merged as Our Lady Queen of Martyrs in 2025. 
  • In 2023, the Michigan City parishes began pastoral planning and are still in the process of formally merging. 
  • In the fall of 2024, parishes in East Chicago, Hammond and Whiting began the pastoral planning process in fall of 2024, with Bishop McClory announcing the plans for these communities in May 2025.  
  • In the fall of 2025, the remaining 41 parishes began the process of pastoral planning, with Bishop McClory announcing the plans in March 2026. 

 

Parish Transition Outlines

2025 North Lake Planning Area: East Chicago, Hammond and Whiting

Outcome:  The transition to a four-parish model with three additional worship sites that will provide for the spiritual, sacramental, cultural and pastoral needs of Catholics in the North Lake County area. The main parish for East Chicago is St. Mary with Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Margaret Mary as additional worship sites. The main parishes for Hammond are St. Casimir and St. John Bosco with Our Lady of Perpetual Help as an additional worship site. The main parish of Whiting is St. John the Baptist.

2026 and following:

East Chicago:

  • At an appropriate time, and upon completing the required canonical processes, St. Patrick will conclude its time as a worship site and the community will be relocated to one of the other campuses for spiritual, sacramental and pastoral care.

Hammond:

  • At an appropriate time, and upon completing the required canonical processes, All Saints campus will conclude its time as a worship site and the community will be relocated to St. Casimir for spiritual, sacramental and pastoral care.
  • At an appropriate time, and upon completing the required canonical processes, Our Lady of Perpetual Help will merge with St. John Bosco and act as an additional worship site. Factors to consider may include the retirement, reassignment, or health of the pastor, demographic shifts, and financial and/or physical status of the parish itself.
  • At an appropriate time, St. Joseph will conclude its time as a parish and the community will be relocated for its spiritual, sacramental and pastoral care.

Whiting:

  • At an appropriate time, and upon completing the required canonical processes, Sacred Heart will merge with St. John the Baptist and for an unspecified time act as an additional worship site. Factors to consider may include the reassignment of the pastor. At an appropriate time, Sacred Heart campus will conclude its time as a worship site and the community will be relocated for its spiritual, sacramental, and pastoral care.
  • At an appropriate time, St. Adalbert campus will conclude its time as a worship site and the community will be relocated for its spiritual, sacramental and pastoral care.
     
2026 North Lake Planning Area

Outcome:  Transition to a three-parish model with two additional worship sites that will provide for the spiritual, sacramental, and pastoral needs of Catholics in the North Lake County area. The main parish for Gary will be Holy Angels Cathedral, with additional worship sites at St. Joseph the Worker and St. Mary of the Lake. The main parish for Lake Station will be St. Francis Xavier. The main parish for the Hobart area will be St. Bridget.

2026 and following:

  • Bishop McClory announces the transition to a three-parish model with two additional worship sites that will lead to the transition process and collaboration of Catholics in the North Lake Planning area for the spiritual, sacramental, and pastoral care of the community.
  • After completing the required canonical processes, Holy Angels Cathedral, Ss. Monica and Luke, St. Mary of the Lake, and St. Joseph the Worker will be led as an in solidum grouping of parishes (c. 517.1) with a potential to merge to become one parish with multiple worship sites.
  • an appropriate time, and after completing the required canonical processes, Ss. Monica and Luke campus will conclude its time as a worship site, be merged with another parish, and the community will be relocated to one of the other campuses for spiritual, sacramental, and pastoral care. Factors may include the retirement, reassignment, or health of the pastor, demographic shifts, and financial and/or physical status of the parish itself.
  • At an appropriate time, and after the required canonical processes, Assumption Parish will merge with St. Bridget and act as an additional worship site until a suitable time is deemed for it to cease being used as a worship site. Factors may include the retirement, reassignment, or health of the pastor, demographic shifts, and financial and/or physical status of the parish itself.
     
South Lake Planning Area

Outcome: Transition to a nine-parish model with two additional worship sites that will provide for the spiritual, sacramental, and pastoral needs of Catholics in the South Lake County area. The nine parishes will be: St. Thomas More in Munster; St. Maria Goretti in Dyer; Our Lady of Grace in Highland with an additional worship site at St. James the Less; St. Edward in Lowell; St. Michael the Archangel in Schererville; St. Matthias/St. Mary in Crown Point; St. John the Evangelist in St. John; Holy Name in Cedar Lake; and St. Mary in Griffith.


