CHURCH HISTORIES    Terrebonne Parish, LA 

CATHOLIC - ST. ELOI CATHOLIC CHURCH
 
Submitted by: Cynthia Daigle
 
Source:  The Houma Daily Courier and The Terrebonne Press, Houma, LA. 

Last modified: 10 MARCH 2008
 
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NOTE: Most histories were submitted by the church to the Houma Daily 
Courier and The Terrebonne Press as part of the newspapers 
Sesquicentennial Edition. Not all churches submitted histories.

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CATHOLIC - ST. ELOI CATHOLIC CHURCH

Location in 2007 - 1335 Bayou Dularge Rd., Theriot, LA

The Houma Daily Courier and The Terrebonne Press
Houma, LA, Oct. 8, 1972, Sunday


ST. ELOI IS AN ELDER CHILD OF ST. FRANCIS
By Mary Tracy Duplantis

Authors: St. Eloi, Souvenir Program Book (dedication of new church), and 
Misses Ollie and Florence Theriot.

St. Eloi Church on Bayou du Large is one of the eldest daughters of the 
Mother Church, St. Francis de Sales, in Terrebonne Parish.

The original church was "the Impossible Dream" (come true) of that 
indomitable couple, Michael Eloi Theriot and his spouse, Marie Seraphine 
Thibodaux. These pioneers, from St. James Parish, established the first 
plantation on Bayou du Large. It was they who gave the land for a church 
and cemetery.

It is to be noted that the "daughter parish" has had more pastors then the 
Mother Church. In chronological order these were: 1875, Rev. Jean 
Geoffray; 1882, Rev. Joseph Constarot; 1890, Rev. J.F. Raymond; 1893, Rev. 
Pierre M. Bedell; 1894, Rev. Leon Ledue; 1897, Rev. Jerome Drolet; 1898, 
Rev. L.H. L'Anglaie; 1905, Rev. J. Barbe; 1913, Rev. Fred Bosch; 1916, 
Rev. George Andree; 1920, Rev. Joseph Boudreaux; 1926, Rev. Felix Miller; 
1938, L. Abel Caillouet (later consecrated as Auxiliary Bishop of New 
Orleans); 1944, Rev. Arthur Brou; 1949, Rev. Preston Marquette; 1950, 
Roland Boudreaux; 1952, Rev. Preston Marquette returned from service in 
the Armed Forces, as chaplain; 1954, Rev. F.J. Pooley; 1958, Rev. Carter 
Richaud; 1963, Rev. Cecil Rodrigue; 1965, Rev. William Grangell, CSsR; 
1966, Carmell Grech; and on All Saints Day, 1969, incumbent, became 
pastor.

St. Eloi's new church, dedicated on January 9, 1972 has been described as 
'a modern jewel'.

Assistant pastors who have served at St. Eloi are: Rev. John A. Weber, 
1945; Rev. Jerome Roppola, 42-49; Rev. George Landry, 50-51; Rev. Francis 
Amedee, 1951; and Rev. H.C. Daigle, 1951.

The church was named for the patron saint of Mr. Michael Eloi Theriot, who 
spear-headed the founding of the parish. He was the grandfather of Miss 
America Theriot, long-time member of the St. Francis Choir and Sodality of 
the Blessed Virgin Mary, as well as a catechist. One of his great 
granddaughters is Miss Ollie Theriot, a former member of the St. Francis 
faculty, and a former catechist.

St. Eloi has the distinction of being the first Catholic parish to 
participate in an Ecumenical Blessing of a Fishing Fleet - with St. 
Andrew's Episcopal Mission. The unprecedented even took place on Sunday, 
August 13th.