PITTSBURGH — The Diocese of Pittsburgh's plan to consolidate parishes will be done in stages and the process could last up to five years.

The impact on Butler County parishes won't be finalized until next year, but proposed groupings will be released later this year.

“This is the first time we announced what implementation would look like,” said Bob DeWitt, diocesan spokesman.

Under the diocese's On Mission for the Church Alive! initiative, the groupings of churches will fall under one of three categories.

Those falling under Category A will be merged within a year of when pastors assume their new duties in the fall of 2018. The parishes in this category either have significant financial or demographic issues or are ready to move forward.

Parishes under Category B will be consolidated in one to three years. DeWitt said most groupings will be under this category.

Groupings with larger parishes will be under Category C, merging in three to five years.

“It's not going to take place all at once,” DeWitt said.

He said the pastors assigned next year will be given blueprints indicating the number of primary worship sites and masses for each new parish, staffing needs and a timeline for mergers.

However, pastors will recommend which church buildings in each grouping remain open. DeWitt said Bishop David Zubik wants the pastors to play a role in devising final proposals for mergers.

“He wants to empower at the local level as much as possible,” DeWitt said.

He said the pastors would have time to learn about the parishioners and staff before coming up with a recommendation.

DeWitt said some pastors may remain in the parishes they are in now.

After the pastors' recommendations are made, Zubik would then make the final decision on groupings.

He said the diocese will release proposed groupings later this year.

The Diocese last year offered draft models for parish mergers to seek input from parishioners. For the district including Butler County churches, two models were listed.

Under the first, nine parishes, six in the county, would consolidate into two.

Parish A would be comprised of St. Andrew in Center Township, St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen in Lyndora, St. Michael the Archangel in Butler, St. Paul in Butler and St. Peter in Butler.

That parish would have two campuses.

Parish B would include St. Gregory in Evans City. The three other parishes would come from other districts.

Under the second model, seven parishes, six in the county, would be merged into one parish with three campuses.

DeWitt said roughly 27,000 people attended more than 300 meetings in churches across the diocese last year explaining the initiative and seeking input.

“We got really good feedback,” he said.

Currently, there are 188 parishes with roughly 220 churches.

The diocese projects the number of priests in active ministry will shrink from the current 211 to 112 by 2025.

Of that 211, 44 are serving past the retirement age of 70 and another 42 are eligible to retire in the next five years.

DeWitt said of the projected 112 priests, no more than 90 will be assigned to parishes due to the remainder serving as chaplains in such places as prisons and schools.

He said the availability of priests are a key factor behind the initiative.

DeWitt said the laity will take a more active role in church operations due to the shortage of priests.

“The pastors will focus on sacramental and spiritual needs,” he said.

In conjunction with the initiative is the diocese's Our Campaign for the Church Alive! effort to fund capital improvements to churches as well as Catholic education and evangelization.

More than $233 million in donations has been pledged to the campaign.

“The gifts are continuing to be received,” DeWitt said.

He said education and evangelization is vital to keep young adults active in the church and bring back lapsed Catholics.