N.O. Archdiocese announces church mergers affecting 11 area parishes
The mergers affect parishes in New Orleans, Metairie, Waggaman, Avondale, Des Allemands, Paradis, and Harvey
NEW ORLEANS —
Sunday afternoon, Archbishop Gregory Aymond announced the merger of 11 area parishes, taking effect on July 1, 2024.
There are four instances where two parishes will merge into one, and one instance where the merger will include three parishes.
“Our Lady of the Angels in Waggaman will merge with St. Bonaventure in Avondale to become one new parish,” the Archbishop wrote in his letter. “St. Gertrude in Des Allemands and St. John the Baptist in Paradis will merge to become one new parish. St. John Bosco and St. Rosalie both in Harvey will become one parish. St. Mary of the Angels and Our Lady Star of the Sea both in New Orleans will come together as one new parish, and Transfiguration of the Lord, St. James Major, and St. Gabriel in New Orleans will merge together as one new parish.”
The archbishop said the decision was made due to many factors, including COVID-19, natural disasters, inflation, and insurance costs being among them.
The letter in its entirety is as follows:
October 29, 2023
To the Clergy, Religious, & Laity of the Archdiocese of New Orleans:
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pynOzt2myj8
Over a year ago we began a parish pastoral planning process in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Building on the priorities of the Ninth General Synod, our goal has been and continues to be to support the parishes of the archdiocese in a manner that provides the people of God with opportunities to grow in their relationship to Jesus Christ and form a deeper connection to their faith.
It is my fervent prayer that all of our parishes are sustainable and full of vitality. Parish vitality is a healthy sign of life in Christ and something that must be continually strived for in all parishes. In light of this, a Parish Sustainability Committee was formed to provide each parish with a profile that highlighted its strengths and weaknesses.
There is no doubt that our parishes, in fact our entire area, have been affected by many factors out of our control. 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.
When we announced this process, we indicated that there were parishes with significant challenges that would begin an intense period of discernment to evaluate their future needs. With the guidance of the Catholic Leadership Institute, the work of the Parish Sustainability Committee, and using real data on the sacramental, pastoral programming, and temporal realities of each parish’s unique situation, pastors, lay parish leadership, and parishioners were invited into dialogue to determine how to address the challenges facing them.
Today, following a period of prayer, review, and consultation, we announce the decisions that are the conclusions of this discernment.
The final decisions are unique to each parish situation. 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. In light of this, I am pleased to be able to announce that two parishes, Our Lady of Divine Providence in Metairie and Christ the King in Terrytown have made significant progress in addressing and planning for their challenges and will remain open.
There are four situations where two parishes are merging into one and one case where three parishes are merging into one. Our Lady of the Angels in Waggaman will merge with St. Bonaventure in Avondale to become one new parish. St. Gertrude in Des Allemands and St. John the Baptist in Paradis will merge to become one new parish. St. John Bosco and St. Rosalie both in Harvey will become one parish. St. Mary of the Angels and Our Lady Star of the Sea both in New Orleans will come together as one new parish, and Transfiguration of the Lord, St. James Major, and St. Gabriel in New Orleans will merge together as one new parish.
In two cases, the parish territory will be merged into neighboring parishes. The first is St. Theresa of Avila Parish in New Orleans, which will have its territory divided and merged into St. Patrick on Camp St. in the Warehouse District and St. Alphonsus on Constance St. in the Lower Garden District of New Orleans. The other is St. Hubert in Garyville, which will be merged into St. Peter in Reserve. St. Hubert Church will remain open for one Mass each weekend.
All of these mergers will be effective beginning July 1, 2024.
These are difficult and painful decisions for everyone involved. 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.
In closing, I ask that you join me in prayer for these communities as they move through these transitions. Let us pray too for all of us as a local church, may the Holy Spirit continue to guide each of us as we strive for holiness, seek a deeper encounter with Christ each day, and witness with joy in our parish life.
May God bless you and those you hold dear in your heart.
Wishing you God’s blessings, and asking for your prayers in this time of transition, I am,
Respectfully in Christ,
Most Reverend Gregory M. Aymond
Archbishop of New Orleans
A Note Regarding the Archdiocese of New Orleans Chapter 11 Reorganization
Parish Pastoral Planning is an important issue separate from the Archdiocese of New Orleans Chapter 11 Reorganization. Conversations around Parish sustainability and vitality began with the Ninth General Synod in 2016 and have been ongoing. External factors such as storms and floods and their subsequent recovery that have caused demographic shifts coupled with economic challenges such as inflation and sky-rocketing insurance rates directly impact parish sustainability and vitality.
