Four parishes near East St. Louis to consolidate

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. Four long-standing Roman Catholic parishes in East St. Louis will consolidate into one parish under a proposal recently approved by outgoing Belleville Bishop Wilton Gregory.

Gregory says in a letter that St. Joseph will be the location for the future parish. The decision affects about 645 parishioners.

The other churches involved are St. John Francis Regis, St. Patrick and St. Philip.

It should be noted that very few men in the diocese are answering calls to the vocation of the priesthood.

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