Parish mergers take effect Saturday

By Chuck Kajer, Managing Editor

Members of several area Catholic churches will see changes over the next few weeks, as four area parishes - St. John's of Union Hill, St. Benedict, St. Scholastica of Heidelberg, and St. Joseph's of Lexington, will merge with St. Wenceslaus Church in New Prague, effective January 1.

The Union Hill and Heidelberg churches will remain open, but operate as part of the larger parish. St. Benedict Church will close - likely in mid-January - and St. Joseph's Church had already been closed last year.