Some Catholics in the New Orleans Metropolitan Area will soon be attending Mass at different churches.
On Sunday, Archbishop Gregory Aymond announced that eight parishes will be consolidated into four. In addition, one other parish will have its territory divided between two other parishes. This move comes as the archdiocese navigates how to pay settlements in connection with its decades-long sexual abuse scandal in which members of the clergy molested children and who will pay for those settlements.
In a letter posted to the archdiocese’s website, Aymond cited other factors that led to the church consolidations.
“There is no doubt that our parishes, in fact our entire area, have been affected by many factors out of our control,” Aymond wrote. “Natural disasters such as floods and hurricanes over the past decade, the COVID pandemic, the challenges of Hurricane Ida recovery, inflation, and sky-rocketing property insurance rates impact our church communities just as they impact our families and our businesses. These are not issues we can ignore in prudent pastoral planning.”
According to Aymond’s letter, the following consolidations will take effect on July 1, 2024:
--Our Lady of the Angels in Waggaman will merge with St. Bonaventure in Avondale to form a new parish.
--St. Gertrude in Des Allemands and St. John the Baptist in Paradis will merge to form a new parish.
--St. John Bosco and St. Rosalie, both in Harvey, will merge to form a new parish.
--St. Mary of the Angels in the Upper Ninth Ward and Our Lady Star of the Sea in St. Roch will merge to form a new parish.
--Transfiguration of the Lord, St. James Major, and St. Gabriel in Gentilly will merge to form a new parish.
--St. Theresa of Avila in the Lower Garden District will be closed. It’s territory will be divided between St. Patrick’s in the Central Business District and St. Alphonsus in the Lower Garden District.
--St. Hubert in Garyville will be merged into St. Peter in Reserve. However, St. Hubert will remain open for one Mass each weekend.
“The final decisions are unique to each parish situation,” Aymond wrote. “It was incredibly important to us, and to me personally, that each parish knows their recommendations and desires for their future were not only heard, but considered.”
Two parishes escaped the consolidation unscathed. Our Lady of Divine Providence in Metairie and Christ the King in Terrytown will remain open. Aymond said those parishes made “significant progress in addressing and planning for their challenges.”
“These are difficult and painful decisions for everyone involved,” Aymond wrote. “When I returned home to New Orleans in 2009, I never imagined I would be in the situation of having to merge parishes. This is something we must do for the good of the local church, and something that is being done in Catholic dioceses around the country. I have prayed about this a great deal and have spoken with many trusted advisors and truly believe the Holy Spirit is leading us for the good of the people of God in the Archdiocese of New Orleans.”