The impact of the Chapter 11 Reorganization on Parish pastoral planning is limited to the fact that the administrative offices of the archdiocese, because of its own financial situation and its need to maintain a balanced budget, can no longer supplement parishes and ministries that are struggling financially. For decades the Archdiocese has simply paid bills that could not be paid or forgiven debts that could not be met at the parish or ministry level. The administration as well as all parishes and ministries of the Archdiocese of New Orleans must strive for vitality - being fully alive in Christ - including financial responsibility.
Parish Information
Christ the King, Terrytown and Our Lady of Divine Providence, Metairie
Both Christ the King in Terrytown and Our Lady of Divine Providence in Metairie participated in this pastoral planning process. Both parishes have shown significant improvement in the sacramental, pastoral programming, and financial issues that needed to be addressed. In light of this success, decisions regarding the futures of Christ the King and Our Lady of Divine Providence have been deferred to a later date for ongoing review and to ensure their progress is sustainable.
Our Lady of the Angels, Waggaman & St. Bonaventure, Avondale
Our Lady of the Angels Parish in Waggaman and St. Bonaventure in Avondale are both small parishes that face significant uncertainty in regards to their futures. In order to create a more vibrant community with resources to enable the people to grow in relationship with Jesus Christ through active participation in parish life, these two parishes will be merged into one parish, erected with a new name, and to be located at the current Our Lady of the Angels campus with consideration given for a new pastor effective July 1, 2024.
St. Gertrude, Des Allemands & St. John the Baptist, Paradis
Beyond the effects of Hurricane Ida on the demographics and recovery of the area, both St. Gertrude and St. John the Baptist parishes have sustained significant declines in pastoral programming and sacramental life that have led to financial challenges for both. The parish communities are currently engaging each other socially and beginning the work of becoming one parish. Additionally, the Parish Sustainability Committee emphasized the importance of maintaining a Catholic presence in that area of St. Charles Parish and strongly recommended that by combining St. Gertrude and St. John the Baptist, the new parish will be sustainable and have a level of vitality. Therefore, these two parishes will be merged into one parish, erected with a new name, and be located at the current St. John the Baptist campus with consideration given for a new pastor effective July 1, 2024.
St. John Bosco, Harvey and St. Rosalie, Harvey
St. John Bosco and St. Rosalie parishes, both in Harvey, are sharing a pastor and other resources while worshiping as two separate parishes. Given all data and pastoral considerations, these two parishes will be merged into one parish. We ask that the community come together to propose the name of the merged parish and the campus at which the parish is to be located by March 1, 2024. The new parish will formally begin July 1, 2024.
Transfiguration of the Lord, St. James Major, and St. Gabriel, New Orleans
Transfiguration of the Lord, St. James Major, and St. Gabriel all in the Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans are in pastoral programming and sacramental decline and posting financial losses. In order to provide for vibrant and active parish life, these three parishes will need to merge into one parish. With the assistance of a local, outside facilitator, the communities will come together to propose a name for the new parish and propose the location of the new parish with any of the three parish campuses as options by March 1, 2024. The new parish will formally begin July 1, 2024.
St. Mary of the Angels and Our Lady Star of the Sea, New Orleans
St. Mary of the Angels and Our Lady Star of the Sea in New Orleans have both struggled with sustainability for a number of years. Therefore, they will be merged into one parish to create a larger more sustainable and vibrant community. The communities will come together to propose a name for the new parish to be located at St. Mary of the Angels by March 1, 2024. The new parish will formally begin on July 1, 2024.
St. Hubert, Garyville
St. Hubert Parish in Garyville has experienced a decline in pastoral programming and sacramental statistics, along with some financial uncertainties. Therefore, St. Hubert Parish will be merged into the territory of St. Peter Parish in Reserve. Given that the parishioners strongly desire to have Sunday Mass in Garyville, and their commitment to financially sustain the church building as well as the desire to have a Catholic presence in that area of St. John the Baptist Parish, St. Hubert Church will remain open as a non-parochial Church with one Mass on weekends. This arrangement is effective July 1, 2024.
St. Theresa of Avila, New Orleans
St. Theresa of Avila Parish in New Orleans has experienced significant decline in recent years. Given the low number of parishioners, most of whom live outside of the parish, and the large financial losses the parish is experiencing, the territory of St. Theresa of Avila Parish north of the Pontchartrain Expressway will be merged with St. Patrick Parish on Camp St. and the territory south of the Pontchartrain Expressway will be merged with St. Alphonsus Parish on Constance St. effective July 1, 2024.
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