Boston archbishop sells some parishes, delays closing others

Published: 2004-11-22

BOSTON (CNS) -- In mid-November Archbishop Sean P. O'Malley of Boston put the properties of 16 closed parishes up for sale but gave six parishes that were slated to close an extension on their closing date. He also issued a letter to all Catholics of the archdiocese explaining that the draconian measures he has taken are the result of declining Mass attendance, the priest shortage and financial troubles that are "worse than most people realize." In the wake of the clergy sexual abuse scandal that has enveloped the archdiocese since 2001, the archdiocese has suffered a 50 percent loss in income, he said. He also cited a growing shortage of priests, contrasting the 50 to 60 new priests ordained yearly a half-century ago with the seven ordained this year. "Over 100 of our present pastors are in their 70s or 80s," he wrote. "If difficult decisions are not made now, the mission of the church will be seriously compromised in the future," he wrote. In May, at the end of a five-month planning process, Archbishop O'Malley announced that 70 of the 357 parishes in the archdiocese would be closed. With some changes made in the plan since then, 47 parishes had been closed by mid-November, and the revised reconfiguration plan will leave a total of 83 parishes and 67 churches closed. Of the other 16 churches, eight will serve new parishes created in the reconfiguration and eight will remain open as worship sites operated by a neighboring parish.

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