As several churches in the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown will be impacted by mergers and closures in 2026, Bishop David Bonnar told 21 News the Diocese is embracing a new vision of what the church can be.

“If we want to stay alive, if we want to remain vibrant, change is inevitable,” Bonnar said. “We've seen this already going back to mergers that have occurred. … While they have their challenges and their pains, there's great opportunities for the church to grow and become stronger.”

Bonnar made the remarks in an interview at the fourth annual Breakfast with the Bishop event. According to Rachel Herbolich, diocesan director of Catholic Charities, proceeds from the breakfast went towards basic needs assistance in Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana and Ashtabula counties.

"I think the churc

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