The Dominican Friars are leaving Holy Ghost Church in Hammond and St. Albert the Great Chapel and Catholic Student Center, both of which are located in Hammond, no later than the summer of 2022, thus ending more than a century of service in the Diocese of Baton Rouge, mainly in Tangipahoa Civil Parish.
In a letter dated Jan. 26 that was addressed to the Holy Ghost congregation and read at Masses the weekend of Jan. 30-31, Father Thomas Condon OP, Prior Provincial of the Dominican Friars of the Province of St. Martin de Porres, said that “after much prayer and deliberation, the province has come to the painful decision that we must withdraw from Holy Ghost Parish and St. Albert Catholic Student Center and close the related Dominican Community in Hammond by June 30, 2022.
“We are returning the parish to the pastoral care and ministry of the Diocese of Baton Rouge, who will provide the clergy in the future.”
The letter went on to say “we want to assure you that the Dominicans have no desire to leave you. However, for the sake of strengthening our community life and to better serve the many pressing needs of the church in our province we must consolidate our houses and ministries.”
The letter assured Holy Ghost parishioners the friars are working with Bishop Michael G. Duca to assure a smooth transition.
Bishop Duca, in a letter dated Feb. 2 and also addressed to the Holy Ghost congregation, noted that “change is never easy.
“It is our hope, though, that in times of challenge we can continue to strengthen our core mission as baptized members of the faithful to bring Christ and his salvation to others.”
The bishop said he is committed to work with the Dominican Provincial and the four (clergy members) who serve Holy Ghost and St. Albert to help “achieve a smooth transition as possible for both the parish and student center.”
He said he will work through his delegates and personally work with Holy Ghost St. and Albert parishioners to “discern our next steps moving forward in terms of future parish leadership, continuation of the parish’s mission and an expansion of evangelization efforts throughout the Hammond community.”
Bishop Duca thanked the four Dominican clergy currently serving both parishes and said they have been an “inspiration” to him.
“Indeed the Order of Preachers has left a lasting legacy for these parishes and our diocese that will never be replicated,” the bishop said.
The entire text of Father Condon’s and Bishop Duca’s letter can be found at diobr.org/Dominicans2022.
This is a developing story; please check back for more details.