FOREST HILLS, Pa. —

Saint Joseph the Worker Parish plans to close seven of its eight church buildings.

“It was very surprising. I’m sad because Saint John Fisher is a beautiful church, and it was mine for a long time, but I understand,” said Maxine Wilson, who attended the church in Churchill for 24 years. “The festival was there. We had a lot of good things. I was in the choir. I loved that." Advertisement

Eight parishes combined to form Saint Joseph the Worker Parish in 2020, and the pastoral council began considering closures in 2024.

“I guess I understand, pretty much, the finances,” Wilson said. “There’s not enough people, not enough priests, but we’re going to try to make it work.”

The pastoral council reviewed dozens of criteria, including location, condition and attendance.

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