Youngstown Diocese Plan Is "Work in Progress"

WYTV
July 30, 2012

http://www.wytv.com/content/news/local/story/Youngstown-Diocese-Plan-Is-Work-in-Progress/6YsPNtDQDkam3puYnOQCLA.cspx

The Catholic Diocese of Youngstown has completed the initial reconfiguration plan announced in the spring of 2010.

The plan was a response to the declining number of parishioners and priests, but diocesan officials said the plan is still a work in progress.

In the two years since the plan began, the Diocese went from 112 parishes to just over 80.

"We've seen 17 canonical mergers that involved 42 parishes. We've seen nine collaborations where they're sharing a pastor that involved 19 parishes," said the Rev. Nick Shori of the Diocese of Youngstown.

Twelve churches also closed their doors for good. Several of those properties were sold or are pending.

"West side of Warren. The Canton area. Some potential sales in the Mahoning County area," Fr. Shori said.

It's all part of a reconfiguration plan that was in response to a shrinking Catholic population in the six-county Diocese.



But the process is far from complete. This next year, and possibly starting as early as next week, diocesan officials will go to all the newly merged or collaborated parishes to evaluate the reconfiguration. They will be asking what worked, what didn't and what more still needs to be done.

Part of that includes getting a better grasp on the priest shortage. The Diocese is expecting a large number of retirements over the next few years.

"We have really not put a dent in it at all. In reality, the number of priests continues to dwindle. All we have done as far as the priests are concerned is basically spread work out and said 'here, you could do more,'" Fr. Shori said.

The Diocese also will turn its attention to evangelization or how it can better meet the needs of its members and potential new members.

"I think the church is going to have to adjust to the fact that how we functioned in the past is no longer necessarily how we will function in the future," Fr. Shori said. "We need to avoid ever becoming comfortable with what we've got and not evaluating that and saying 'how can we do it better, what do we need to do to enhance that'."