[StBernard] Decree Signed To Close 18 Parishes Under Pastoral Plan

[Westley Annis]

Decree Signed To Close 18 Parishes Under Pastoral Plan
ABC26 News

July 12, 2008

NEW ORLEANS -- Archbishop Alfred Hughes signed the decrees that will close
18 parishes. The Archdiocesse made the announcement this morning. It's a
bigger list thatn originally announced -- moving up three parishes to the
first list of 15. Announcements are on the way during masses this weekend.

In Algiers, St. Julian's is merging with Holy Name of Mary.

In Metairie, St. Lawrence is merging with Our Lady of Divine Providence.

Another two parishes are becoming missions -- Holy Guardian Angels in Bridge
City will become a Mission of Our Lade of Prompt Succor and infant Jesus of
Prague in Harvey will become a Mission of St. Martha.

According to a release sent by Archdiocese spokesperson Sarah Comiskey, the
only parish cluster to officially change its name in these announcements is
the cluster parish of St. Raymond and St. Leo the Great of New Orleans.

St. Leo the Great was officially closed to create the new parish of St.
Raymond and St. Leo the Great. The other parishes receiving signed letters
this week are:

St. Brigid, New Orleans, to merge with Mary, Queen of Vietnam;

Immaculate Heart of Mary and St. Simon Peter, both located in New Orleans
and both to merge with St. Maria Goretti in New Orleans;

St. Maurice, New Orleans, to merge with St. David in New Orleans;

Incarnate Word, New Orleans, to merge with Mater Dolorosa, New Orleans;

Prince of Peace and St. Mark, both in Chalmette, and Louise de Marillac and
St. Robert Bellarmine, both in Arabi, all to merge with Our Lady of Prompt
Succor, Chalmette;

San Pedro Pescador, Florissant, to merge with St. Bernard, St. Bernard;

St. Thomas More (Tulane Catholic Center), New Orleans to become a campus
ministry center assigned to the care of Holy Name of Jesus, New Orleans;

and St. Thomas the Apostle (UNO Newman Center) to become a campus ministry
center assigned to the care of the merged parish of St. Raphael and St.
Frances Xavier Cabrini.

These parishes have received a detailed protocol to ensure that sacramental
registries, financial records and transactions, patrimonial goods and church
property are maintained and properly transferred to the new parish.

Each parish will also receive a guide for conducting a closing Vespers
Service or a final Mass at the church. The remaining parishes set for
closure according to the plan are all at different stages of the
facilitation process.

Each parish but one, St. Henry's in Uptown New Orleans, has selected a
leadership team to begin work on the plan for their new parish.

In the case of St. Henry's, another call asking for leaders to step forward
was included in the parish bulletin the weekend of July 5 and 6.

The archdiocese says it will move forward with leadership of the parishes
that are participating in the process.

The archdiocese also stands firm that its decisions are final and will be
implemented by December 31, 2008. 
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