AREA CHURCHES SET TO CLOSE

Elyria – The Cleveland Catholic Diocese has announced the closing of nearly 50 parishes throughout the diocese – including Elyria’s Holy Cross Church at 1417 West Ave and Sacred Heart Church on Irondale. St. Jude, St. Mary’s and St. Agnes will all remain open and take in members of the closing Elyria churches.

The diocese has 230 parishes and as part of a major reconfiguration program, at least 50 of those parishes will be closed and the parishioners will move to other local churches. The diocese says the move is due to a decline in population, attendance and the financial struggle to maintain all of the parishes.

In Lorain Holy Trinity will close and merge with St. Mary’s.

St. Ladislaus, St. Stanislaus and St. Joseph churches will close.

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Peter’s will both remain open

Sacred Heart in South Lorain, St. John the Baptist at Grove and Homewood and St. Vincent de Paul on North Ridge Road in Elyria Township will remain open.

Closing and ordered to merge with St. John the Baptist are St. Vitus Church, Lorain, and Ss. Cyril & Methodius Church.

A complete list of closings and mergers will be announced Sunday morning at a press conference being held by the Bishop of the Diocese.