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(Dubuque, IA) -- Nearly half the catholic churches in northeastern Iowa won't have weekend masses under a new proposal announced Saturday.
The Archdiocese of Dubuque, which oversees churches in 30 counties including Linn, Benton and Tama counties, plans to reorganize its nearly 160 parishes due to declining participation.
The churches that would no longer hold weekend mass would still be available for weddings, baptisms and funerals.
The following Cedar Rapids area churches would be affected:
The Cedar Rapids North pastorate will consist of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Hiawatha, St. Joseph Parish in Marion, St. Mary in Urbana, St. Stephen Parish in Central City, St. John the Evangelist in Coggon, Sacred Heart in Walker, St. Isidore in Springville and St. Mary in Vinton. St. Elizabeth and St. Joseph would continue with three weekend Masses, while St. Mary and St. Stephen will have one Mass. Five priests would be assigned to this pastorate, which includes about 14,017 parishioners.
The Cedar Rapids East pastorate will consist of All Saints, St. Pius X, St. Ludmila, the Chapel of Mercy at Mount Mercy University, all in Cedar Rapids, and St. John the Baptist in Mount Vernon. Under the plan, All Saints will no longer host weekend Masses, while the other sites will host at least one Mass. The pastorate will have three assigned priests and consist of about 10,915 parishioners.
The Cedar Rapids Central pastorate will consist of Immaculate Conception, St. Wenceslaus, St. Matthew and St. Patrick parishes, all in Cedar Rapids. Immaculate Conception will no longer host weekend Mass, while St. Wenceslaus will offer one Mass in Latin. The pastorate will have three assigned priests and consist of about 7,750 parishioners.
The Cedar Rapids West pastorate will include the St. Jude and St. John XXII parishes in Cedar Rapids, Immaculate Conception in Van Horne, St. Paul in Newhall, St. Michael in Norway, St. John in Blairstown, and St. Patrick Parish in Watkins. St. John XXIII in Cedar Rapids, St. John in Blairstown and St. Paul in Newhall and St. Patrick will no longer host weekend Masses. This pastorate will have two assigned priests with about 5,732 parishioners.
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