LEWISTON – A parish task force has recommended selling two of the city’s five Catholic churches to help lower future costs and balance the budget.

The Property Task Force of the Prince of Peace Parish has proposed closing and selling St. Joseph’s Church on Main Street and St. Patrick’s Church on Bates Street.

“Right now, we don’t see an alternative,” Monsignor Marc B. Caron told parishioners before the 5:30 p.m. Mass at the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul on Saturday.

“Perhaps someone will come forward with another idea, but right now we need to be supportive of our brothers and sisters who attend those churches,” Caron said.

He said meetings for parishioners to discuss the task force recommendations would take place after Easter.

The proposal also calls for selling or renting the former Dominican priory on Bartlett Street and the former Holy Family school building.

In January, Caron told parishioners that four of Lewiston’s five churches had operated at a total deficit of about $180,000 during the previous year. On Saturday, Caron said that deficit could swell to $250,000 this year.

A news release from the Maine Diocese noted the “rationale” for the task force’s proposal:

In the case of St. Joseph’s Church and rectory, parishioners could be served in other churches. Also, it is one of the marketable properties the parish owns.

St. Patrick’s parishioners also could be served in other churches and the exterior of the church will soon need significant investment.

And the former Dominican priory at 27 Bartlett St. is no longer being used by the parish.

As for the former Holy Family school building, alternate space is available in parish properties for activities that are currently taking place there. The building is in an excellent commercial location and could generate revenue. Parking would still be available for Mass on weekends.

The parish currently supports five churches – the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, St. Joseph’s, St. Patrick’s, Holy Cross and Holy Family – and one elementary school.

St. Joseph’s is the city’s oldest Catholic church. It celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2007. That year, it had more than 2,500 parishioners, said Sue Bernard, spokeswoman for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, which administers all of the Catholic parishes in Maine. St. Patrick’s had about 800 parishioners in 2007, she said.

Bernard said Caron will seek input from parishioners and will await the recommendation, expected in June, of the Pastoral and Finance Councils before offering his opinion to Bishop Richard Malone, the leader of Maine’s Catholic church.

“All the churches have been a great blessing for many, many years,” Caron said. “Obviously, this situation is cause for great sorrow.”