Amid declining Mass attendance and limited sacramental activity, the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island, announced May 11 the merger of four parishes into two parish structures, along with the canonical suppression of a quasi-parish community.
The diocese’s Bishop Bruce Lewandowski approved the changes after consulting pastors, financial council members, and trustees, the announcement said.
In Warren, Saint Thomas the Apostle Parish will merge into Saint Mary of the Bay Parish, though the church will remain open as an additional worship site.
In East Providence, Saint Brendan Parish and Saint Martha Parish will consolidate into Saints Brendan and Martha Parish, with both churches remaining active worship locations.
Following the retirement of the community’s longtime priest administrator, the diocese also announced the formal closure of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, a quasi-parish in Exeter.
The diocese has implemented similar parish consolidations in recent years amid ongoing demographic shifts and changing parish participation trends.
As CatholicVote previously reported, the diocese announced additional parish mergers in 2025 as a result of low numbers at Mass.