The archbishop of Miami is hinting at a bold reorganization of South Florida's Catholic landscape, indicating that several financially struggling churches may close and merge with nearby congregations.

Archbishop John C. Favalora would not say which churches would close in the ''Letter to Catholic Faithful,'' which was read during Sunday services, but archdiocese spokeswoman Mary Ross Agosta said Tuesday that a plan will be in place before the new fiscal year begins July 1.

He also said the archdiocese, which oversees 117 churches for 800,000 Catholics in Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe counties, would have to cut back in other areas, but did not mention specifics.

The move follows a national trend in which financially strapped Catholic churches have cut back on schools, churches and other services.

The archbishop ''is reflecting on how to meet the many needs in the archdiocese, and at this time, no final decisions have been made,'' Agosta said. In the letter, Favalora wrote, 'I am concerned about some parishes where demographics and social and economic needs have changed and the parishioners have not been able for several years to meet their financial obligations. This includes paying employees' salaries, pension and health benefits and property insurance for parish buildings.''

While the archdiocese did not release names, one parish has indicated publicly that it is in financial trouble. In a two-page letter to parishioners, the Rev. Bernard G. Kirlin, pastor of St. Augustine Catholic Church in Coral Gables, said the church has had to take out a $1.2 million loan to keep going.

''To continue the services and ministries we have now, the parish needs to increase monthly donations by $12,000 or $144,000 per year . . . Without an increase in giving, there will need to be a cutback in parish services,'' Kirlin wrote in a May 19 letter posted on the church's website.

The archdiocese's announcement comes months after it said it would no longer support six financially struggling Catholic schools. The reason: tens of millions of dollars in investment losses, declining enrollment and rising expenses at the schools, officials said.

The move allowed the archdiocese to shave $1.8 million off its budget.

Nancy Falcone, who attends St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Kendall, was dismayed to hear the news, though large suburban churches like hers will likely not be affected.

''It's horrible . . . but they have to survive,'' she said. ``I just hope the economy turns around for all of us.''

Nationally the economic downturn, plus a decline in Catholic populations in Catholic strongholds such as the Northeast and Rust Belt, has forced some dioceses to consolidate. In March, the Diocese of Cleveland announced it would close 52 of its 224 churches next year, including many that will be merged with other churches. Many of those are in inner-city areas that have been affected by a suburban exodus of affluent Catholics.

That pattern can be seen nationwide when churches close, said Timothy Matovina, director of the Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism at the University of Notre Dame. Nationally, the Catholic church is also experiencing a shortage of priests -- just three new priests were ordained this year in Miami.

Other cities where multiple churches have been closed or merged in recent years include New York City; Kansas City; Camden, N.J.; and Allentown, Penn.

In South Florida, the problem may not be a matter of a declining numbers, but a shifting population base. The Catholic population in the three counties has actually increased by about 8,000 since 2001, according to the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University. This Easter, the Archdiocese of Miami gained about 1,500 new Catholics.

These increases have come as the population has shifted west, filling up newer churches and leaving some older churches in urban areas with less membership.

''What we are seeing is a change in demographics; we have parishes that are growing; i.e. St. Katherine Drexel [in Weston] . . . while other parishes are experiencing declines in numbers,'' Agosta said. St. Blessed John XXIII, a new Catholic church in western Miramar in Broward, was just dedicated last month.

Those same demographic shifts affected the six struggling Catholic schools. In January, the archdiocese said it would close St. Clement in Wilton Manors, St. Stephen in Mirmar, Our Lady of Divine Providence in Sweetwater, Sacred Heart in Homestead, St. Francis Xavier in Overtown and Corpus Christi in Allapattah.

All will reopen as secular, publicly funded charter schools in the fall.

Miami Herald staff writer Andrea Asuaje contributed to this report.

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