St. Rene Hosts Legacy Celebration Before School Closes Forever in June

Saint Rene Goupil isn’t closing, it’s celebrating 55 years of first communions, graduations, wrapping paper fundraisers, matches made in heaven and calls to faith intertwined with a vibrant southwest side Chicago neighborhood.

The school is calling alumni from all graduating classes to celebrate the school’s fifty-five year legacy on Saturday, May 23, before St. Rene closes its doors forever in June.

Parents, teachers and students were blindsided last fall when the Archdiocese of Chicago announced to plans to close St. Rene and five other Catholic elementary schools as part of restructuring of the Archdiocese.

Despite the school community’s best efforts to save St. Rene by marketing it to the nearby area, touting the school’s small class sizes and dedicated teachers, the Archdiocese made good on its promise to close the school.

“We are not celebrating the closing of the school, but rather we are celebrating fifty-five great years of faith, education and service. The school may be closing, but the memories, the relationships and the friendships will live on,” stated a school press release.

The afternoon will begin with a Mass of Thanksgiving at 4 p.m. Immediately after Mass there will be an open house where former students, faculty, families and parishioners will have one last chance to roam the school’s halls. Dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m., concluding with entertainment provided by a DJ.

Everyone is invited -- current students, alumni, family of an alum, former faculty or staff, friend of the school, current or former parishioner and members of the community.

Tickets for the dinner are $12.50 per person, and must be purchased in advance. Tickets are available after all the weekend Masses in the church narthex or by ordering through the parish office at 773-229-8523. Tickets will NOT be sold at the door.

The school is also looking for current information for all alumni. Alumni may email their information to strenelegacy@hotmail.com or call the parish office at 773-229-8523.

St Rene Goupil is located at 6340 S. New England Ave., Chicago.