SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) – The Roman Catholic diocese of Springfield says 11 churches in western Massachusetts will be closed or consolidated by year’s end.
Bishop Timothy McDonnell acknowledged Monday the closings will be painful for many parishioners, but says the changes will also bring a new vitality to the diocese.
In North Adams, three existing parishes will be merged into one new parish.
In the towns of South Deerfield and in Great Barrington, two existing churches will be merged into a single parish.
The diocese says churches will also be closed in Adams, Agawam, Lanesborough, Millers Falls and West Springfield.
The diocese is expected to announce further consolidation next year.
Officials say the cuts are necessary because of continuing financial challenges and declining attendance at Mass.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.