"Archdiocese of New Orleans Announces Parish Closures and Consolidations"

The Archdiocese of New Orleans, facing financial struggles and a bankruptcy filing, has announced plans to close and consolidate several parishes by July 2024. Archbishop Gregory Aymond stated that these decisions were necessary for the good of the local church and have been under discussion since 2016. The closures and consolidations will affect 16 parishes, with some merging into new parishes and others merging into neighboring parishes. The archdiocese emphasized that the bankruptcy filing did not directly contribute to these changes but acknowledged that its financial situation limited its ability to support struggling parishes and ministries.