New Orleans, La., Apr 11, 2008 / 03:27 am
Calling it a “pivotal moment in the history of the archdiocese,” Archbishop of New Orleans Alfred C. Hughes announced on Wednesday a major reorganization of the archdiocese that will position to Church to improve despite a shortage of priests and a Catholic population diminished by Hurricane Katrina.
Seventeen of the parish communities, which were damaged by Katrina will be shut down while others in undamaged areas will also be closed or merged. This will result in a reduction of the number of parishes in the archdiocese from the pre-Katrina count of 141 to only 108, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.
Some of the churches to be closed are historic, such as the Sacred Heart of Jesus parish where Louis Armstrong was baptized.
While some churches will be closed outright, others will be reduced in status to missions—second churches in a single parish where the sacraments can still be celebrated.