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  New Archbishop Vows to 'Reconcile' with Those Hurt by Parish Closures, but Says He Won't 'Second Guess' Hughes

By Bruce Nolan
The Times-Picayune
June 12, 2009

http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2009/06/vatican_names_austins_bishop_g.html

[announcement from the New Orleans diocese]

[Bishop Aymond's biography]

The first native-son Catholic archbishop in New Orleans history promised Friday to "meet with people, talk with them and walk with them at a time of hurt, " acknowledging the bruised feelings and bitter legacy of Hurricane Katrina that still marks the Catholic recovery in New Orleans.

Incoming Archbishop Gregory Aymond arrives at Note Dame Seminary shortly before 11 a.m. Friday.
Photo by Ted Jackson

Yet Archbishop Gregory Aymond a product of Gentilly who sheltered his sister and brother-in-law in Texas after Katrina flooded their Metairie home, several times declined to assure Catholics he would look into undoing some of the painful reorganization consequences of Katrina.

As often as he spoke of spreading comfort and reconciliation, he signaled that he intends to look forward, without reopening controversial parish closure decisions reached by now-retired Archbishop Alfred Hughes.

"My responsibility is not to look back and second-guess, but look forward, " Aymond said.

 
 

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