March 20, 2006
Most Rev. Alfred C.
Hughes, S.T.D.
ARCHDIOCESE OF NEW ORLEANS
7887 Walmsley Avenue
New Orleans, Louisiana 70125
RE: Request for Records
Dear Archbishop Hughes:
We remain most troubled that you
have not yet responded to our March 14, 2006, letter. In that letter,
we requested that you delay action regarding St. Augustine Parish until
the process used by the Archdiocese to determine the fate of St. Augustine could be reconciled with the relevant
provisions of Canon Law. In
that letter, we outlined a number of specific concerns that called into
question both the integrity and the validity of the decision-making process.
The 1983
Code of Canon Law defines a parish primarily in terms
of the community of people of whom it is composed. "A
parish is a certain community of Christ's faithful
stably established within a particular Church, whose pastoral care, under
the authority of the Diocesan Bishop, is entrusted to a Parish Priest
as its proper pastor." (canon 515, 1).
As you know, once established, this
community of the faithful (parish) has the right to permanent existence;
it is a public juridic person (see canon 515, 3), which by its nature
is perpetual (see canon 120, 1). In order that the exercise of pastoral
leadership be consistent and not appear arbitrary, Canon Law requires
the Diocesan Bishop to have just cause for the modification of a parish. Therefore,
as an existing public juridic person, a parish can only be closed, amalgamated,
divided or joined for just cause (see canon 120, 1, canon 121, canon
122). In all situations
where the status of a parish is to be affected, the Diocesan Bishop must
assure that the rights of the faithful are carefully safeguarded.
We have been advised that
the Archdiocese of New Orleans has followed neither the letter nor the
spirit of the Code of Canon Law as it pertains to closure and/or suppression
of this Parish and, after prayerful deliberation, we concur with that assessment. Therefore, St. Augustine remains open as an independent
parish, with all of the rights, privileges and responsibilities accorded
a parish under the Code of Canon Law, and all of its goods, buildings,
assets and territory will remain under the care and control of St. Augustine
Parish.
However, in order to pursue
and perfect all manners of recourse under the Code of Canon Law, as well
as civil law, please provide us with any and all documentation, including
but not limited to, agendas, minutes, parties present, notes, reports,
transcriptions, audiotapes, videotapes or any other records pertaining
to the change in status of St. Augustine Parish, including but not limited
to, the following meetings:
October 2005 meeting
with the twelve (12) Deaneries of the Archdiocese of New Orleans including
the Cathedral Deanery;
Any
and all meetings of the Council of Deans;
January 6, 2006 meeting
to review plans with the major religious superiors serving in this archdiocese;
January
16, 2006 meeting with the Presbyteral Council;
January
19, 2006 meeting with the Administrative Council;
January
24, 2006 meeting with the Finance Council;
Any
meeting(s) at which you received a "full report on
the significant efforts in which [Father Ledoux], [St.
Augustine] parishioners and the surrounding Treme
community have been involved."
We respectfully request that
you provide the requested documents so that we may evaluate our options
and perfect any appeals or other recourse to which we are entitled under
either the Code of Canon Law or civil law. Despite
our continuing concerns and disappointments, the Pastoral Council and Congregation
of St. Augustine Parish stand ready to work cooperatively and prayerfully
with the Archdiocese to rectify the deplorable events of the past weeks.
Sincerely,
Sandra Gordon, President
Pastoral Council
St. Augustine Parish
Cc: Most Rev.
Archbishop Pietro Sambi, Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to the United States of America
Cardinal
Dario Hoyos Castrillon, Prefect, Congregation of the Clergy
