Archdiocese of Philadelphia Announces Church Closures, Mergers

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia will close and merge 16 area churches, according to media reports. After the closures, the archdiocese will have 219 parishes, down from 266, the Inquirer reported.

Five of the affected Catholic churches are located in Lower Bucks County and six are located in Montgomery County. The Bucks County churches, located in Bristol, Bensalem and Falls, will merge with nearby parishes, the Bucks County Courier Times reported.

A full list of closures is expected to be released Sunday, CBS Philly reported.

According to information reported by the Courier Times, the following changes in Bucks County will take effect July 1:

• Immaculate Conception will close and merge with Queen of the Universe Church in Middletown.
• St. Joseph the Worker will merge with St. Frances Cabrini in Falls.
• St. Ann will merge with St. Mark
• St. Elizabeth Ann Seton will merge with St. Thomas Aquinas
• Our Lady of Fatima will merge with St. Charles Borromeo