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	Toledo Diocese Sets Reorganization Plan WTVG January 24, 2011 http://abclocal.go.com/wtvg/story?section=news/local&id=7915884 A three-year parish reorganization plan that will affect 13 parishes throughout the diocese this year and potentially 20 parishes in years 2012 and 2013 is set to begin on July 1, 2011. Most of the reorganization involves twinning parishes or clustering them in a way that one priest is assigned to more than one parish. Assignments of parish managers and pastoral leaders are also included in the new plan. Factors that were weighed in formulating the plan include fewer priests, parish financial viability, mass attendance, population trends, location, facility size, cultural diversity and how a parish could remain intact and stable. Using a combination of projections from the 2005 diocesan Faith and Futures study, the number of expected retirements, clergy health and other factors, the estimates is six fewer priests in 2011 and a total shortage of 12 priests by 2013. Bishop Leonard Blair says "the determination of what and when depend chiefly on the number of priests retiring and the number of priests ordained--as well as unanticipated illnesses and the unanticipated arrival of priests." The planning process started last September. Regions in the diocese were asked for feedback on various recommendations. Bishop Blair personally met with all of the pastors affected this year on January 18, and the Office of Pastoral Planning notified all those pastors affected in 2012 and 2013. Parishioners of all parishes affected by the plan were notified at Masses on January 22 and 23. The Diocese of Toledo spans 19 counties across northwest Ohio, serving 322,523 Catholics in 127 parishes. The diocese includes Allen, Crawford, Defiance, Erie, Fulton, Hancock, Henry, Huron, Lucas, Ottawa, Paulding, Putnam, Richland, Sandusky, Seneca, and Van Wert, Williams, Wood and Wyandot counties.
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