This text was obtained via automated optical character recognition.
It has not been edited and may therefore contain several errors.

---

I;
^uVcH Was Located at Ocean Springs at Place of Park Today;
Salamanca* Priests';
Sent by Spami
Later Building Was Dedicated to St. Alphonsus in : 1874; First Visited by Father Grignon
The royal government of Spain,	in the history of Louislana|pa$S
whatever may' have been its	colony under Spanish rule^JpS
faults, was always solicitous to	Governor Galvez, the "energetft
provide'proper spiritual ministra-	and' capable youngofficiajGgx^^S
tions to settlers in its various col-	directed the affairs of theAgolonyl;
.	.	onies in America. A review of for several years,, conqueredfilh^
ilies desired the services of	a res-	the history of any of the colonies	English lands in what are'nQVFttre
ident priest.	Writing to the	Bish-	0f Spain will always show consid-	states of Mississippi, AlabamaWJiC
op on September 2, 1874, he	says:	erable sums expended by the king	Louisiana, it became th&voon'cem,
I was very well received .	.. and	f0r maintenance of churches and	of the king .of Spain: to dofsomje^^i*',
clergy. The colony of Louisiana	thing .for the English-speaking:sejf^^|'.'
I hope that little by little I will
be able to form a small, good con- while under the Spanish regime tiers in those newly conquere<L!?&*ife, gregation. In a short time two was not an exception to this in- gions.
Sarv and Back Bay BilSxi ”be- fle*ible P°lic.y °£ Spain. As a it was the policy of Spaii^^p^i SIya a^Lion nfK £nrin«.	°f	fac>	^	kmg	went	out	Louisiana	colony	not	t	'—^
policy ,	.....
came a mission of Ocean Springs. ‘n‘f~hTo wav~~tn nrovirfp’ ripre^arv
T„.	,»«	**	^^“JSgftSSBw
An excellent example of this public practice of any reUgI(iii^p!p®£ royal solicitude for the spiritual cept the Catholic Faith'sw'ast^i0'£^'?l''* welfare of colonists may be noted allowed. The children	^
Pictured above is the picturesque church at Ocean Springs in ■V’whiclv'.Catholics have worshipped for more than a half century.
The annual report of 1874 lists the number of Catholics as 350. There was no parochial residence in the parish at this time.
Rev. C. Van Queckelberge assumed . temporary charge of the parish in June, 1878, while the pastor was in Europe. He contracted yellow fever and died on September 10, 1878. Father Meer-schaert returned four days later. The following June he was trans1 ferred to Bay St. Louis and Father O’Brien came to Ocean Springs for a time.
On April 20, 1882, Rev. A. M. Peters was installed as pastor of Ocean Springs with Back Bay and Stonewall as missions. A school under direction of a lay teacher was opened on January 1, 1883, on which'date Bishop Janssens blessed the new sch'oolhouse. On April 1,	1885,	Father	Oberfeld
took charge, remaining until his health broke down in September. Father Chevalier and Father Alt-hoff administered to the Catholic congregation until Rev. F. C. Boh-mert became pastor in 1877,- remaining in charge until his death on June 25, 1890. On September 1, 1887, he had informed Bishop
Canon
•s^Bik Rev. J. II. Chauvin , for Divine Service in August, Janssens that the Sisters .Marian-'^In:rthe period preceding that in 1860. This site had been donated ites of the Holy Cross were anx-which^O.cean. Springs ' became a by a Mr. Bellande. Today the ious to open a^ school in his par--parishrpf/vthe Diocese of Natchez, .Ocean ..Springs park is located on ish. The Bishop granted permis-priestsfirom‘Mobile, New Orleans, it. Some land and a house for pa- sion and the school opened with Biloxi,1?Pass Christian and Pasca- rochial residence were purchased an enrollment of 64 pupils, goula ministered. to the small lor $4000. Father Georget visited Father Aloise Van Waesberghe Catholic ^community there. The the mission weekly. In 1861, was pastor from 1892 until Sep-earliest record on hand of the vis- Bishop Elder, making a visitation tember, 1896, when he was transit of a diocesan'priest is that of of coast parishes, visited Ocean ferred to Pass Christian. Father Very Rev.'Father'Grignon, Vicar- Springs. The- Catholic population . Henry■ Mortier. succeeded him, re-Generaltof the Diocese of Natchez, at that time amounted to 200 “Sen Rev P DeGruvter became who'^visitedf'there in 1856 and souls, half of the total population	The iatte^wJs Lcceedel
1857.'-After one'of’these visits he of the town.	■	Past°rev	Tf 1914 who
wrote to Bishop JElder saying: “I The War Between the States in- remained until Aueust 18’ 1919 said Mass'twice at Ocean Springs tervened to prevent the-develop- Xn the present &r. Father A. .-It is a pity.to see those Cath- ment" of Ocean Springs, which j0Seph H. Chauvin, was appoint-
was
However,
cided that this territory'.shoQifolJ^jL- , provided with a clergy, thafrcbylq^i.f speak the language of .the-.a^djSpjpg ‘ ity of the people of these-;ne^£ji^|p-i gions.. Accordingly, arrangbnie'd^^.' were made with the Seniir"—
Very Rev.- Joseph Canon Enis, ■ born, ' Logan, Ohio; studies, philosophy at St. Jerome’s college, ’Jichner, Canada; theology at St. Jerome’s college, Tichner, Canada, . and St. Mary’s Seminary, Baltimore, Md.; ordained, December 19, 1903, at Cathedral, Baltimore, Md.-, came to- diocese, January 3, 1904; successive appointments, January 4, 1904, Holy Rosary church, Tucker, pastor; November 15, 1913, St. Mary of the Pines, Chatawa,
* * ^ *
, ,	,	-	------ -*• ----- ,	Joseph H. Chauvin, was appoint-
olics. so* neglected by want of a	was already noted as a health re-	e(\	Since his advent the oarish
priest.’^-. .■ A small church is great-	sort. Company H, Third Missis-	h'as	had considerable'growth.
