Diocese releases pastoral regions plan

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The Catholic Diocese of Youngstown released its plan to create pastoral regions in the area that will reduce the number of Masses in a letter addressed to parishioners.

The plan reflects challenges facing the diocese, including the aging demographic of area priests, the letter says.

The diocese will reduce the number of Masses in each region to correspond with available priests and the size of the congregation.

The plan splits the diocese into 15 regions. In Youngstown, Sts. Cyril & Methodius, Holy Name, St. Stephen, St. Stanislaus and St. Anthony will become oratories or close.

The diocese estimates that, of the 17,177 parishioners in the city, the amount of weekly attendees is 5,160.

One of the Masses in the region will be conducted in Spanish.

After implementation of the plan, the number of priests in Youngstown will reduce from 10 to eight and the number of weekend Masses will reduce from 38 to 26.

Per the plan, which will begin by July 1, 2020, priests will be limited to three regularly scheduled weekend Masses.