2026 and following:

  • Bishop McClory announces the transition to a nine-parish model with two additional worship sites that will lead to the transition process and collaboration of Catholics in South Lake County for the spiritual, sacramental, and pastoral care of the community, and support the Catholic Schools in this area.
  • At an appropriate time, and after completing the required canonical processes, St. James the Less will merge with Our Lady of Grace to become one parish with these two worship sites. Factors may include the retirement, reassignment, or health of the pastor, demographic shifts, and financial and/or physical status of the parish itself.
  • After completing the required canonical processes, St. Joseph in Dyer will merge with St. Maria Goretti to become one parish. At an appropriate time, and after the required canonical processes, St. Joseph campus will conclude its time as a worship site and the community will be relocated to the other campus for spiritual, sacramental and pastoral care. Factors may include the retirement, reassignment, or health of the pastor, demographic shifts, and financial and/or physical status of the parish itself.
  • After completing the required canonical processes, St. Ann in Gary will merge with St. Mary in Griffith to become one parish. At an appropriate time, and after the required canonical processes, St. Ann campus will conclude its time as a worship site and the community will be relocated to the other campus for spiritual, sacramental and pastoral care. Factors may include the retirement, reassignment, or health of the pastor, demographic shifts, and financial and/or physical status of the parish itself.
  • At an appropriate time, and after the required canonical processes, St. Mary in Crown Point and St. Matthias will merge into a single parish and act as two worship sites with a school. Factors may include the retirement, reassignment, or health of the pastor, demographic shifts, and financial and/or physical status of the parish itself.
     
Porter Planning Area

Outcome: Transition to a five-parish model with two additional worship sites that will provide for the spiritual, sacramental, and pastoral needs of Catholics in the Porter Planning area. The five parishes will be: St. Patrick in Chesterton; Nativity of Our Savior in Portage; St. Paul in Valparaiso; St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Valparaiso; Holy Spirit in Winfield, with an additional worship site at St. Helen; and St. Teresa of Avila will become an additional worship site as a mission church in Valparaiso.


2026 and following:

  • Bishop McClory announces the transition to a five-parish model with two additional worship sites that will lead to the transition process and collaboration of Catholics in the Porter Planning area for the spiritual, sacramental, and pastoral care of the community, and support the Catholic Schools in this area.
  • After completing the canonical processes, St. Mary in Kouts and St. Helen will merge with Holy Spirit and act as additional worship sites. At an appropriate time, and after the required canonical processes, St. Mary will conclude its time as a worship site and the community will be relocated to the other campuses for their spiritual, sacramental, and pastoral care. Factors may include the retirement, reassignment, or health of the pastor, demographic shifts, and financial and/or physical status of the parish itself.
  • After completing the canonical processes, St. Ann of the Dunes will merge with St. Patrick and act as an additional worship site. At an appropriate time, and after the required canonical processes, St. Ann will conclude its time as a worship site and the community will be relocated for their spiritual, sacramental, and pastoral care. Factors may include the retirement, reassignment, or health of the pastor, demographic shifts, and financial and/or physical status of the parish itself.
  • After completing the canonical processes, Our Lady of Sorrows will merge with Nativity of Our Savior and act as an additional worship site. At an appropriate time, and after the required canonical processes, Our Lady of Sorrows will conclude its time as a worship site and the community will be relocated for their spiritual, sacramental, and pastoral care. Factors may include the retirement, reassignment, or health of the pastor, demographic shifts, and financial and/or physical status of the parish itself.
  • St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Student Center will be elevated to a Mission Church and act as an additional worship site in the Valparaiso community. At an appropriate time in the future, it will operate under the leadership and oversight of St. Paul.
     
Laporte/Starke Planning Area

Outcome: Transition to a three-parish model, with three additional worship sites that will provide for the spiritual, sacramental, and pastoral needs of Catholics in the Laporte/Starke County area. The three parishes will be: Holy Family in Laporte with an additional worship site at St. John Kanty; Sacred Heart in Wanatah, with an additional worship site at St. Mary, Otis; and St. Thomas Aquinas, with an additional worship site at Ss. Cyril and Methodius.


2026 and following:

  • Bishop McClory announces the transition to a three-parish model with three additional worship sites that will lead to the transition process and collaboration of Catholics in the Laporte/Starke County area for the spiritual, sacramental, and pastoral care of the community.
  • After completing the required canonical processes, All Saints in San Pierre will merge with Ss. Cyril and Methodius to become one parish. At an appropriate time, and after the required canonical processes, All Saints campus will conclude its time as a worship site and the community will be relocated to the other campus for spiritual, sacramental and pastoral care.
  • At an appropriate time following the All Saints and Ss. Cyril and Methodius' merger described above, and after completing the required canonical processes, Ss. Cyril and Methodius will merge with St. Thomas Aquinas as one parish with two worship sites. Factors may include pastor retirement, reassignment, or health, demographic shifts, and parish financial and/or physical status.
  • After completing the required canonical processes, St. Mary in Otis will merge with Sacred Heart in Wanatah to become one parish with these two worship sites. At an appropriate time, and after the required canonical processes, St. Martin Mission will conclude its time as a mission church and the community will be relocated to the other campuses for spiritual, sacramental and pastoral care.
  • At an appropriate time, and after completing the required canonical processes, Holy Cross Parish and St. Dominic Mission will cease being used for worship and the community will be relocated to neighboring parishes for spiritual, sacramental, and pastoral care. Factors may include the retirement, reassignment, or health of the pastor, demographic shifts, and financial and/or physical status of the parish itself.
  • After completing the required canonical process, St. Anthony of Padua will merge with St. John Kanty to become one parish. At an appropriate time, and after completing the required canonical process, St. John Kanty will merge with Holy Family to become one parish with multiple worship sites, and St. Anthony campus will conclude its time as a worship site and the community will be relocated to the other campuses. Factors may include the retirement, reassignment, or health of the pastor, demographic shifts, and financial and/or physical status of the parish itself.  
     

