The Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced Sunday that Saint Donato Parish in Overbrook will merge with Our Lady of Lourdes, 1.25 miles away, effective Feb. 24. It said that without a merger Saint Donato "would not have been self-sustainable in the future."
The move was recommended by a strategic planning committee that in December 2011 began examining the fate of 267 parishes. Last April, the initial round of mergers was announced, consolidating churches in Manayunk, Coatesville, and Germantown. To date, 15 parishes have disappeared - 14 by merger and one by closure.
