Springfield Diocese announces closures

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) - The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield plans to close 22 churches within the next two years, including 14 by the end of this year.

Church officials announced the closings Thursday, but did not say which parishes would be shuttered. That announcement will be made during Masses this weekend.

All of the closures will be in Hampden and Hampshire counties.

Diocesan officials say the closures are an unavoidable result of declining numbers of Catholics and population shifts.

Monsignor John Bonzagni, director of pastoral planning for the diocese, says the decisions were based on an arduous review of all parishes over four years.

The diocese currently has 120 parishes in the four westernmost counties of Massachusetts.