Amid rising child sex abuse payouts and an ongoing bankruptcy, Diocese of Oakland has announced it will close 13 parishes, including a Catholic church founded in 1878 that is connected to African-American Catholics.
St. Patrick’s Church in West Oakland is among the churches across California's East Bay that the diocese says have seen declining Mass attendance as well as financial struggles, compounded by a priest shortage.
“The status quo is not sustainable nor is it serving God’s people,” said Bishop Michael C. Barber, SJ in a letter to the faithful on April 28.
“As I have full responsibility for the pastoral care of every Catholic in our diocese, it is my priority to ensure all affected parishioners are welcomed at a nearby parish.”
The church reorganization process has been in the works for years, with Barber forming a Mission Alignment Process commission in 2021 to collect and analyze data on parish vitality. That year saw a diocese-wide survey initiative, before parishioners were invited to reflect on their own community’s sustainability.
The MAP commission aimed to identify properties seeing less use and provide recommendations for consolidating resources. Relevant meetings have since been held on a regular basis, leaving many of the diocese's Black Catholics concerned for the future of their churches. That fear was accelerated by the more than 380 child sex abuse cases filed against the diocese in recent years.
During California’s “lookback window,” a period between 2020 and 2022 when the statute of limitations on CSA was lifted, the state allowed unlimited civil cases concerning alleged crimes dating back decades. Barber said in 2023 that the avalanche of new cases, potentially exposing the diocese to hundreds of millions of dollars in abuse settlements, led directly to its bankruptcy filing that year.
Just this month, a bankruptcy judge gave the green light for the diocese to seek approval from survivors for a $180 million settlement to cover all remaining CSA civil cases—$150 million of which would come directly from the diocese. The survivors’ representation in court has urged the larger group to reject the proposal.
The April letter from Barber did not directly attribute the impending closures to the ongoing bankruptcy proceedings.
“Regardless of that [bankruptcy] outcome, we must face the realities described above and proceed with these closures,” he wrote.
“I deeply understand the sacrifice this will require. We cannot allow nostalgia and sentimentality to hold back the message of the Gospel.”
Members of St. Patrick’s in Oakland have held multiple meetings since the letter was released, both to inform attendees of the news and to strategize for potential recourse. According to Catholic canon law, parishioners can appeal a closure within 10 days of a bishop’s official closure decree—which in this case has not yet been released.
Parishioners at the historic parish say they have already sent a letter to Barber concerning an appeal, and some leaders say the diocese largely ignored them on financial matters well before the closure announcement.
“Savings of St. Patrick’s are currently held captive by [the] Diocese,” the parish wrote on its social media account on May 17, adding that parishioners may soon respond outside the boundaries of canon law.
“Members of St. Patrick’s may commit to legal action towards the Bishop and the Diocese.”
Approaching its 150th anniversary in 2028, St. Patrick’s was founded in the late 19th century by Fr J. B. McNally to serve the historic wave of Irish immigrants in Northern California. The parish later integrated other ethnic groups before African Americans arrived in large numbers amid the Great Migration. A parish school, originally the St. Joseph’s Institute and later St. Patrick’s School, merged into St. Martin de Porres School and closed in 2017.
St. Patrick’s Church is also home to a strong Latino demographic and has been involved in local civil rights and other social justice efforts. It is considered a multicultural parish and one of three connected to Black Catholic ministry in Oakland, alongside St. Benedict in East Oakland and St. Columba in North Oakland.
In his letter on parish closures, Bishop Barber requested that churches expected to receive new parishioners be welcoming and open to collaboration.
“Open your hearts wide to your fellow Catholics who will be joining you,” he wrote.
“Love them, make room for them not only in the pew alongside you, but in the activities of your parish. Welcome them as your own, for we are all one as Christ’s body.”
Nate Tinner-Williams is co-founder and editor of Black Catholic Messenger.
