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	A Look at Diocese's Long Struggle with Closures By Susan Evans Tribune-Democrat February 26, 2008 http://www.tribune-democrat.com/local/local_story_057000105.html?keyword=topstory The Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown has been struggling with church closings since 1994, when a plan was drafted to deal with a declining population and fewer priests. During the past seven years, 25 parishes in the eight-county diocese have closed. The cutback specifics in Greater Johnstown: – In 1994, the diocese closed Sacred Heart and St. John the Baptist in Central City, Somerset County, and merged them to become Our Lady Queen of Angels. Also, Holy Child in Windber closed and merged into SS. Cyril and Methodius. – In 1999, Assumption and Sacred Heart in Portage merged to form Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. – In 2000, St. Joseph's Roman Catholic School in Portage closed after enrollment fell 60 percent from 1992 and only 37 students signed up for what would have been the 1999-2000 school year. – Also in 2000, six churches in northern Cambria County merged to become Prince of Peace parish. Four were shuttered permanently: Christ the King, Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St. Stanislaus Kostka in Northern Cambria, and St. Jude in Bakerton. – In 2002, Bishop Joseph Adamec told priests at the five Cambria City churches that one or more of their parishes would close. – In 2003, three Cambria County churches merged. Holy Spirit Parish near Beaverdale was formed by the merger of St. Agnes and St. Joseph in Beaverdale and Corpus Christi in Dunlo. – In 2002 in Portage, St. John the Baptist merged with Our Lady of the Sacred Heart on Mountain Avenue. – In the fall, the chapel of St. Clare of Assisi in Woodvale closed, and two East Conemaugh churches – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Sacred Heart – merged.
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