NEOH CHURCH MERGER

IN NORTHEAST OHIO, A MAJOR SHIFT FOR CATHOLIC PARISHES IN THE KENT AND RAVENNA AREA AS THREE CHURCHES COMMUNITIES WILL BE JOINED AS ONE THIS SUMMER.
THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF YOUNGSTOWN ANNOUNCED IMMACULATE CONCEPTION PARISH IN RAVENNA, SAINT PATRICK CATHOLIC CHURCH IN KENT, AND THE UNIVERSITY PARISH NEWMAN CENTER AT KENT STATE WILL MERGE. THE NEW PARISH WILL BE CALLED SAINT CATHERINE DREXEL AND WILL OPERATE WITH MULTIPLE PRIESTS SHARING LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITY. MONSIGNOR JOHN ZARAW SAYS THE SHIFT COMES AFTER YEARS OF PLANNING AND DECLINING POPULATION.