Archbishop, church offices return to New Orleans

New Orleans, La., Jan 5, 2006 / 22:00 pm

Four months after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the U.S. Gulf Coast, forcing residents and businesses out of the city of New Orleans, the local Archdiocese is reporting that most of its major offices and personnel are up and running within the city.

While the Archdiocese’s administrative offices won’t be habitable until at least mid-February, the offices of Incarnate Word Parish in Carrollton have become a meeting point for many of the displaced church services.

Archbishop Alfred Hughes, along with auxiliary bishop Robert Morin, have been operating out of residences on the grounds of Notre Dame Seminary.

Immediately following the hurricane, the Archdiocese of New Orleans was forced to temporarily move its offices to nearby Baton Rouge.

Many breathed a sigh of relief, following the disaster, when Katrina’s wrath failed to seriously damage the city’s historic St. Louis Cathedral--located near the French Quarter.

Mass has been celebrated in the church since October 2nd.

With administrative offices scheduled to open in February and the chancery in April, officials are confident--and faithful relieved--that the Archdiocese has firmly rooted its presence back in the heart of a still broken city.