The Archdiocese of New Orleans on Sunday announced it is closing and merging church parishes as it faces economic challenges that include at least $100 million in sex abuse settlements.
Thirteen parishes will be affected, and the changes will go into effect July 1.
The parishes were chosen because they are in areas with predominantly aging and low- or moderate-income populations.
"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," Archbishop Gregory Aymond said in a Sunday statement.
The Archdiocese filed for bankruptcy in 2020 as lawsuits over sexual abuse claims multiplied to about 500. If each claimant received $300,000 — about the national average — it would cost $150 million.
New Orleans Catholic churches closing
Here are the 13 affected parishes and a map of their locations:
- St. Bonaventure in Avondale will merge into Our Lady of the Angels in Waggaman.
- St. Gertrude in Des Allemands will merge into St. John the Baptist in Paradis.
- St. John Bosco and St. Rosalie in Harvey will merge, and parishioners will decide by March which church will close.
- Our Lady Star of the Sea in New Orleans will merge into St. Mary of the Angels.
- Transfiguration of the Lord, St. James Major and St. Gabriel in Gentilly will merge. An outside facilitator will help decide which two will close.
- St. Theresa of Avila Parish in New Orleans will be divided between St. Patrick in the Warehouse District and St. Alphonsus in the Lower Garden District, which is a combined parish that includes St. Mary’s Assumption.
- St. Hubert in Garyville will merge into St. Peter in Reserve but will remain open for one Mass each weekend.
All of the merged parishes will get new names except St. Theresa.
"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," Aymond said in the statement, but it can no longer afford to do so.
Two parishes initially on the closure list will remain open for now — Our Lady of Divine Providence in Metairie and Christ the King in Terrytown — because they "have made significant progress in addressing and planning for their challenges and will remain open," Aymond said. But there will be an ongoing review "to ensure the progress is sustainable."
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October 31, 2023 at 12:15AM
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Here's a map of all the New Orleans Catholic churches set to close or merge parishes - NOLA.com
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