Mandeville Catholic parish gives up on plan to build new church amid community opposition
Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Mandeville (NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune archive)
Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Old Mandeville will no longer pursue plans to build a new place of worship, ending years of controversy in the community over a proposed house of prayer that many neighbors said would overwhelm the historic lakefront neighborhood. The Rev. Mark Lomax, OLL's pastor, said the church's parish council and its building committee have voted not to proceed with plans to build a new church.
Lomax said the existing church, which supporters of the project said was too small for the OLL congregation, is in need of repairs that will have to be addressed at some point, But he said there is no plan to expand the present building.
"As pastor, I regret that my efforts failed to persuade enough people that a new church is in the best interests of our church parish and city," Lomax said in an email to a reporter. "May God bless our church and city."
OLL has been embroiled in a legal battle with the city government over plans announced in 2010 to build a new church across Lafitte street from the existing one, two blocks from Lake Pontchartrain. Many residents of the Old Mandeville community lobbied against the new church, saying its Gothic Revival architectural style would not fit in with the surrounding buildings and could create drainage, traffic and parking problems in the historic lakefront community.
The Rev. Mark Lomax
Supporters argued the existing 465-seat church couldn't accommodate its large congregation. OLL now uses a multipurpose building on its campus that houses a gymnasium to conduct some of its more heavily attended Masses. Parishioners attending Masses there sit on folding chairs and those that are able to do so kneel on the gymnasium floor.
In the fall of 2011, the city's Zoning Board denied OLL's request for a special permit to build the new church, saying it failed to meet minimum parking requirements. OLL appealed, but a state court judge ruled in favor of the city in 2012.
The church then took the matter to the 1st Circuit Court of Appeal, which in February of this year upheld the lower court's ruling.
Lomax, who became pastor in July of 2013, said earlier this year the church would not pursue further legal action and that OLL would instead look into enlarging the existing church, possibly tearing down part of it and rebuilding on the current site. But on Tuesday the pastor indicated the church, which was dedicated in 1953, will not be significantly altered.
City Councilman Ernest Burguieres, one of the most vocal opponents to the construction of a new church, said he's happy to see the matter put to rest. He said while the project had many supporters, there are some in Old Mandeville that have a strong sentimental attachment to the existing church.
"I think the church is taking a pragmatic view of what they have and what is best for the community," Burguieres said. "I don't think its in anyone's best interest to allow this (controversy) to continue."
The turmoil began in the spring of 2010 shortly after former OLL pastor John Talamo unveiled plans to build the new $13 million church, with its soaring towers, Gothic Revival architecture and seating for more than 1,000. The church project was the subject of several heated public hearings before the city took a position on the issue.
Lomax is the third pastor at OLL to be involved in the proposed church construction. Talamo, a strong proponent of the new church, was reassigned in the summer of 2012 to another parish in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. The Rev. Michael Schneller took the reins from Talamo, but stepped down after less than a year, citing the litigious struggle to build the new church and the emotional toll it took on him as the reason.
A former Army chaplain who served in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, Lomax took over as pastor in July of 2013.
Frank Caponegro, a longtime parishioner, church council member and president of the OLL finance council, said the proposed new church was never about bringing more people into the community, but providing seats for those who already attend Masses at OLL. The church was prepared to address traffic and parking concerns, but he said opposition persisted.
"It's a very disappointing end to a very long effort," Caponegro said.
Lomax said the existing church, which supporters of the project said was too small for the OLL congregation, is in need of repairs that will have to be addressed at some point, But he said there is no plan to expand the present building.
"As pastor, I regret that my efforts failed to persuade enough people that a new church is in the best interests of our church parish and city," Lomax said in an email to a reporter. "May God bless our church and city."
OLL has been embroiled in a legal battle with the city government over plans announced in 2010 to build a new church across Lafitte street from the existing one, two blocks from Lake Pontchartrain. Many residents of the Old Mandeville community lobbied against the new church, saying its Gothic Revival architectural style would not fit in with the surrounding buildings and could create drainage, traffic and parking problems in the historic lakefront community.
The Rev. Mark Lomax In the fall of 2011, the city's Zoning Board denied OLL's request for a special permit to build the new church, saying it failed to meet minimum parking requirements. OLL appealed, but a state court judge ruled in favor of the city in 2012.
The church then took the matter to the 1st Circuit Court of Appeal, which in February of this year upheld the lower court's ruling.
Lomax, who became pastor in July of 2013, said earlier this year the church would not pursue further legal action and that OLL would instead look into enlarging the existing church, possibly tearing down part of it and rebuilding on the current site. But on Tuesday the pastor indicated the church, which was dedicated in 1953, will not be significantly altered.
City Councilman Ernest Burguieres, one of the most vocal opponents to the construction of a new church, said he's happy to see the matter put to rest. He said while the project had many supporters, there are some in Old Mandeville that have a strong sentimental attachment to the existing church.
"I think the church is taking a pragmatic view of what they have and what is best for the community," Burguieres said. "I don't think its in anyone's best interest to allow this (controversy) to continue."
The turmoil began in the spring of 2010 shortly after former OLL pastor John Talamo unveiled plans to build the new $13 million church, with its soaring towers, Gothic Revival architecture and seating for more than 1,000. The church project was the subject of several heated public hearings before the city took a position on the issue.
Lomax is the third pastor at OLL to be involved in the proposed church construction. Talamo, a strong proponent of the new church, was reassigned in the summer of 2012 to another parish in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. The Rev. Michael Schneller took the reins from Talamo, but stepped down after less than a year, citing the litigious struggle to build the new church and the emotional toll it took on him as the reason.
A former Army chaplain who served in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, Lomax took over as pastor in July of 2013.
Frank Caponegro, a longtime parishioner, church council member and president of the OLL finance council, said the proposed new church was never about bringing more people into the community, but providing seats for those who already attend Masses at OLL. The church was prepared to address traffic and parking concerns, but he said opposition persisted.
"It's a very disappointing end to a very long effort," Caponegro said.
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