ly needed. ■	sippi Infantry Regiment, was com-	..--'Bishop Gerow, in 1927, invitfed:'i ..chaplain'and-missionary;'June
^j.^yS^-BiShop Elder informed	posed of men from the town. Aft-	the	Maripnite Sisters =of the Holy	.19,. 1914,	St.; Patrick’s-church,
' ■“	'	'	er the war, reconstruction began Cross to return to take charge of . Meridian, temporarily;‘Octo-
and settlers arrived. In 1871 the	the'parochial school. In the'fall	ber 5,' 1914, - Sacred Iteart
New Orleans and Mobile railroad	of 1928 they did so. The same .	church,.'’Hattiesburg, pastor;
added to the growth of the city,	year the Missionary Sisters of the	January 28; 1929, ’ named by
New hotels were . erefted and	Sacred Heart (Italian Sisters)Bishop as Honorary Canon;
summer visitors came.	opened their summer home at
Little ' information about the	Ocean Springs as a retreat for-
progress of the Church during the	incapacitated members of their:
war years exists. This ‘is to be expected* because all available priests were with the Confederate army. On September 26, 1869, Father Van Queckelberge of Pasca-'goula wrote from Ocean Springs,"-where he’; was spending a few days. He advised the erection of a new church- and suggested that he could- attend the Catholic com-_munity provided that the Bishop would' send him an assistant priest. The scarcity of priests
January 1, 1934, ■ chaplain to Missionary Sisters of Sacred Heart at' Ocean- Springs.
order. Rev. B. Mena served as -------------
chaplain until July, 1929. ' Rev. 25, 1933. On January 1,
P. J. Ahfern was chaplain from -Very Rev. Joseph Canon Enis was March 20, 1930, until September appointed.
Kiln OldiSettlement; Many Missions Served
•• •••- •
vyRev.^Joseph Hormisdas Chau-. i|?5lvin,'<tborn; St:'Cesaire, P. Q., ^ Canada; studied at St. Cesaire, Farnliam,' Varennes; St. Jo-*j$*seph’s •' university and Grand iffy Seminary-' of'*'1 Montreal;- or-»>j’dainedr'.'.March lljv;1900, St. •jij' Hyacintlie,\. Canada, - for Dio-i‘»iccse of Natclicz;'/fcame to dio-tffixcsct'tiApril. 17/-1900; succes-■0 sive appointmentsv "’April 20, 4^.1900,Church of Our Lady of 'i^the'-Gulf, Bay St. Louis, as-■isistant; October 14, 1903, An-[,' nunciation church, Kiln, pas-■livtor; April 18,1919, St. Alphon-sus church, Ocean Springs,
^ i pastor.
'-Vlt: - ^
Father; Pont of Pascagoula
___■ . ,	-r,-	■u	■	.	-j.	(Continued	from	Page	61) attached, to Kiln. In his annual
prevented the Bishop from	doing	the burden which Father Van	report for-1925 the	total Catholic
as requested.	Waesberghe had carried for near-	population of Kiln	and the mis-
in August, 1871, .Rev. T. J. Finn jy fjve years. In January, 1890, sions of Vidalia, Bayou LaCroix, was appointed	resident	Pastor	the latter was assigned to Aber-	Rocky Hill, White	Cypress and	»
remaining until	December,	1872,	deen and, after a few months,	Fenton amounted to	1778 souls, of
DnrTn., hi.Ten rl0 Pas,sf.Ch,rlstia^ Rev. H. Mortier was appointed which number 540 were at Kiln, “s^vlril^f te^e SS^ed^# P	enure	of office he col- an(j remained in controlf until- During the next*.decade,..despite in ^hat is now Missfssippii' Their-”J«f
ley. The Seminary
was educating young' ___________..........
