Bishop, priests answer questions about rebuilding Cameron churches

Cameron Parish, LA (KPLC) - People in Cameron again lost their churches in Hurricane Laura, just like after Hurricane Rita in 2005. But this time, not all will be built back, which upsets some residents.

“Grand Chenier and Cameron have nothing as far as a place for people to go to mass,” said church member Jennifer Jones.

Church officials say there are financial limits as to what they can do.

“We want the church’s presence in Cameron Parish to remain, that is a given. We want the parishioners to be served. That too is a given. Just as we did following Rita and Ike, we will move forward slowly as we did after Rita and Ike. Not because we want to, but because we were forced to,” said Bishop Glen John Provost.

The bishop also explained the process by which a decision came after a task force and listening sessions for the public.

“The decision was made to amalgamate the three coastal parishes in east Cameron, maintaining the integrity of sacred heart parish as the eldest, keeping a chapel at Creole, and rebuilding a church on property the church already owns at Sweetlake,” he said.

Those whose churches won’t be back ask what becomes of the money their churches had.

“When the parish was amalgamated, that is, more or less the parishes are combined, all of the funds for those parishes are still in control of the parish. They’re all still there. If an account has been moved it is simply into, there were three churches: Sacred Heart of Jesus in Creole has its accounts, Our Lady Star of the Sea has its accounts and St. Eugene has its accounts as well,” Father Jeff Starkovich said.

The new church parish of Sacred Heart of Jesus of East Cameron will be receiving the accounts of the other churches.

There is detailed information about Cameron church recovery on the Diocese website.

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