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CHICAGO (ChurchMilitant.com) - The archdiocese of Chicago is on the brink of losing more than a quarter of its parishes.

According to reports, declining numbers of both working priests and Mass attendees are forcing one of the largest archdioceses in the country to conduct a major re-organization of the city's parishes.

In a series of meetings held for the past few weeks, Abp. Blase Cupich met with hundreds of diocesan pastors to discuss plans to address the dwindling number of Chicago priests, which sources indicate is expected to drop by 69 percent in less than 15 years. With an approximate 10 ordinations per year, estimations conclude that by 2030 there will only be about 240 priests to serve the current 351 parishes and more than 2.2 million Catholics in the archdiocese.

The numbers mean the current restructuring will be larger than the 1990 closing and merging of more than 40 churches and schools under then-archbishop Joseph Cardinal Benardin.

As reported by multiple priests who attended the meetings, many of whom wish to remain anonymous, 17 parishes will shut down within the next two years as the first phase of restructuring begins. This indicates that multiple priests will be working at least two parishes for an extended period of time, say the pastors, but "we can't sustain it the way it is."

The archdiocese itself has not revealed the precise number of churches to close, but in a letter posted to the archdiocesan website, Abp. Cupich notes the Catholic Church in Chicago has "changed in a significant way over the past several decades." The archbishop continues:

Some of our parish buildings are in disrepair. We have fewer priests to pastor our faith communities. The result is that we end up spreading our resources too thinly. I would be less than honest if I did not acknowledge that by the time this consultative process is complete, we will mourn together the loss of some parishes.

Archbishop Cupich asserts that the closings "will not be the final word" and that by "having the boldness to leave behind familiar ways of doing things, [the archdiocese] can seize this season as one that is not simply of loss, but rather of renewal."

Dioceses typically rely on various religious orders to assist during shortages of working priests, but dwindling numbers found within religious communities may eliminate that failsafe.

The archbishop is expected to begin meeting with parish lay leaders from across the archdiocese next week.

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