Archdiocese closes St. Augustine after protests (breaking) (nola.com)

[pitohui]

http://www.nola.com/newslogs/breaking/index.ssf?/mtlogs/nola_localbreakingnews/archives/2006_03_27.html#125227

this is a sad day in the history of new orleans

this may be a religion rather than a politics/LBN news post, if so, i apologize and mods please place it where it belongs

ultimately the decision must be up to the catholic church but this church has meant so much to the people and music of new orleans over the years it is v. hard to let it go

Archbishop Alfred Hughes said Monday he will close St. Augustine Church indefinitely until it is clear that worship can resume there without threat of the kind of disruption that stopped a celebration of Mass there Sunday.

In a press conference, Hughes offered no estimate of how long that might take. Meanwhile, both the church and the rectory remained in the hands of former parishioners and secular supporters of St. Augustine Parish, who occupied the premises seven days ago to protest a forced merger with nearby St. Peter Claver Parish. Both parishes are in Treme.

[newscott]

1. Welcome to the club

41 years ago I was baptized in a brand new Catholic Church in my hometown. The Archdiocese made may parents switch churches because there were so many Catholics that we needed a new church. Then my parents weren't allowed to pay the "in-district" rate to send their kids to the private school at their old parish. Another jab at good Catholics.

40 years later, they shut down the church I was baptized in and told my parents they had to go back to the church they went to in the first place! Some Archdiocese!

[cyr330]

2. no surprise

I lived in New Orleans for several years and taught at St. Augustine High School which had its graduations and other ceremonies at St. Augustine Church. At the time, the congregation at the church was really dwindling, and the enormous church sat mostly empty in a really marginal neighborhood, not far from Charity & University Hospitals. Given the recent problems in New Orleans, I'm not at all surprised at St. Augustine's closure, but it IS a sad day for N.O.