Our diocese is planning a series of meetings with reps from each parish to see what will happen in the future of this diocese because of less priests, less Catholics in attendance, empty churches etc.
An excerpt from the article:Changes ahead
One of the “new realities” the chancellor said the regional meetings will address is changing the number of liturgies in parishes. She gave the example of one Albany County parish where just 50 people regularly attend each of two Masses in a church that could seat 350. Parishes, she said, need to develop criteria for the minimum number of attendees that make a second Mass feasible.
I may go as a rep for my parish, I am not sure yet. Two fellow parishioners came up to me yesterday and asked that I represent our parish because I am “articulate”. I said “you mean I have a big mouth?” Some of the parishioners are afraid this will give the diocese an excuse to close our Mass. Our Parish is the only
Tridentine parish in this diocese, and the people who attend really enjoy it.
I
can see their worry though because we are clustered into like three parishes, but maybe since we are so consolidated, they will let us be. Here’s hoping;)