Three more Lower Bucks County parishes have been targeted for closing by the Philadelphia Archdiocesan Strategic Planning Commission. This is the second round of announcements released by the commission this week.

St. Ann Parish in Bristol, Our Lady of Fatima and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parishes — both in Bensalem — will close if Archbishop Charles Chaput approves the panel’s recommendations. A final decision will be announced May 30.

The news came a week after officials announced that other churches in Lower Bucks could close. Immaculate Conception in Bristol Township could merge with Queen of the Universe in Middletown and St. Joseph the Worker in Falls could merge with St. Frances Cabrini in Falls.

“The SS St. Ann is in turbulent waters, but remember that Jesus is with us on the ship,” the Rev. Gerard Lynch, parochial vicar of the parish, told his congregation at the 5:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday Night. He also urged the worshipers to pray for all the affected parishes.

“They are in the same boat with us,” he said.

According to the recommendations released by the panel, St. Ann will merge with nearby St. Mark parish in Bristol; Our Lady of Fatima will merge with St. Charles Borromeo parish in Bensalem, and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish — founded in 1976 and the youngest and smallest congregation — will merge with St. Thomas Aquinas parish in Croydon.

St. Ann, Our Lady of Fatima and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton will remain open as worship centers, meaning that, at the discretion of the pastors, the churches can be used for weddings, funerals, feast days, and traditional ethnic celebrations.

A few St. Ann parishioners expressed both sorrow and hope after hearing the news. Rosemarie Mignoni-Szczucki, longtime choir director at St. Ann, said it was a “sad day” to hear that the parish, formed in 1906 to serve Bristol’s Italian immigrants, might close.

“What goes around, comes around. When they first came from Italy, the immigrants worshiped at St. Mark, then built their own church,” said Mignoni-Szczucki.

Previous generations of Mignoni-Szczucki’s family helped build St. Ann and have marked baptisms, weddings, funerals and other milestones in the parish, she said.

“Whatever happens, our focus has to be on what is important: our Catholic faith,” she said.

Parishioners Mary and Bill Elentrio also expressed sorrow at the archdiocesan panel’s recommendations. The couple was married at St. Ann in 1970 and their children received the sacraments there, and attended the parish school.

“It’s a big loss to us, to the parish, and to the community,” Mary Elentrio said. “It’s like losing a family member.”

But she plans to attend Mass at St. Mark because, “God lives in all the churches,” she said.

St. Ann parishioners wondered if there would be room in the pews at St. Mark. Father Dennis Mooney, pastor of St. Mark, said there would be plenty of room and newcomers would be most welcome.