About 150 Roman Catholics protested against the Toledo Diocese's plan to close or merge 33 parishes due to population shifts and a declining number of priests - a situation that's been repeated in many other U.S. dioceses.
Toledo's plans, to be finalized in March, would affect one of every five churches in the diocese, reducing parishes from 157 to 131, with 16 remaining open but sharing pastors.
On Sunday, the cathedral demonstrators prayed, sang, read the names of the churches recommended for closure and held protest signs.
Some parishioners said they felt the diocese hadn't considered their opinions and other options. But the diocese said the changes are necessary, though painful, and that it had consulted parishes extensively.
Elsewhere:
_The St. Louis Archdiocese said it will reduce parishes in north St. Louis County from 25 to 10, with parish consolidations elsewhere to be announced later. Archbishop Raymond Burke said the plan, which has been contentious, followed meetings with parishioners.
_The Lake Charles, La., Diocese said it will shut seven parishes next month and hinted there will be further closings in the future.
_When the Boston Archdiocese announced the closing of 83 parishes last year, it said two of the three parishes in suburban Stoughton must close. Now the choice of the one to survive has been changed because the parish first named needs major building repairs.