Church Closings
The Archdiocese of Baltimore has finalized a plan to close or merge 61 Catholic parishes. In the end, 23 parishes will remain and half of the archdiocese's places of worship in the city and neighboring suburbs will be closed. Follow along here for The Banner’s coverage of the church closures.
St. Vincent de Paul, the city’s oldest Catholic parish church, to merge with St. Leo’s in July
Despite their lengthy histories and proximity, the churches are quite different.
As St. Pius X prepares for its last Christmas Mass, neighbors hope for a miracle
Parishioners are preparing for their final Christmas Mass at St. Pius X in Towson, one of the last Baltimore-area churches to close its doors under the Archdiocese’s church merger plan.
St. Ann’s closure makes one Black Catholic reexamine ties to lifelong faith
The closure of St. Ann’s Catholic Church has hit members of the predominantly Black congregation hard, including Ralph Moore, who is ready to leave the church altogether.
Many Baltimore Catholic churches are celebrating their final regular Mass. Here’s what to know.
More than a dozen parishes in the Archdiocese of Baltimore will celebrate their final Mass this weekend, part of a yearslong process of consolidation.
Saying goodbye to a Catholic church — and a link to my family’s past
There are places that become part of us, and places where part of us of remains. Corpus Christi, one of dozens of Baltimore-area Catholic parishes set to close at the end of the month, is that kind of place for my family.
‘Not an easy time.’ Archdiocese begins process of closing dozens of Catholic churches by Dec. 1
Archdiocese of Baltimore has made official the closure of more than half the Catholic churches in city, nearby suburbs.
A community of Burmese refugees fought to keep their Catholic church open
When the Archdiocese of Baltimore announced plans to close dozens of Catholic churches, Our Lady of Victory in Arbutus was on the list. But parishioners, including many Burmese refugees, fought successfully to save a church that many say has become like a second home.
Black Catholics are still trying to process looming church closures
The finalized plan by the Archdiocese of Baltimore affects many of Baltimore’s predominantly Black churches.
Baltimore’s once-thriving Polish community takes another hit in Catholic Church reorganization
Baltimore's Holy Rosary Catholic Church was long a beacon for Polish families. Its parish will soon merge with a Latino one.
How to sell a Catholic church
Removing bodies, finding new homes for stained glass and deconsecration are among the steps of a Catholic church sale — which can take a decade
Vacant and damaged, one former Catholic church may serve as warning about closures to come
St. James the Less Roman Catholic Church once anchored an East Baltimore neighborhood that was home to many German Catholics, but it has languished since the parish was dissolved in the 1980s. A lightning strike sparked a fire in the towering steeple in 2020, and now it's up for sale with a $1 million asking price.
8 Catholic churches got a reprieve from the archdiocese. 3 weren’t so lucky.
The blueprint released Wednesday closely tracks the draft plan that the archdiocese put out in April, reducing the number of parishes — or Catholic communities — from 61 to 23. The number of actual churches would shrink from 59 to 30. But Archbishop William Lori did spare eight churches initially, while delivering some late bad news to others.
Here’s which Baltimore Catholic churches are closing — and the ones that were spared
A final plan announced by Archbishop William E. Lori would reduce the number of parishes in Baltimore City and parts of Baltimore County from 61 to 23, while shrinking the number of worship sites from 59 to 30, four more than originally recommended.
Archdiocese of Baltimore to close half of Catholic churches in city, nearby suburbs
Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori on Wednesday announced a final church consolidation plan that would reduce the number of worship sites from 59 to 30. Many churches would get folded into merged parishes.
Latino immigrants fill pews even as Baltimore Catholic churches empty
The Archdiocese of Baltimore is set to finalize its plan to close churches next month. That includes some where Hispanic congregations worship.
Baltimore Catholics plead to keep churches open at packed ‘listening session’
People begged the archdiocese to keep beloved churches open at a public meeting Thursday night on a proposal from the archdiocese to close a significant portion of Baltimore’s Catholic churches.
Want your Catholic church to stay open? Here’s your chance to speak out.
The Archdiocese of Baltimore will hold a listening session Thursday evening about a plan to close dozens of churches and reduce the number of Catholic parishes by two-thirds. Two more such sessions are also scheduled, and a final plan is set to be announced in June.
Archdiocese of Baltimore proposes closing dozens of churches in the city
The plan, which officials said was the result of two years of consideration, would cut 40 of its 61 parishes, resulting in the closure of several historic landmarks and once-thriving worship sites.
Baltimore Catholics reeling after archdiocese proposes closing 40 of 61 parishes
Baltimore Catholics, reeling from the archdiocese's proposal to close 40 churches, spent Monday mourning and preparing to battle to keep their beloved parishes open.
