Historic St. Augustine was hit hard by Ida. Two years later, here's what's left to be fixed.

When Hurricane Ida swept through southeast Louisiana nearly two years ago, it left destruction in its wake. As residents slowly returned to the area, some found their homes, schools, workplaces and houses of worship damaged.

St. Augustine Catholic Church in Tremé was hit particularly hard.

The iron cross perched on top of the 182-year-old church's steeple was bent over sideways, pushed by Ida's winds. Windows were blown out. Water damage crumbled plaster that fell in chunks from the walls and columns. The church's rectory and parish hall also suffered damage.

"It was just shocking, the feeling of numbness," said Rev. Emmanuel Mulenga, the Roman Catholic church's pastor of nine years.

Still shuttered

The church wasn't in any condition to serve its parishioners. To deal with all of the problems, workers erected scaffoldings to hold up a massive metal plate against the ceiling to keep it from falling in. Tarps were laid over the historic pews to protect them.

Two years later, St. Augustine remains shuttered, and while there's been progress, it still has far to go before repairs are finished.

Earlier this month, the church announced repairs on its roof were complete. Work inside the sanctuary is now expected to follow. While Mulenga said the date for St. Augustine reopening is like "a moving goal post," he hopes the church will be ready in the fall.

The repair process has taken longer than parishioners and Tremé residents expected, and some aren't sure that the fall timeline is feasible.

"I'm not too sure about us going back in the fall," said Steven Gilyot, who has attended the church for over a decade. "We're just hoping to get back on our feet and have service in [the sanctuary]."

Repairing it right

According to Mulenga and officials from the Archdiocese of New Orleans, a key reason for the delay in reopening the church is its history. St. Augustine, which is considered a historic landmark as the nation's oldest Black Roman Catholic parish, must adhere to the guidelines of the New Orleans Historic District Landmarks Commission.

Repairs must be made with the church's existing specialized materials, which the church has had difficulty acquiring. Sourcing roof tiles, plaster, wood, copper and other materials has been held up by global supply chain issues, according to Sarah McDonald, a spokesperson for the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

"The composition of such a historic building as St. Augustine creates challenges," McDonald said. "This means more time but also provides for a complete restoration that preserves the historic and cultural significance of the building rather than simply repairing damage."

The HDLC, which has jurisdiction over the exterior of historic structures, requires that plans for repairs are submitted for approval. St. Augustine was allowed to move forward in October.

On top of that, workers have been restricted from accessing the steeple from Henriette Delille Street because of its proximity to overhead power lines. Access to the roof is limited to the church's side yard, slowing the repair process.

"This is a 182-year-old building. What you find when you open one layer is never predictable," Mulenga said.

Decreased donations following the pandemic have also thrown a wrench in St. Augustine's repairs.

Prior to the storm damage and pandemic, St. Augustine started a capital campaign to restore the church. A steady flow of donations from out-of-town visitors combined with parishioners' contributions jumpstarted the $2.5 million capital campaign.

According to St. Augustine's website, $1.5 million has been raised so far.

The storm damage piled more costs onto the church's efforts, though it's not clear what the total bill for all repairs will come to.

Changing neighborhood

Gilyot and others said changes in Tremé could be making it harder for St. Augustine to raise all of the money.

The neighborhood has seen an increase of senior citizens and short term rentals that has stifled the parish's growth, according to Gia M. Hamilton, executive director and chief curator of the New Orleans African American Museum, which is two blocks from St. Augustine. The change has left the church with an aging congregation; many are on fixed incomes.

"I think St. Augustine has had to contend with how to be a support to the neighborhood, how to make sure that it remains a welcoming space for Black people as the neighborhood changes," Hamilton said.

Eighteen years ago, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, St. Augustine's financial troubles and depopulation issues almost led to its closure.

Many churches to fix

The archdiocese marked the church to be consolidated with St. Peter Claver Catholic Church on St. Philip Street, sparking outrage from parishioners and Tremé residents. Activists at the time occupied the church rectory in protest before the decision was reversed.

According to Mulenga, St. Augustine has received "tremendous support" from the archdiocese in its current repair process, such as providing St. Augustine assistance in reviewing insurance paperwork and dealing with FEMA.

The archdiocese would not disclose how much money it has given St. Augustine for its Ida repairs. According to McDonald, it continues to look for additional funding for St. Augustine through grants and historic tax credits.

St. Augustine is just one of the many parishes, schools, and properties throughout the archdiocese to still await Ida damage repairs.

"It is estimated that the cost to make all Hurricane Ida repairs will exceed $100 million, which exceeds insurance coverage," McDonald said. "That coupled with the rate of storm damage deductibles has created significant challenges and frustration for parishioners, pastors, and for archdiocesan officials."

Until the sanctuary is repaired, parishioners and out-of-town visitors gather for mass in the parish hall, where a temporary sanctuary is set up. St. Augustine has turned to livestreams of mass to connect housebound parishioners. The livestreams also allow visitors from across the globe to view mass, which recently led to a small rebound in donations.

"My hope is that work can be done as soon as possible, but no rushing. We have to do quality work," Mulenga said.