Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church
Belle Chasse, LA
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Archdiocese of New Orleans

 
OLPH Church History
     Plaquemines Parish holds an important distinction in the history of the Catholic Church in Louisiana. Some of the greatest and most significant Catholic events took place within its boundaries. In 1682, Robert Cavalier de la Salle, the great French explorer, came down the Mississippi and somewhere along the way planted a cross, symbolic of planting the faith in the new colony. Seventeen years later, Father Anatase Douay, a Franciscan Friar who accompanied Iberville and Bienville, offered Mass, the first on the soil of Louisiana.
 
     Most of the first settlers of the parish were French and Spanish. Among these were also some Acadians from Nova Scotia, Italians and Pennsylvania Dutch. The Dalmatian and Slavonian immigrants came much later. Free people of color settled in the parish also.
     The whole vast area of Plaquemines Parish was essentially an agricultural area, made up of a succession of large plantations, "habitations," and small farms on both sides of the river. While the beginnings of the Catholic Church are somewhat lost in the haze of the past, we know that priests traveled throughout the area going from plantation to plantation baptizing, celebrating Mass, caring for the sick and providing whatever spiritual help that was necessary. While there was an acute shortage of priests to serve the area, historical records covering almost three centuries indicate the presence of a number of religious orders: Franciscans, Dominicans, Jesuits, Capuchins, Redemptorists and Divine Word Missionaries.
     In 1870, the famed priest-botanist, Father Auguste Barthelemy Langlois, a native of France, founded St. Cecilia Church at Jesuit Bend. In 1892, Archbishop Janssens suppressed St. Cecilia as a parish and it once more became a mission of Pointe-a-la-Hache. A new era began for St. Cecilia in 1900, when Archbishop Chapelle revived the parish and placed it in charge of a remarkable priest, Father John George McKenna, said to have been a member of Parliament in England. He served the parish until 1907. Archbishop Blenk then appointed Father Joseph M. Kellogg as pastor of St. Cecilia. Father Kellogg founded a home for boys at Jesuit Bend, a place that was the forerunner of Hope Haven. The great hurricane of 1915 blew down St. Cecilia Church. Many years later, Father Cosmos Schneider, S.V.D. remodeled the old boys' home into a church. Eventually that church was moved back on account of the levee. It was subsequently remodeled by Father Peter Boerding, S.V.D. Hurricane Betsy completely destroyed the building in 1965.
     On July 28, 1928, Archbishop John W. Shaw appointed Father Cosmos Schneider, S.V.D. as founding pastor of Our Lady of Prompt Succor Parish. Father Schneider is described as being "one of the most efficient, zealous and tireless priests ever to serve the area." Born in 1888 in the diocese of Speyer, Germany, he went to Mozambique, Africa, after his ordination in Vienna in 1913. World War I interrupted his work, and after a short stay in Portugal and later in his native country, he volunteered again for the missions and came to Mississippi in 1920. Beginning in 1928 he devoted himself exclusively to the mission of Plaquemines Parish for ten years.
     The area comprised the northern half of the west bank of Plaquemines Parish. The Annual Pastoral Report of 1929 indicates that Jesuit Bend, Myrtle Grove, Diamond, West Pointe-a-la-Hache and City Price were all included in Our Lady of Prompt Succor Parish.
     In 1929, Father Schneider erected a church at Belle Chasse. Forty-five children made their communion there on July 14, 1929. A fire struck the new church in November, 1930, but undaunted, Father Schneider rebuilt it immediately. Eventually the church and rectory were moved on March 20, 1942 to Highway 23 while Father Peter Boerding, S.V.D. was pastor. The buildings were also completely renovated. Meanwhile, in 1937 the invocation of our parish was changed to Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
     Myrtle Grove, site of the famous Wilkinson Plantation, was visited by Father Langlois on his tours along the west bank. However, it was Father Girault who first gave special attention to this center. He offered Mass there on weekdays in an old sugar house and gave instructions, and in 1925, he informed the Archbishop that a chapel was needed. That year he began a chapel, laid the foundation and gathered material to build, but in 1926, his health was failing and he could not attend to the place as he should, according to his own statement. Father Kellogg also visited Myrtle Grove and his first baptism there, dated April 11,1909, was that of Bellina Durand.
     It was left to Father Schneider to complete what Father Girault had undertaken. Dr. Herbert M. Shilstone gave the chapel building at Myrtle Grove and generously donated it to the Church. In 1936, it was necessary to move the church, which was done under the direction of Father Schneider. That building was subsequently torn down and a new one was built in 1953 when Father Clement Mathias, S.V.D. was pastor under the patronage of St. lgnatius of Antioch. That church remained in operation until September, 1985.

     The precise details concerning the acquisition of church-owned properties in Belle Chasse are unclear. However, the following pieces of information may be of interest. Seemingly, the City of New Orleans transferred a very small piece of property in 1941 for the relocation of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church. On October 10,1958, Charles Nuna Olivier sold property to the Archdiocese of New Orleans for $63,150.00. That property, which included the present church office and the land where the school was subsequently built, was transferred to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on April 11, 1960 for $64,014.55. In 1961 the Archdiocese purchased two pieces of property, one piece previously owned by George O. Jourdan, for $13,200.00 and the other piece previously owned by Gaston and Wilson Dauterive for $36.150.00. In 1982 some property previously owned by Mr. Numa Hero and others was subsequently donated to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church.

     According to annual reports, during the thirties, forties and fifties the two chief organizations seem to have been the Altar and Rosary Society and the Holy Name Society. During the fifties and sixties, Sisters of the Eucharistic Missionaries of St. Dominic served as religion teachers. In 1960, under the direction of Father Frank Ecimovich, S.V.D. Our Lady of Perpetual Help School was opened and staffed by the Dominican Sisters. The school was built at a cost of $119,960.00. The present cafeteria was built in 1971.

     Since 1974 the parish has been staffed by priests of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Today Sisters of the Living Word help staff our parish school. Approximately 2,000 Catholic households comprise Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church.

     The building of a permanent place of worship in Belle Chasse has been the dream of this community every since its inception in 1928. In January, 1985, the actual commitment to this dream had its beginning. Inspired by the prayerful and generous support of parishioners, three subcommittees were formed: Architect Selection and Design, Fund-Raising, and Public Relations. Under the leadership of Fathers Harry Bugler and Paul Calamari and Sister Lynda Rink, S.L.W. and by the grace of God, our community's dream has finally become a reality.

     The permanent church was dedicated on February 21, 1993 by Most Reverend Francis B. Schulte, Archbishop of New Orleans.

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