CATHOLICISM IN PLAQUEMINES PARISH Submitted by Gladys Stovall-Armstrong Complied by Mrs. Ursula Ronquillo Martinez Typed by Darnell Marie Brunner Beck Published in "The Deep Delta Gen Society Quarterly" ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** ROBERT CAVELIER, SIEUR DE LA SALLE, the French explorer and his Christian expedition planted the first known cross on the soil of Plaquemines Parish approximately three leagues from the mouth of the Mississippi River, claiming the entire area for the King of France and proclaiming the intention of establishing the Christian Religion. Here, on the same day in April, 1682, the first religious ceremony was conducted by FATHER ZENOBE MEMBRE. Seventeen years later, in the year 1699, when PIERRE LE MOYNE, SIEUR DE IBERVILLE, and JEAN BAPTISTE LE MOYNE, SIEUR DE BIENVILLE, led their first expedition in their effort to colonize the new empire for France, they entered the Missisippi River accompanied by FATHER ANASTASE DOUAY, a Franciscan Friar. Confident that this was the great river for which they had been searching, they landed, and on March 3, Shrove Tuesday (Mardi Gras), FATHER DOUAY offered the first Mass in Plaquemines Parish the first in Louisiana, at Point du Mardi Gras, four miles below Buras on the east bank of the river. On IBERVILLE's second expedition came FATHER PAUL DU RU, a Jesuit missionary, to Fort de la Boulaye (Fort Mississippi). FATHER DU RU offered Mass on the boat at the ehore of the fortification on February 5, 1700, and on Sunday, February 7, offered Mass at the fort for the officers and troops. On the following Sunday, February 14, a huge cross was erected and blessed by FATHER DU RU, and he blessed a cemetery in the area. In the short length of time he had been in the area, he managed to erect a shed with an altar and returned to the site on this Sunday offering Mass and preaching. The tireless priest two days later visited Indian villages on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain. FATHER JACK GRAVIER, another Jesuit missionary, reached Tort Mississippi on December 17, 1700, leaving in l7o1, after about four months of service, to work among the Bayougoula Indians up river. A Jesuit explorer, FATHER CHARLEVOIS, in 1721, visited and blessed a post at the Balize. The French outpost situated on the southeast pass, on & small island called Toulouse, was to consist of a pilot station, fortifications,warehouses, barracks, and other quarters. A chapel was also in the plans designed by SIEUR DE PAUgER, the Royal Engineer, and SIEUR LE BLOND DE LA TOUR. FATHER DAVION also visited there in 1722, on his way back to France. On October 19, 1722, the Capuchin Friar at New Orleans sent FATHER CHRISTOPHE DE CHAUMONT to serve as Chaplain at La Balize, the first mission of New Orleans on the lower Mississippi River. Entrusted to FATHER DE CHAUMONT also were the concessions and settlements along the river below New Orleans. FATHER DE CHAUMONT served at La Balize until May of 1725. When FATHER GASPARD, a Capuchin, was sent there in 1725 or 1726, no chapel had been built as yet. Finally, after lodging an official protest as to the disgraceful living conditions and hardships of the missionary, a chapel was built. The last two Capuchins stationed there were FATHER ANCHANGE and FATHER MAXIM who served until 1752. FATHER DAGOBERT, who became Superior of the Capuchins, manifested a deep interest in the Lower Coast section having visited the settlements and plantations after the departure of FATHER ANCHANGE and FATHER MAXIM. He appealed for a church to be erected in that area, but to no avail. In the period of the Spanish Domination, GOVERNOR BERNARDO DE GALVEZ built a summer home above English Turn where he had authorized a settlement known as the Post of the Conception, named for the Immaculate Conception, which was later known as New Galvez. Eventually New Galvez became Terre aux Boeufs, so named because of the large number of oxen used as draft animals. There, a church was erected and placed under the invocation of St. Bernard, patron of the governor. The Spanish Capuchin Friars, stationed at New Orleans Cathedral, served the St. Bernard Church until finally in 1785, a resident priest was assigned to the church and all of the territory below New Orleans. During this Spanish Colonial period, several missionaries served St. Bernard and Plaquemines Parishes, the last being FATHER DOMINGO JOACHIN SOLANO, who left in 1802; and the parish was vacant until 1805. Although the majority of Plaquemines Parish residents depended on the missionaries and the St. Bernard Church, many of the plantation people made periodic visits to New Orleans by boat1 having their children baptized and marriages performed at St. Louis Cathedral. St. Bernard Church continued to serve Plaquemines Parish until 1834, when the VERY REVEREND ANTOINE BLANC, the Vicar General1 8erved as the Administrator of the Diocese. FATHER BLANC, aware of the more than 2,000 Catholics being neglected. in Plaquemines Parish, sent FATHER JEAN MARTIN, St. Bernard pastor, on a mission in Plaquemines Parish. As there was no regular parish church at the time in the vast area of Plaquemines Parish, FATHER MARTIN went from house to house offering Holy Mass, performing marriages and baptisms, and instructing the faithful parishwide. FATHER MARTIN left in 1835 and was replaced by REVEREND VICTOR JAMEY, who did little for the parish. FATHER JAMEY left in 1837. In 1837 BISHOP BLANC sent REVEREND JEAN CARETTA as a replacement for FATHER JAMEY to serve both St. Bernard and Plaquemines Parishes. Thus Plaquemines Parish was again neglected until 1841 when FATHER CARETTA began making regular visits, as FATHER MARTIN had done, but at longer intervals. ABBE BARON D'AURAGNE, a priest nobleman from France, came to Louisiana for a rest. He requested temporary assignment in the country to escape the yellow fever in the city. BISHOP BLANC sent him to Plaquemines Parish where he toured the whole area, ministering in each place he vistied After a period of three months, he expired from the dreaded fever he had sought to avoid. FATHER CARETTA resumed his ministrations in 1843 in plaquemines Parish and in 1844 began making regular visits each month. Each time he remained several days. Late in 1845, REVEREND NICHOLAS SAVELLI was sent to St. Bernard as a temporary replacement for FATHER CARETTA. FATHER SAVELLI began making calls in Plaquemines Parish in 1846 and started collecting funds to build a church. FATHER CARETTA returned at the end of 1846, and FATHER SAVELLI took up residency in plaquemines Parish so he could devote all of his time to the parish and people therein. TO BE CONTINUED Sources of information: Crosses on the Delta The First plaquemines Parish Churches