The Archdiocese of Boston, facing a crippling shortage of clergy, is considering a dramatic restructuring of its parish operations to avoid another painful round of church closings, according to an internal church report obtained by the Herald.

"If no proactive archdiocesan-wide approach to future staffing, guided by the archbishop, is undertaken, the archdiocese faces hard results: a series of parish closings due to staff limitations and financial problems, and the accompanying hurt and anger," warns the Pastoral Planning Report, prepared by a committee of 15 lay members and clergy this spring after 15 months of study.