Baltimore’s Catholic archdiocese will cut parishes as attendance falls and infrastructure ages

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore will cut the number of parishes in the city and nearby suburbs by about two-thirds. It’s part of a realignment plan responding to falling attendance and aging infrastructure in the nation’s oldest archdiocese. Under the final plan released Wednesday, the number of parishes will drop from 61 to 23 with 30 worship and ministry sites. The Baltimore Sun reports that Archbishop William Lori says feedback from four town hall meetings on the draft plan was crucial. Lori says it’s a move away from putting energy into aging buildings and means a manageable number of parishes can provide services that parishioners want.