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Youngstown Diocese reinvents itself today
By Elise Franco
YOUNGSTOWN
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Youngstown is ready for its merger announcement.
A diocesan representative said the plan is ready, and all of the details will be released during a 10 a.m. news conference at the Diocesan Conference Room on West Wood Street. Bishop George V. Murry declined to comment on specifics before this morning’s announcement.
The plan calls for restructuring many parishes.
Some will remain single entities, but others will be placed in collaborative units with a grouping of two or more served by one or more priests while retaining their building, pastoral and financial councils. Still others will be placed into merged units with two or more parishes forming a single new parish with a common staff.
Father Nicholas Shori, of St. Paul Church in New Middletown, said he’s impressed by the process, which has been ongoing since February.
“The process has been very open,” he said.
Father Shori said those involved must focus on the future once the plan is announced.
“In the days ahead, I think what’s going to be important is to remain objective,” he said. “We’re looking to hopefully have some real cooperation.”
The diocese has 96 priests, 113 parishes and two missions. Within four years, retirements will drop the number of priests into the 60s, he said. There are 15 men in seminary now, but that will only raise the number of priests into the mid-70s.
Father Shori said the reconfiguration is necessary, but it gives the diocese a chance to be proactive in its future.
“It gives us the opportunity to re-create how we do ministry in the community,” he said. “This isn’t just something that is in reaction to a problem, because we have the opportunity to be proactive.”
Columbiana (County) Deanery
Present number of clergy, 8; proposed number of clergy, 4.
Collaborative units:
• St. Jude, Columbiana and Our Lady of Lourdes, East Palestine.
• St. Paul, Salem and St. Patrick, Leetonia.
Merged units:
• St. George, Lisbon; St. Agatha Mission, West Point; St. John, Summitville; St. Philip Neri, Dungannon; and St. Patrick, Salineville.
• St. Aloysius and St. Ann, East Liverpool; and Immaculate Conception, Wellsville.
Mahoning North and South Deaneries
Present number of clergy, 30; proposed number of clergy, 25, including parochial vicars. Numbers do not include St. Dominic, which is staffed by Dominican priests.
Single units: Immaculate Heart of Mary and St. Joseph, Austintown; St. Charles, St. Luke and St. Edward, Boardman; St. Michael, Canfield; St. Paul the Apostle, New Middletown; Holy Family, Poland; St. Christine, Youngstown, St. Dominic, St. Columba, St. Brendan and St. Patrick, Youngstown; and Holy Rosary, Lowellville.
Merged units:
• St. Elizabeth; St. John the Baptist; St. Joseph the Provider; St. Lucy and St. Rose of Lima.
• Sts. Cyril & Methodius; Holy Name; and St. Mathias.
• St. Casmir and St. Stanislaus.
St. Anthony and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.
St. Stephen of Hungary; Our Lady of Hungary and Sts. Peter & Paul.
St. Nicholas and Holy Trinity, Struthers. Immaculate Conception and Sacred Heart, Youngstown.
• St. Catherine, Lake Milton, and St. James, North Jackson.
Trumbull (County) Deanery
Present number of clergy, 17; proposed number of clergy, 13. Numbers do not include Queen of the Holy Rosary.
Single units: St. William, Champion; St. Robert, Cortland; St. Patrick, Hubbard; St. Mary and St. Joseph, Newton Falls; Queen of the Holy Rosary, Vienna; Blessed Sacrament, Warren; and Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Niles.
Collaborative units:
St. Stephen, Niles and St. Mary, Mineral Ridge. St. Rose, Girard and Our Lady of Perpetual Help, McDonald.
Merged units: St. Bernadette, Masury and St. Vincent de Paul,Vienna. St. James and Sts. Cyril & Methodius, Warren. • St. Mary and St. Joseph of Warren. • St. Pius X and Christ Our King, Warren.
Source: Youngstown Catholic Diocese