St. Joseph Church, Elton, 1951; Jefferson Davis, Louisiana Submitted by Kathy Tell Source; Truman Stacey of the Diocese of Lake Charles. Written for the Jubilee Year 2000. Submitted July 2004 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ LOCATION: Entering Elton from the East on U.S. 190, at Texas Street, go North till you reach Yoakum Street. At Yoakum, go West (left). At the end of Yoakum, the road dog-legs to the North. There is St. Joseph, Elton. ELTON - Saint Joseph Parish in Elton will celebrate its 50th anniversary in the year 2001, and throughout its history it has been known for the dedication and support of its congregation. The Black Catholic population of Elton is small -- only 125 families -- but for the past 49 years these families have worked to create a Catholic community of which all can be proud. Saint Joseph Church, with a seating capacity of 150, was completed with parishioners doing much of the construction work. The church was made by putting together three smaller buildings. The parish rectory was once a hospital, then a classroom. It became the parish rectory two decades ago. A parish hall and parish cemetery make up the parish's physical plant. Because of budget restraints there are no full time employees, but volunteers are always on hand to hand the most vital needs. Throughout the parish's history, the names of several families appear more and more often in the records -- DeFils, Caesar, Pelican, Soileau, Joubert and so on. One of the pioneers of the parish, Herbert DeFils, helped build many of the parish's buildings, and remained active into his 90s. He and Mrs. DeFils were decorated with the diocese's Devoted Service Medal by Bishop Jude Speyrer in 1981. Despite the smaller number of families in the parish, the religious education program has enrolled 77 students. Two lay organizations which have been consistent in assisting the pastor in all that needs to be done are the Knights and Ladies of Peter Claver, and its Ladies Auxiliary. Saint Joseph Parish has developed an active prayer life, with regular novenas to Saint Joseph and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Rosary is recited before each Mass, and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is scheduled for each Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. When the Most Rev. Maurice Schexnayder established Saint Joseph Parish in 1951, he entrusted it to the Society of the Divine Word. The founding pastor was the Rev. Henry Marusa, SVD. The first five pastors in the history of the parish were Divine Word Fathers, but in 1970, the Society was forced to give it up, and the parish was staffed by diocesan priests. Here is a complete list of pastors of St. Joseph Parish, with the dates of their appointment: 1951, Rev. Henry Marusa, SVD; 1951, Rev. Clarence Weber, SVD; 1957, Rev. Maxim Williams, SVD; 1961, Rev. A. W. Masters, SVD; 1964, Rev. Thaddeus Boucree, SVD; 1970, Rev. Valerie Pullman; 1975, Rev. Eugene LaFleur; 1975, Rev. Michael Herpin; 1978, Rev. Willard Dugas; 1985, Rev. Oris Broussard;; 1986, Rev. Albert W. Borel; 1990, Rev. Mr. John Eaves (Administrator); 1994, Rev. Jose Vattakunnel. Fr. Vattakunnel, a native of Kattampack, Kerla, India, was ordained to the priesthood in 1990, and his first assignment was as Secretary to the Superior General of his congregation. He was assigned to the United States, in 1993, first as an Associate Pastor of St. John Parish in West Virginia. He was named Pastor of Saint Joseph Parish in Elton in 1994.