Sep 27, 2005 / 22:00 pm
A seven-parish coalition in Dayton, known as the Catholic Urban Presence, has devised a new pastoral plan that includes parish mergers to ensure that the Catholic community continues and will flourish in the city.
The plan was necessary due to rapidly dwindling parish membership, school enrollment and funds.
It proposes to merge seven parishes and five schools into two "pastoral regions." Each pastoral region would ultimately become and function as a single parish, reports the Dayton Daily News.
One region would consist of Corpus Christi, Our Lady of Mercy and Queen of Martyrs; the other includes Holy Family, St. Agnes, St. Benedict and St. Mary.