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Revival in the pews, crisis at the altar: Why churches are closing amid a Catholic comeback

On paper, Catholicism looks like it’s having a moment.The global Catholic population has surpassed 1.4 billion. Eucharistic processions are drawing record crowds. And last summer, more than 50,000 people packed into Indianapolis for the National Eucharistic Congress — the first of its kind in 83 years.But on the ground, the picture looks very different.Across the United States, dioceses are merging parishes, closing churches and asking fewer priests to cover more communities.CATHOLIC CONFERENCE SHATTERS ATTENDANCE RECORDS AS 26,000 YOUNG PEOPLE FLOCK TO FAITH EVENTEven as interest — especially...