Archdiocese of Boston to Close 18% of Parishes

From Boston.com / News / Local / Mass. / Archdiocese announces that 65 parishes,
60 churches will close:



"The Boston Archdiocese will lose 65 of its 357 parishes in a massive restructuring brought on partly by the sex abuse scandal that aggravated already shrinking Mass attendance and weekly collections.



Archbishop Sean O'Malley announced the parish closings Tuesday, completing a process that began in December when he said the archdiocese would be forced to undergo a major downsizing.



He said the reduction was needed because of declining Mass attendance, a shortage of priests and the inability of the archdiocese to support struggling parishes -- many in older buildings in desperate need of repairs -- in the midst of a financial crisis caused in part by the abuse crisis.