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Two Catholic parishes just 1.5 miles apart on the Attleboro-Seekonk line will merge next spring to form a new parish, Bishop George W. Coleman said Monday.

St. Stephen's Church in Attleboro will close and join with St. Mary's Church in Seekonk as recommended by their combined parish task force, the bishop of the Fall River Diocese said.

Changing demographics in the diocese and a declining number of priests influenced the decision, Coleman said.

The Rev. Thomas W. Rita, pastor of St. Mary's, will become the founding pastor of the parish when it is inaugurated under a new name next spring at what is currently St. Mary's, at 385 Central Ave. in Seekonk, Coleman said.

St. Mary's will house the new parish because it's larger than St. Stephen's. St. Stephen's pastor, the Rev. James H. Morse, will retire next year, ending eight years at that parish, at 683 South Main St. in the Dodgeville section of Attleboro.

"It's a difficult time for both parishes," Rita said. "At the same time, it's a good time for both of us to take our next steps and build a community of faith."

The merger emerges from work the churches' task force began in September 2008. Assembled by Rita and Morse, the St. Mary-St. Stephen Alliance initially explored ways for the parishes to work together. They now share a religious education program and music ministry.

However, the two parishes were grouped with Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Seekonk in a study Coleman launched in 2005 to address the trend of fewer priests and fewer people at Masses.

Parishioners at St. Stephen's and St. Mary's heard Coleman's letter of support for the merger during Masses this weekend.

An informational assembly was held Sunday at St. Mary's, and drew well over 100 people, said Attleboro resident Tom Nunan, a member of the alliance, now called the Parish Founding Task Force.

Nunan said he has sensed sadness and loss from members of both churches.

But, he added, "I think many of us, and that was certainly evident on Sunday, feel very hopeful about the opportunity that lies ahead."

Nunan said he has been a member of St. Stephen's since 2002. He belonged to St. Mary's for 10 years before that.

"I think many of us in both parishes feel a connection to both parishes," Nunan said. Attleboro resident Mary Gannon said she has gone to both churches for 22 years.

She said she likes St. Stephen's "because it's closer, and I like Father Morse."

Gannon expressed concern about the Sunday Mass schedule.

St. Stephen's has an 11 a.m. Mass, while St. Mary's has a Mass at 11:30 a.m., she said.

"I'm sure it will make a difference for some people," Gannon said.

Coleman said some liturgical items from St. Stephen's will be used at the new parish, which will be named with input from members of both congregations.

The task force will consider the future use of the St. Stephen's Church and rectory.

Morse said the initial reaction at St. Stephen's was "one of anger, sadness and confusion," which he called "appropriate."

Since then, "there's a lot of hope and optimism and excitement here," Morse said.

"It's been a real growth process for all of us," he said.

Bringing St. Stephen's music ministry to St. Mary's and merging the two religious education programs has been "very positive," he said.

"All of the teachers that were teaching up here are having a very positive experience down there," Morse said.

Coleman spokesman John Kearns said he was unaware of another church merger in Attleboro area over the past 10 years.

Two parishes, one in Dighton and another in North Dighton, merged last year, he said. Three new church communities have been created in Taunton over the past 10 years, he added.

In Attleboro and Seekonk, the merger marks the end of an era at the two neighboring parishes.

St. Stephen's began as a mission church in 1875 with no resident pastor, Coleman said. The parish was formed 10 years later after an influx of immigrants, primarily of French-Canadian ancestry, to work in the nearby mills.

St. Mary's formed in Hebronville in 1906 to serve the English-speaking members of St. Stephen's, Coleman said.

St. Mary's now has 1,657 registered families, with total weekend Mass attendance averaging 1,052 people, the bishop said.

St. Stephen's has 620 registered families and has an average weekend Mass attendance of 427.

"We're going to have, perhaps, a fuller church," Nunan said. "We're literally right down the street from each other, down (Route) 152, and we have a shared history."