In today's Times-Picayune:

We who lost our churches have already made our points about family, history, and tradition. Those who still advise us to "just find another church" are missing (or ignoring) the fact that Our Lady of Good Counsel and St. Henry's comprise over two blocks of prime real estate in the heart of the "sliver by the river," and that archdiocese spokespeople refuse to say what they plan to do with these properties.

They claim the archdiocese wants to use the buildings for "religious purposes," but this contradicts the fact that it closed two financially viable churches. It recently evicted Unity, an organization that helps the homeless and hungry, from OLGC space. These historic properties on Louisiana Avenue and General Pershing now stand vacant, deteriorating and vulnerable.

This is not just a Catholic problem. It should concern anyone who cares about the regrowth of New Orleans.

Poppy Z. Brite
New Orleans

"Vacant, deteriorating and vulnerable"? Whence my beloved Harvard comma? Ah, well; I've been urging my OLGC peeps to pound this issue, and here it is: the archdiocese is making a land grab, pure and simple.

The Times-Picayune used mine as the lead letter in today's Letters to the Editor:

Re: "St. Henry to close, leaders are told: Our Lady of Good Counsel too, they say," Metro, April 4.

I believe the archdiocese is seriously out of touch with the lives of lay Catholics in New Orleans. It asks us to sacrifice churches where we and our families have worshipped for over a hundred years, yet what sacrifices has the archdiocese made?

Archdiocese officials remind us that our primary loyalty must be to the Church itself, and that's true. For most of us, though, the Church means the Lord, the Blessed Virgin, the saints and our church community -- not the hierarchy, which is perceived as wealthy but reluctant to help poorer parishes that aren't putting money in their pockets. Unique and valuable aspects of individual churches, such as St. Joseph altars and charity work, seem to go entirely unacknowledged by the powers that be.

The most blatant oversight from a financial standpoint is that so many of these churches are physical treasures. I defy anyone who cares for Catholic art and architecture to tour Our Lady of Good Counsel and not be moved to tears at the idea of selling it to the highest bidder.

In any European city, such churches would be mandatory stops on visitors' tours, religious or secular. Tourist donation boxes in the European churches produce significant income each year.

Only in New Orleans do we have such a surplus of unseen treasures, and only in New Orleans are we so eager to throw them away.

Poppy Z. Brite
Parishioner, Our Lady of Good Counsel
New Orleans

Far superior to my little letter is this guest editorial by my friend and fellow parishioner, Harold Baquet. Terrifyingly (for me, anyway), Harold and I have been designated the two speakers at tomorrow's rally. Tonight I shall make signs. Life certainly leads you to some unexpected places.