St. Mary Magdalen Church in Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, LA
Written by Ken Dupuy
                                       



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St. Mary Magdalen Church in Abbeville
X-UIDL: 257709601
Status: U

Below is an excerpt from my article on the Catholic churches in 
Abbeville. 
This excerpt details the initial use of the church that had been 
constructed in 1910 to replace the one that had been destroyed by fire in 1907.  
Remember that this 1910 church had the name "St. Anne's" or "St. Ann's" 
from 1911 until 1918, when the name of St. Mary Magdalen was used once 
more.
 
    "Finally, on February 12, 1911, a High Mass was celebrated by Fr. 
Laforest in the new Catholic Church.  The first funeral, being that of 
Mrs. William Myers, took place from this new church on February 20, 1911.  
Also on that date, "Mr. Ode Trahan and Miss Constance Frederick of 
Perry's Bridge" became the first couple to take marriage vows in this 
new church.
    As if these ceremonies were not enough for the day, the 
laying-of-the-cornerstone ceremonies were conducted by Fr. Teurlings.  
He had served as vicar at our church in 1895, and in 1906 had been 
appointed pastor of St. John's church in Lafayette.  
    Several items were placed inside a copper box which was then placed 
in the cornerstone.  These items included a copy of the Sunday 
(February 19, 1911) Times Democrat, and a copy of the Meridional-
probably the issue of February 18, 1911.  A roster signed by "various 
parish officials, the church trustees and a number of professional men 
and prominent citizens of Abbeville..." was placed in the box also.  
What do you want to bet that there were very few, if any, signatures of 
women or African-American men on that roster?  Finally, some religious 
medals and coins completed the inventory of items placed in the box.  
Who among us on this journey into the past will be present when the 
contents of this box are ceremoniously inspected sometime in the 
future?"