Catholic Church Closures: Seven Minnesota Parishes Cancel Sunday Mass Amid Priest Crisis

The Catholic Church will soon cease Sunday Mass at seven parishes across northwest Minnesota, as diocese officials confirm changes affecting the locations driven by a priest shortage and a decline in young churchgoers.

For context, Bishop Andrew Cozzens started meeting with parishes last autumn to develop a long-term plan for the diocese. That consultation resulted in the number of active parishes shrinking from 65 to 58, reflecting an ongoing population decline across the region.

Affected church locations include St. Philip in Falun, St. Mary in Badger, St. Francis Xavier in Oklee, St. Ann in Goodridge, St. Francis of Assisi in Fisher, St. Mary in Euclid, and St. Joseph in Oslo.

Noting the emotional weight of the announcement, Bishop Cozzens stated that the decision to cease celebrating Sunday Mass at a church is among the most difficult decisions a bishop must make. He described the buildings as sacred places where generations gathered to celebrate baptisms, weddings, and funerals.

Population Decline Driving Catholic Church Mass Closures

Explaining the decision, Bishop Cozzens noted that population levels throughout the diocese have decreased. He observed that fewer people means local schools have combined, and civic resources are shared throughout the area.

Demographers inform the diocese that this trend will carry on, projecting a continued population decline across these counties over the next two decades.

As a result, some smaller parishes currently have no or very few young people in religious formation. According to the diocese, some locations also have trouble finding volunteers, leaving them to rely on only a few dedicated people to keep the parish going. Bishop Cozzens acknowledged that much has changed in local communities.

Ageing Clergy Worsens The Catholic Priest Crisis

Compounding the demographic shifts is a shortage of spiritual leaders. Bishop Cozzens stated that while current priests serve generously, there are limits to the number and locations of Masses they can celebrate on a given weekend. He stressed that church leadership must ensure priests can provide sustainable pastoral care to their communities.

Speaking to broadcaster WDAY, Cozzens revealed that half of the diocese's 32 priests are eligible to retire over the next decade. Because of this, he noted it is certainly possible that in the future, the diocese will have other parishes that cease having Sunday Mass.

Parishioners React To Minnesota Catholic Church Closures

Parishioners are reacting to the diocese's announcement. Ashley Solem, a parishioner at St. Joseph in Oslo, said, 'I think everybody is shocked.' The Oslo church is officially scheduled to close in October. Solem added her perspective that 'the church is supposed to be the soul of the community', bringing people together and making the town a better place to live.

St. Mary Catholic Church in Euclid will also close around the same time. Weekly attendance there had recently dwindled to a couple dozen people. Reflecting on the change, parishioner Steven Dahlin noted, 'When they built the church at St. Mary's, it was a full house. It was packed.'

Addressing the wider diocese, Bishop Cozzens compared the changes to agricultural pruning, stating that 'pruning is difficult, but if it is done well, more fruit is produced.' He concluded that while these decisions are painful, they aim to position parishes for a hopeful and fruitful future.