Churches May Close In Baltimore City, County As Mass Attendance Falls

BALTIMORE, MD — The Archdiocese of Baltimore wants to close about two-thirds of its Catholic churches in coming years.

The Archdiocese currently has 61 parishes at 59 worship sites in Baltimore City and Baltimore County. If the new plan is adopted, that would fall to 21 parishes at 26 worship sites.

The plan, dubbed the Seek the City Proposal, has been in the works for nearly two years. A final decision on the plan is expected this June. The changes would take effect over time on a case-by-case basis.

The Archdiocese on its website cited "deferred maintenance, low Mass attendance, and multiple unmet opportunities to better serve the needs of the [broader] community" for its decision.

Archbishop William E. Lori is hosting public input sessions on:

• Thursday, April 25, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Archbishop Curley High School, 3701 Sinclair Lane, Baltimore, 21213
• Tuesday, April 30, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Mount Saint Joseph’s High School, 4403 Frederick Avenue, Baltimore, 21229

The meetings will also have virtual attendance options.

If the plan is adopted, parishes would merge. Some parishes would have additional worship sites aside from their main church. This would let some downsizing churches stay open in a reduced capacity. Other churches could close altogether.

No schools will be affected, Catholic Review reported. All Catholic schools, including those at churches slated to close, will remain open.

The Baltimore Sun reported that about 2,000 of the Archdiocese's 25,000 seats are occupied on any given weekend.

"We have known for a long time that we could not continue to ignore the decline in Mass attendance and increased resources required to keep our physical plants in good condition," the Archdiocese said on its Frequently Asked Questions page. "We must realign and consolidate our efforts and resources. Our failure to do so would be shortsighted and render us to be poor stewards of the time, talent and material gifts with which God has blessed us."

The Archdiocese said the downsizing isn't related to its September 2023 bankruptcy filing. The bankruptcy came a day before a new Maryland law eliminating the statute of limitations for child sex abuse lawsuits took effect.

"One does not relate to the other," the Archdiocese said on its website. "The Seek the City process began long before the passage of the law lifting the statute of limitations and the subsequent filing for Chapter 11 reorganization."

Here are the proposed new parishes. More information and a map of the suggested new boundaries is posted at archbalt.org/seek-the-city-proposal.

Basilica of the Assumption

The Church of the Immaculate Conception (Druid Hill, Baltimore) parish territory added.

East Baltimore Parish

Seated at St. Francis Xavier with St. Ignatius territory added.
Parishes merging: St. Ann, St. Francis Xavier, St. Wenceslaus

Near East Parish

Seated at St. Leo the Great. St. Patrick Hispanic ministry moves to Highlandtown.
Parishes merging: St. Leo the Great, St. Patrick, St. Vincent de Paul

Canton Parish

Seated at St. Casimir.
Parishes merging: St. Casimir, St. Elizabeth of Hungary

Highlandtown Parish

Seated at Sacred Heart of Jesus with Hispanic ministry and additional worship site at Holy Rosary with Hispanic and Polish ministry.
Parishes merging: Sacred Heart of Jesus, Holy Rosary, Our Lady of Pompei

Bayview Parish

Seated at Our Lady of Fatima with Hispanic ministry.
Parishes merging: Our Lady of Fatima

Dundalk Parish

Seated at Our Lady of Hope.
Parishes merging: Our Lady of Hope, St. Luke, Sacred Heart of Mary, St. Rita

Essex Parish

Seated at Our Lady of Mount Carmel with Hispanic ministry.
Parishes merging: Our Lady of Mount Carmel, St. Clare

Far Northeast Parish

Seated at Church of the Annunciation with additional worship site at St. Michael the Archangel with Hispanic ministry.
Parishes merging: Church of the Annunciation, St. Michael the Archangel, St. Clement Mary Hofbauer

Far North Parish

Seated at Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Parishes merging: Immaculate Heart of Mary, St. Thomas More

Cathedral of Mary Our Queen

Seated at the Cathedral with Filipino ministry.
Parishes merging: Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, Shrine of the Sacred Heart, St. Pius X, St. Thomas Aquinas

Near Northeast Parish

Seated at St. Matthew.
Parishes merging: St. Matthew, Blessed Sacrament, Most Precious Blood, Shrine of the Little Flower, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Dominic, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Mary of the Assumption

Charles North Parish

Seated at Saints Philip & James with campus ministry at JHU/MICA.
Parishes merging: Saints Philip & James, Corpus Christi

Near Northwest Parish

Seated at St. Ambrose.

Far Northwest Parish

Seated at New All Saints.
Parishes merging: New All Saints, St. Cecilia, Immaculate Conception

West Baltimore Parish

Seated at St. Bernardine with additional worship site at a second to-be-determined location (St. Peter Claver to remain open temporarily).
Parishes merging: St. Bernardine, St. Peter Claver, St. Edward, St. Gregory the Great, St. Pius V

Southwest Baltimore Parish

Seated at St. Agnes.
Parishes merging: St. Agnes, Our Lady of Victory, St. Benedict, St. Joseph’s Monastery, St. William of York

South Baltimore Parish

Seated at Holy Cross with additional worship site at Transfiguration.
Parishes merging: Holy Cross, St. Mary star of the Sea, Our Lady of Good Counsel, Transfiguration Catholic Community

Curtis Bay/ Cherry Hill Parish

Sited at St. Rose of Lima and additional possible worship site at Cherry Hill Town Center.
Parishes merging: St. Rose of Lima, St. Athanasius, St. Veronica

Personal Parishes
St. Ignatius, St. Alphonsus