The Number Gets Bigger

Diocese may close up to 48 churches

Cleveland faces greatest loss with as many as 25 closings

The Cleveland Catholic Diocese could close about 20 percent of its parishes, or up to 48 churches, nearly twice the number originally estimated.

The City of Cleveland will take the hardest hit with a potential loss of up to 25 churches. Among the 69 regional clusters in the diocese, other closings will occur in Akron, Lorain and inner-ring suburbs such as Lakewood and Euclid.

The diocese continues to decline to identify the clusters ordered last week by Bishop Richard Lennon to plan to close or merge churches. At the time, the diocese said at least 23 of its 231 parishes would close by 2010.

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