05:30 PM CDT on Saturday, April 8, 2006

WWLTV.com

After almost a month of emotional protests that garnered nationwide attention, St. Augustine Church in Treme will reopen.

The archdiocese announced it was closing St. Augustine in February as part of a cost-cutting plan, but would keep the church open for weekly mass.

But after several protests, the archdiocese closed the church temporarily.

The church was re-consecrated and officials reopened St. Augustine as a parish.

But Archbishop Alfred Hughes said Saturday’s announcement is contingent upon St. Augustine reaching several financial and structural benchmarks over the next 18 months.

"At the end of the 18 months, it will have to be my decision whether what is clearly put down on paper is realized,” Archbishop Alfred Hughes said.

Popular Pastor Jerome LeDoux's religious order, the Society of the Divine Word, has agreed to supply a priest for the trial period, with the expectation that whoever is supplied can become pastor if St. Augustine meets its goals. LeDoux himself can return to celebrate Mass six times this year and six times in 2007, the archdiocese said.

Parishioners and the archdiocese agreed to quarterly meetings to review their progress.

Hughes and parishioners said the resolution was worked out in two days of quiet, mediator-assisted talks at Loyola University and Notre Dame Seminary on Wednesday and Friday.

Hughes said if benchmarks are not reached, the parish cannot continue.

But he, along with parishioners, are confident they can reach their goals.