The Catholic Archdiocese of Glasgow has announced plans to close around two dozen churches and halve the number of parishes over the next decade, as it faces declining Mass attendance and a growing shortage of priests.
The major restructuring would affect Catholic communities across Glasgow and Dunbartonshire, with parishes merging and some church buildings eventually closing.
The proposals are expected to reduce the number of parishes to approximately 40 over the next five to ten years.
In a letter published on the Archdiocese of Glasgow's official website on Wednesday, Archbishop William Nolan said the changes were necessary.
"There are too many parishes but too few people, too many churches but too few priests," he said.
"Compared to when these parishes were formed and our churches built; there are significantly fewer people coming to Mass. Some of our largest churches are in places where there are the fewest people."
The Archbishop also highlighted a significant decline in the number of priests available to serve local congregations.
He revealed that the number of active priests in the Archdiocese has fallen by a third during his time as Archbishop, a period of less than five years.
Only one priest is under the age of 45, while most are over 60.
Archbishop William acknowledged the contribution of priests from overseas, saying the shortage would be even more serious without their support.
The restructuring proposals have received approval in principle from the Archbishop and the Council of Priests. They will now be subject to local consultation with parish and deanery pastoral councils before changes are implemented.
The plans represent one of the most significant reorganisations of Catholic parishes in Glasgow and are expected to affect communities where churches have been central to religious and family life for generations.
Archbishop William acknowledged that the prospect of losing familiar places of worship would be distressing for many Catholics.
"Our parishes and our churches hold great memories for us and are dear to our hearts, so any reduction in parishes and any closure of churches will be a painful experience," he said. "We cannot avoid that pain, though, by not facing up to reality."
Despite the difficulties ahead, the Archbishop encouraged Catholics to approach the changes with cooperation and a willingness to make sacrifices.
He compared the restructuring to pruning a vine to encourage new growth, suggesting that reducing the number of buildings and parishes could help strengthen the Church's future.
Archbishop William concluded by asking Catholics across the Archdiocese to pray for one another as decisions are made about the future of their communities.
