Consider Giving to Immaculate Conception
Immaculate Conception depends on the generosity of our benefactors. The fact that we have been in the neighborhood for over 100 years is a testament to the trust people have had in our ministry and leadership.
Below, see the ways we envision Growth and Need for the Parish moving forward in 2023 and beyond:
Areas of Growth for our Parish
+ Teen Ministry
We’ve had a wonderful response to our newly launched Teen Club program. With nearly 50 of our children registered, I would like to invest in our volunteer-leaders to better help them run and organize the program.
+ Family Formation and Sacramental Formation
I believe in Catholic education and am proud of the work our school and religious education program does in its role to form our children. I have found in my experience as a priest, however, that Catholic education is incomplete if parents do not have an active role in the faith of their children. Formation primarily takes place in the home—it is within our homes where we form our values, priorities, and habits.
To that end, I want to expand how we work with families, as I strongly believe that family formation is a path of greater success. This new program, which I hope to implement in 2025 or 2026, would require a staffed position to assist me (and a potential associate) to work together with clusters of families on a readiness-based level of sacramental preparation.
+ Leadership Pipelines
Our Alpha program encourages openness to conversations necessary for leadership. It is the primary tool I use when selecting leaders for new ministries here at our parish.
Many of our lectors, Eucharistic ministers, ushers, ministers of care, leaders of our Teen Club, and those who help organize service projects are Alpha alumni. By working together with them through Alpha, I am able to build a relationship with them and share my vision on a more personal basis. In this way, I can entrust more responsibility and leadership roles to them.
While leadership is one goal, the primary goal is engagement with others and strengthening bonds in our community through a relationship with God and friendship with one another. I plan to support this program further as we look to expand our offerings for prayer groups, parish retreats, parish service projects, and continue to seek new ways to engage our children during the school week and our weekend Masses.
Areas of Need for our Campus
+ HVAC systems
Our Heating and cooling systems on our campus are aging to the point where repairs are becoming cumbersome. Some of our systems in our church are 60 years old, while our school’s systems are over 30 years old. While we have done our best to fix our heating and cooling, the system we have in place is inefficient, albeit functional. We would still approach this project with potential fundraising so as not to significantly impair savings or the school endowment.
+ Rectory Assembly
The Rectory Assembly is a space that we upgraded a few years ago in order to emphasize leadership and ministry. In recent years, it has been utilized more than ever, hosting our hospitality offerings (Coffee House & New Parishioner Breakfasts) as well as varied leadership & faith formation events and service projects for The Port Ministries. Our RA now also serves as the primary meeting space for our Alpha & Connect programs, Parish & Finance Councils, School Board, Parents Club, Teen Club, and Bible Study Group.
With the increased use, I believe it is time to upgrade our other outdated facilities there: namely, the kitchen and our bathrooms. Doing so, will allow us to better host and carry out our ministries in service to our community.
+ Security
Security is an ever-growing concern. We are looking to improve our campus with camera coverage and additional lighting in our parking lot to help prevent damage, theft, or any other issues.
+ Energy Efficiency
One of the major costs associated with our campus is heating, cooling, and electricity. I would like to explore ways, outside of new equipment, to improve the efficiency of our campus while also reducing one of our most prominent expenses.
Ministerial Needs of our Parish
One of the biggest areas of need and growth for our parish is an additional priest. I have endeavored to look for a candidate who not only helps with sacramental work but can also assist me in leadership roles with our expanding ministries. In order to do so, I want to make sure the financial future of our parish is secure and growing because I believe the right person will really help our parish to grow more quickly. An additional person can help invest in leaders, but also build relationships with the wider parish community. I thank you for your continued support towards this important goal.
Interested in giving something more specific?
If you are at all interested in donating towards these projects, please contact either Fr. Matthew Heinrich (Pastor) at fr.matt@icchicago.org or Vincent Kennedy (Director of Operations) at vkennedy@icchicago.org so we can get in touch.
Parishioners have donated labor from their companies in the past (e.g., woodworking, cleaning, wiring, electrical, plumbing, etc.), which has also been greatly appreciated.
Thank you for all you do to make IC a great place to witness to the Gospel!
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