YOUNGSTOWN — Bishop David Bonnar announced the names of parish mergers in the Mahoning and Ashtabula Deanery that take effect Jan. 10.

Earlier this month, the Diocesan Presbyteral Council met to review the progress of the Diocesan Pastoral Plan, which was begun by the late Bishop George Murry in 2019 and has continued to be developed since the 2021 installation of Bonnar.

Diocese officials said the new parish names were voted on by parishioners.

Effective Jan. 1, the Mahoning Deanery includes:

l Austintown — Immaculate Heart of Mary Church and St. Joseph Church will be known under the merged name of St. Blaise Parish, with both worship sites remaining open.

l Boardman — St. Charles Borromeo Church and St. Luke Church will be known under the merged name of St. Catherine of Siena Parish, with both worship sites remaining open.

l Youngstown — St. Columba Cathedral, St. Edward Church and Holy Apostles Parish, formerly known as SS. Peter and Paul Church, will be known under the merged name of St. Columba Cathedral Parish, with all three sites remaining open.

The Ashtabula Deanery includes:

l Orwell — St. Mary Church and Sacred Heart Church in Rock Creek, will be known under the merged name of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque Parish.

The Diocesan Presbyteral Council formally recommended that Bonnar merge additional parishes throughout the diocese that are already working together in ministry partnerships — sharing priests, deacons, diocesan pastoral associates, additional personnel, Mass schedules, and various parish programs and activities.

This recommendation is in line with continuing the efforts of the Diocesan Regionalization Plan that began several years ago.

Officials said the regional plan for the six-county Diocese of Youngstown has resulted in structural changes aimed at developing effective ministries and supporting missionary activity.

Criteria include the number of parishioners and worshippers, parish finances, population shifts within the region, effective use of buildings, and effective use of a limited number of priests and lay ecclesial ministers.

As a result of the pastoral plan, almost all of the 69 churches in the diocese are now part of a collaborative unit or exist as a multisite parish, officials said.

Since January, pastors and parishes have developed plans for parish mergers. The newly merged parishes will be aligned with the structure of other multisite parishes in the diocese, with Masses and other parish activities continuing to be offered in multiple churches and campuses while ensuring more efficient operations.

Bonnar said this year, 20 parishes have merged.

In 2025, the diocesan communications team will be sharing more information on each newly merged parishes’ patron saint.