St. Gabriel: ‘Become a cornerstone’ of greatness

By Peter Finney Jr.
Clarion Herald

St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish celebrated its closing Mass June 30 and went out in a rousing way. The 1-Up Brass Band – composed of 2024 graduates and current students from St. Augustine High School – and the Zulu Warriors – St. Augustine students Gary Sumler and Malachi Williams – met parishioners as they left the Pontchartrain Park church.

Outside of the church was a food truck and a snowball stand, where hundreds of parishioners gathered to dance, laugh and hug each other goodbye.


St. Gabriel the Archangel is merging with Transfiguration of the Lord and St. James Major parishes to form the new St. Martin de Porres Parish. The new parish will worship at Transfiguration of the Lord Church at Elysian Fields and Prentiss avenues.

In his closing homily, Father Tony Ricard, pastor of St. Gabriel, encouraged parishioners to offer everything they could to help St. Martin de Porres become “one of the strongest churches in our archdiocese and, really, in our nation.”

He mentioned that since he was now a priest without a “weekend assignment,” he was planning to register as a member of St. Martin de Porres and perhaps fill in for the pastor, Father Francis Offia, when called on.

Bring our gifts forward

“We may not be able to bring the bricks of St. Gabriel’s with us, but that doesn’t mean that we cannot bring the core of who we are to our new church home,” Father Ricard said. “The very foundation of what has made this such a sacred place is not the bricks and mortar. It is the people of God who have gathered here for 70 years! Like the stone that the builders rejected, the family that is St. Gabriel’s can become the cornerstone of a new and vibrant church.”

Father Ricard asked parishioners to do everything in their power to allow Father Offia’s vision for the new parish to flourish.

“The question is, what are we going to do to help him create a new parish and bring together our church family with the families at St. James Major and Transfiguration?” Father Ricard said. “How will we help our new pastor become the best he can be as he calls all of us to be the best we can be?

“Just as you have done for me, it is my prayer that you will give him the love and support that he will need to be our leader. The work of merging three communities into one church is not an easy task. There will be many hurdles along the way.”

Specifically, Father Ricard cited overseeing finances and building maintenance and unifying three faith communities.

“The easy part for him will be celebrating the Eucharist,” Father Ricard said. “The toughest part will be making sure that everyone feels welcome at the table of plenty! My pledge to you and to Father Francis is to be as supportive as I possibly can be.

“At St. Gabriel’s, ‘We do good church!’ At St. Martin de Porres, we must continue to do the same! We can and you must – succeed. We have come too far to turn back now.”
After Communion, Father Ricard presided over the ritual blessing of a church building that is closing. He offered prayers at the baptismal font, confessionals, Stations of the Cross, choir stand, ambo, tabernacle and altar.

Parishioners processed out with the Book of the Gospel, bells, chalice, altar linen and presider’s chair.

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