NEW ORLEANS (RNS) Thirteen parishioners of a New Orleans Catholic church that closed after Hurricane Katrina have sued Archbishop Alfred Hughes and an aide, alleging fraud and broken promises.

Parishioners from Our Lady of Good Counsel accused Hughes and the Rev. Michael Jacques of assuring them in August 2007 that their parish would remain open in a post-storm reorganization of the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

In addition, Hughes and Jacques allegedly set before the parishioners further achievement goals — and to that end, the parishioners said, they increased their contributions and their work on behalf of the parish.

However, in the spring of 2008, Hughes announced that Good Counsel was among about three dozen parishes that would close in the archdiocesan reorganization, thus allegedly defrauding the parishioners of their money and work.

The parishioners are asking for a return of their donations to the church, with additional damages for emotional distress arising from the alleged fraud.

The lawsuit names Hughes and Jacques personally, but does not name the archdiocese as a defendant. Archdiocesan spokeswoman Sarah Comiskey said the archdiocese had no comment on the lawsuit.

As a practical matter, the lawsuit has to clear a high First Amendment barrier: Secular courts historically have been extremely reluctant to render judgment on internal operations of churches. For that reason, another court last year tossed an earlier suit by Good Counsel alleging that under state law, Hughes did not have the authority to close their parish.