GALVESTON, Texas—The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston may be forced to shutter churches and consolidate its presence on the hurricane-battered island.

In a weekly bulletin to parishioners, the pastor of the Sacred Heart Church confirmed the recent meetings between the island parishes and the Archdiocese.

He said the most recent meeting ended with all sides embracing the “ideal” of one parish for the island.

“It seems like a logical conclusion to draw, after all that’s happened on the island, and I think that as long as we all work together, we’ll be better off in the future,” parishioner Mary Beth Bassett said.

The challenges facing the Archdiocese seem to be insurmountable.

Hurricane Ike damaged every Catholic church on the island.

The repair costs could total well into the millions.

Then, there is the issue of the parishioners themselves.

The number attending Sunday services has dwindled since the storm, and donations are down.

Officially, no decisions have been made, but among the proposals said to be under consideration are the closing of the Our Queen of Peace and St. Peter the Apostle churches and the consolidation of the four remaining churches into a single parish at St. Patrick’s.

Other churches, such as Sacred Heart, would be used on occasion.

“We’re learning to cope. You know, we just have to roll with the punches. We don’t have a choice. And as long as we have our parish, as long as we have a parish, and our Catholic priests, everything will come together as it should,” parishioner Leslie Burgess said.

The Archdiocese is expected to officially announce its plans soon.