CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) - The Diocese of Camden is merging the city’s six parishes into three.
Diocese officials say the moves announced Friday came after a nearly two-year review. They cited population changes, dwindling congregation sizes, a reduction in clergy and a decline in revenue available to support urban parishes as the main reasons for the mergers that take effect July 31.
The changes will leave the diocese with 62 parishes serving roughly 450,000 Catholics in six counties. It had 124 parishes before sweeping cutbacks that started in 2009.
Diocese officials say the worship sites and churches in the affected parishes will remain open for now. But final decisions on the sites will depend on decisions eventually made by the newly formed parishes’ leadership and their councils.
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