The Archdiocese of St. Louis released a draft of its proposal to cut down its parishes. The latest plan would reduce the number of parishes across the St. Louis region from 178 individual parishes to 88 pastorates, communities of parishes led by one pastor and one staff.
Changing demographics, a shortage of priests and shrinking congregations led to the proposal, said the Rev. Chris Martin, vicar of strategic planning for the Archdiocese of St. Louis.
“We still have an infrastructure that reflects the immigrant church from the 19th century,” Martin said. “We actually still have one of the highest priest-per-capita ratios in the United States, it's just that our people have moved, and we have tried to maintain a priest presence, and all of these churches that over the last 30 years have seen a lot of their congregations either move or die.”
See the Winter 2023 proposed planning areas below:
