Changing the composition of a family can be difficult, whether it stems from marriage, birth, death or other events. It's no different for a parish family.

Churches in the Catholic Diocese of Greensburg are facing a large-scale transformation as the number of priests continues to plummet. Today the diocese has 83 priests, but in 10 years it's projected to have only 49. By 2025, the number could be as small as 27.

Effective Oct. 30, 14 parishes will close and 28 others will either merge or enter partnerships in which they share priests, offices and other services. The number of parishes will drop from 100 to 85. It will be a hard thing for the faithful, but the church needs to ensure its survival.

The Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh went through a similar consolidation from 1992 to 1994, when 163 of 333 parishes were dissolved, 39 churches were shuttered and 56 merged parishes and two entirely new ones were created. Despite lawsuits, protests and complaints, the reorganization worked, though the process was slow and painful.

Now that he has announced the changes, Greensburg Bishop Lawrence Brandt has promised to lead with care. As he put it, losing a parish "is like a death in the family." Our sentiments exactly.