[StBernard] The archdiocese wants to divert federal funds earmarked for urban churches to suburban parishes

[Westley Annis]

I swear, never in my life did I ever think I would use words like this about
a member of the priesthood, but that's one slick son of a bitch.

JY





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	The archdiocese wants to divert federal funds earmarked for urban
churches
	to suburban parishes
	by Bruce Nolan
	and Kia Hayes, The Times-Picayune
	Wednesday June 03, 2009, 9:56 PM
	The Archdiocese of New Orleans has asked FEMA's permission to take
$10.7
	million in federal compensation earmarked for damaged schools it
will not
	repair in two relatively poor New Orleans neighborhoods and divert
it to
	school construction in Chalmette and Mandeville instead.
	
	It's either that, or lose the money entirely, the archdiocese said.
	
	But the request, which New Orleans parishioners recently noticed in
a dense
	Federal Emergency Management Agency legal notice soliciting public
comment,
	has angered scores of Catholic families, especially in the former
Epiphany
	of Our Lord parish, which had qualified for $8.3 million in FEMA
	reimbursement.
	
	An 11-day public comment window ending May 15 drew about 50
responses -- all
	in opposition, FEMA spokesman Andrew Thomas said.
	
	Archdiocese spokeswoman Sarah Comiskey said the church has no plans
to
	redevelop the vacant Epiphany school and gym in the heart of the 7th
Ward,
	or a school community center and food pantry at St. Philip the
Apostle
	parish near the old Desire public housing development.
	
	She said that absent any plans for the damaged buildings, the best
	alternative is to redirect the money to Catholic schools elsewhere,
rather
	than forfeit it under FEMA rules.
	
	This case involves $8.33 million the government calculated it owed
for the
	repair or reconstruction of the school and gymnasium at Epiphany
parish; and
	$2.34 million in compensation for damage at St. Philip the Apostle.
	
	The archdiocese has asked to divert $5.33 million of the Epiphany
money to
	build a new school wing at Mary Queen of Peace Parish in Mandeville,
	according to FEMA. The church also has asked to reapply another $3
million
	from Epiphany, combined with the $2.34 million from St. Philip,
toward new
	school construction at Our Lady of Prompt Succor in Chalmette.
	
	Jan Lancaster, principal of Mary Queen of Peace in Mandeville, said
her
	school's population has "at least doubled" since Katrina to about
560
	students next year.