Downsizing of Youngstown Diocese parishes from 113 to 87 is complete; What’s next?
By LINDA M. LINONIS
linonis@vindy.com
youngstown
The “R” word of reconfiguration is giving way to the “E” word of evangelization in the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown for the Rev. Nicholas Shori, director of the Parish Implementation Plan in the diocese.
He said the six-county diocese of Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana, Ashtabula, Portage and Stark counties has consolidated 113 parishes to 87 and attained the goal of the reconfiguration plan announced by Bishop George V. Murry on May 28, 2010.
As the reconfiguration plan heads into its third year, Father Shori said the emphasis will be evangelization. “Evangelization is the ongoing examination of what’s going on in parishes ... evaluating growth, needs and financial status,” he said. Keeping closer taps in these areas will maintain the overall health of parishes and give church councils important operating information.
The reconfiguration process has had some “tender spots,” Father Shori said previously but overall the downsizing has been “transparent.” There is one appeal, which is in the hands of the Vatican. Two situations of churches with schools are being re-evaluated.
Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.
Comments
Father Shori was our parish priest and he was good, we loved him. Hope youre done now with this duty, come back to a parish and do well again!
The downsizing of the Church has little to do with the current economy and more to do with the economy of the 1970's and 1980's when the steel mills closed. With the population decline of the last 30 years, there weren't enough parishioners in the closed parishes to justify their existence. Additionally, there are no new priests to make up for the aging priest population. Most of the 26 closed parishes probably should have closed 15 years ago, but Malone and then Tobin weren't going to step on that landmine.
so what you are saying is that young boys have to travel further now to have alone time with Catholic priests? And by alone time, i am only referring duties related to being an alter boy.
The Catholic Church is strictly a business which had to downsize like every other business.
Evangelization? A viable, financially-stable parish gets closed in an area with a growing Hispanic population, leaving an entire quadrant of a city (Canton) without a Catholic parish, and NOW you are going to talk about evangelization? Too late, I'm afraid! The Protestants are way ahead of you.
As people get more educated, they tend to move away from religion. Most people who call themselves Catholics are not practicing. Eventually, religion goes away entirely as the myth gets exposed.