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

[Westley Annis]

Well I'd like to think of it as payback since they diverted the repair money
for A. Hannan High to the North Shore.  If our money can go someplace else
why shouldn't it flow back into the parish?  I think relocating A. Hannan
High was a mistake that has slowed the recovery of the parish and was a bad
move for the school as well.  I have little doubt that enrolment would be
higher at Hannan High if it had rebuilt at the old location.  I also think
the archdiocese made another mistake in not reopening Hannan Manor.  I
believe it could have reopened being run the same way it was and some of
it's previous residents would have returned and any used apts. could have
been rented to returning families, for a clearly defined time, while they
were actively repairing their homes.  It could have been done with a
priority system like enrollment is handled in Catholic schools.  As the
rebuilding families moved out the population of it's traditional occupants
would have been recovering.  Now I hear it is about to be torn down.  That
is  better than selling it to a private developer that would turn it into a
slum but it could certainly be a viable entity if it was properly run by a
religious order. 
 
Bringing FEMA money back to the parish after ours was sent someplace else
should not be a problem.  That said I certainly feel for the people of the
closing church parishes and my first choice should have been for all the
money to stay in the parish that had the damage. But the Hannan High money
is already gone and we can't undo that so this could help.  
 
Randy