Our coverage partner KCRG reports around one thousand people have signed a petition calling on the Archdiocese of Dubuque to pause a plan to merge parishes.
In September, the Archdiocese announced a proposal to merge more than 160 parishes into pastorates. Archbishop Thomas Zinkula said it aims to create “more vibrant and fuller masses.”
The plan comes as the archdiocese reports the amount of people attending mass has decreased 47% and its number of priests has decreased 44% since 2006.