 

 

FAQs

What is "pastoral planning"?

Pastoral planning is a prayerful, strategic process by which a parish or group of parishes take inventory of the current human and financial resources of a community and realign them to meet the current sacramental and pastoral needs.

Is "pastoral planning" just a fancy way of saying that parishes are going to close?

While some parishes may close and merge with other nearby parishes, this is not the sole purpose of pastoral planning. In order to maximize talents and resources, some church buildings may close or remain open as a worship site while the parish operations merge with another parish. Other parishes may remain, growing in their operations or remain unchanged depending on the sacramental and pastoral needs of the local community.

Why is this happening now?

Shifting demographics, fewer resources, older buildings, and numerous anticipated retirements among the clergy in the next few years make discerning a pastoral plan more important than ever so that future generations will continue to receive the great blessings of our Catholic faith.

Who makes the decisions in this process?

Bishop McClory is the ultimate decision maker as the shepherd of the Diocese of Gary and he has appointed Fr. Christopher Stanish, Vicar General; Fr. Jeff Burton, Northlake Dean; and Deacon Brad Hendrickson to facilitate the pastoral planning process. Additionally, each pastor has appointed three Key Parish Leaders to serve as advisors to explore the current ministry landscape, review future strategies for an effective Catholic presence in the area, and formulate recommendations for Bishop McClory's consideration. You can ask your pastor for the names of the Key Parish Leaders who have been designated for your parish.

Will I have the opportunity to voice my thoughts and concerns?

Inclusion and transparency are key to a faithful and effective process. The recent Disciple Maker Index Survey was one way to solicit parishioners' input on attitudes, beliefs, satisfaction, and participation.

General Parish Meetings are another important opportunity for members of the community to understand the considerations for pastoral planning and share any concerns they have that may not have been considered. There are at least two General Parish Meetings as part of every pastoral planning process, which will be publicized in the parish bulletin. 

For example, there were two General Parish Meetings for the East Chicago, Hammond and Whiting pastoral planning process that took place at Bishop Noll Institute on October 14 and 16, as well as November 18 and 20, 2024 to understand the current landscape and receive feedback on models for the future. Meetings were held in the remaining planning areas the weeks of September 8 and October 27, 2025.

My parish received a letter from the bishop. What happens now?  

With this response, parish transition plans may begin and will unfold over time. Each local transition will be unique and will be informed by the community’s spiritual and sacramental needs, as well as human and financial resources.   

What is a "worship site"?

A worship site is a physical church building that will continue to be used for sacraments and other appropriate events. If there are multiple campuses/churches being used, then each of those are worship sites under the umbrella of the "parish." 

Worship sites may be used regularly for Sunday and Holy Day Masses, or they may be reserved for special events, such as weddings and funerals.

My parish is closing, what does this mean?

When a parish closes, it ceases to exist as a separate entity, and its members are invited to become part of another parish community nearby. The church building may remain open for worship or may be deconsecrated, depending on pastoral needs. Sacramental records will be preserved and transferred to the designated successor parish. 

It is important to note that this is not a sign of failure. The Church is always growing and realigning resources to meet the current needs of a community and to respond to the signs of the times to be most effective for mission.

What happens to the money I've donated to my parish?

Church law mandates that money donated will go to the parish that subsumes the parish that is closing.

My parish provides services that the local community depends upon, such as free meals or food and clothing distribution. If we close, who will take care of those in need?

The discernment for each individual ministry will take place at a local level with the individuals who operate and benefit from the services they provide. Continuation of key parish ministries may involve moving the ministry to another location or forming new collaborations within the community.

Is there an appeals process?

The process for appeal is outlined according to the norms of the Church’s law (Canon 1734). Once the decree is published, anyone who is a parishioner of that parish has the right to seek to revoke or amend that decree in writing concerning the way their parish is being altered. The written appeal must be made in writing and received no later than 10 days after the decree, and delivered to Bishop McClory at 9292 Broadway, Merrillville, IN 46410. We cannot accept emails or phone calls as a request for appeal. 

I still have questions or concerns that were not addressed here. Who can I contact?

It is best to contact your local pastor with questions about how the pastoral planning will impact your community.