In a historic move, Mitchell Rozanski, the Archbishop of St. Louis, announced a comprehensive reorganization of the Catholic Church in St. Louis that will result in the closure of 35 parishes and the redistribution of 155 priests. The St. Louis Archdiocese has undergone this reform, which is the biggest in its history.
After 18 months of anticipation, this extensive restructuring, dubbed "All Things New," was announced on Saturday. The restructuring will result in a decrease in the number of parishes from 178 to 134. Through a press conference and a letter that was read aloud by priests during Saturday's vigil Mass, Rozanski broke the news.
Unprecedented Restructuring, Closing 35 Parishes
According to the article shared in St. Louis Post Dispatch, Rozanski acknowledged the importance of the reforms and expressed remorse about their necessity. He stated that, at this time, taking this measure was necessary. Despite the plan's broad-reaching effects on the entire region, it mostly affects north St. Louis and north St. Louis County because it is responsible for almost half of the closures. Only one closure is scheduled west of Interstate 270 in St. Louis County.
The Archbishop emphasized the importance of this gesture in maintaining the faith for upcoming generations. Along with the parish closures, a Spanish-speaking parish will also be added in St. Charles County, while 15 additional parishes will combine to establish five new ones.
The declaration made it clear that, while such choices were still being made, the closing and amalgamation of parishes would not inevitably result in the closure of the related church buildings. According to Spectrum News, Early June is when more information regarding the united parishes' new Mass times and places of worship will be available. This fall, decisions about the closure or consolidation of Catholic parish schools are expected to be made public. By using canon or church law, parishioners have until June 12 to appeal the rulings to Rozanski.
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What's Next for the Archdiocese
Parishioners and priests are preparing for a wave of changes across several parishes in the St. Louis area. In the article shared in Blue Mountain Eagle, one example includes the congregation from Our Lady of Lourdes, who are planning to gather for a Memorial Day service at St. Luke the Evangelist, a parish being absorbed by the University City parish. Similarly, St. Barnabas will become a personal Hispanic parish named St. Juan Diego. However, this has stirred controversy, with some seeing it as an attack on the traditional Latin Mass. Despite the changes, some parishes remain unchanged and are looking forward to future expansions, such as St. Peter in Kirkwood.
Former state Senator Bob Onder led a large protest against these changes, sending petitions signed by over 3,100 Catholics to the Vatican. His parish, St. Gianna, will remain unchanged after parishioner outcry against proposed mergers. Many parishioners express optimism about the changes, seeing it as an opportunity for growth and stronger communities. These changes will begin to take effect after Pentecost Sunday.
Related Article:Catholic Diocese of Columbus Announces Closure of 15 Churches in Response to Declining Attendance, Other Challenges