Ireland who were unable toJimake^.vi' ecclesiastical • studies in“^relahdf.' because of the proscription^offthe)'^;' t Catholic religion in that'.couhter^y by England.	'
Governor Miro, who had';'su&%&:f ceeded Galvez, was inforpied\*ui'*£4, 1787,. by Bishop Echevarria-<?f ba that four Irish priests\?vi;er|?^4.' ready to. sail from Cadiz fdrSLpu-«ifK; isiana, to take up work amottg.^&^'ty' English speaking people isiana. The letter lists' •-theirf'flas^!::-Father William Savage, .<-Fattieri«g£l\ Michael- Lamport,-Father. GregdraK,'?^ White and Father • Cops&ht^DOT^.'', Makenna (evidently McKefnnaTi^i--They arrived at New Orlearis^a£ife''! the end of that-year, 1787; were assigned to the newly^coh-rfSi.! quered territory.
Miro wrote on January.'. that he had forwarded to the:'lnrf5’‘ tendant an official copy or docfe'&J.
-	-	-	seW-
ments providing for the purcljase
at Natchez of land, 300 acresJS^fSjr build the necessary . buildings^:^!^' lodge the Irish priests. He	i
solicited the approval of officialsi^-for the purchase of 300 more acicegir%\ at Coles Creek for the same pupg*?.-'.' pose. The governor stated tha^he?1^-had asked for three clericsv ifor!^:*' Natchez and one for the-,Tensas^;} Indians.,.	:	•'????*
Father Makenna was stationed^J:' at Natchez with Father' Savag^P-’ and Father White, but the^e 'is’npfa record of Father Michael Lampo'ptf ever coming to the colony.' Fathgfe Makenna later served at.'New'Ot^S leans and was then sent'to^they, Tombigbee settlement.' --^atn£07|<:‘ Gregory White served later at yar-.-,-^.' ious posts in what is now the'state ,,,, 1934, ,0f Louisiana.	■v-jitfxiifc'j
However, these were not the on-/., ly Irish priests who came to Lotir?^' isiana. ^ In 1791, another’^ group‘ d volunteered at Salamanca tcf serve1 V; in the Louisiana colony.Among tf.-these, who came at- the -end-’of1.'" that year were Father -Ceorge Murphy, Father James Maxwell,' ;5:. Father John Brady (a Carmelite),';v Father James Coleman, '-t? Father < John Maguire, Father i'Patrick.;r^: . Walsh (who became Vicar-Gener~3|'v al); Father Carlos Burke,' Fattijir Patrick Manganl and Father Fran-^T cis-Lennanj Later came also Fath-
lected $300, which was to be ex— 1894.
■	■;-----	ioat. -His- memory- still -lives- in- the-loss of-Bayou. LaCroix, an-.in--manv.	'<n«	tfcbTOK
pended later in purchasing a new that section of the diocese where crease in the population took.--(jocumente -of the SDanish regime l0‘ f?^a; "ew "hu.rcI?- .	.	he distinguished himself visiting place.	,4	•Wa2h^ Ld remaineSt#i
Father Chevalici of Biloxi, who his flock, often on foot, and teach- A vacation school was conduct-- xrew Orleans • and'- when'-BisHtok*^ prior to-Father Finn's arrival had ine catechism to the voune	ed	at	Kiln	■ during the -summer of - S Orleans and when^BiShOT^
attended Ocean Springs as one of Rev Eucme Schmitt T894-1897	1934	In	1935	vacation	Schools	^en(alyel was, ?PP°mted
■ hi. missionsrresumed this; respon- and	DeG^teJ;'l&im were held at LS
"fore long"1 a ne^church Go' by 30 ?.ucceeded, each °^er f Jordan dalia; in 1936 at Kiln Fenton and,. southern Mississippi, from'Natchez ' fee? had been ^ected The b^ild-	!?. the coast, F,ther Walsh became’;
•ing proved
new plans were made. In Febru
■	ary, 1874, St. Alphonsus church, erected on a new lot at a cost of
had been e^cted The buUd-	H.' Chauvin on October 8,' 1903;	During^his term off office Father .-Vira^-GeneraVand ad“i^‘Airtra“tor7'
;__'	became administrator of Kiln and	Denis has built new churches at-, pending the arrival of the-Bishop.-?-.-'
its missions. His first annual re-'Rocky Hill, White Cypress and Tn Julv'1794 he-notified• trover-port informs us that he had a to- Vidalia.	,n6r	Carondele’t >that he hadmamedv^
$1500, was-dedicated in the pres- tal, Caiholic population^ of 480 -Withj-few exceptions the pres-.,-Father Francis Lennan as‘pastor ence of	a large Catherine	of priests	souls.-He remained in" charge for	ent inhabitants of "the territory of - Natchez - and .Father; I'Greroy,'
ence oi	a large garnering	oi priests	lg years> Pearlington, Logtown,	"are of Frertch or Spanish descent . White as- pastor of Coles •Ct^ek; :.^,
Bayoil Cgdet, Lakeshore, Bayou	Isolated from the outside world,.-but on account 6f the few irihab- <'-<r
LaCroix,. Fenton, M. Cuevas and	their^ordinary conversation is in . itants in' that section', ‘XColes
and people. The Catholic popula tion at this time numbered 300 soulsr
Father Chevalier mission each week
:1859.^ Father - Georget ;i<of " Biloxi r good 'is ;resulting vfrom - hard labors'.it.
5wfig•.‘appointed- to>.take, charge of,; at Ocean:-'?-Springs.;There : is - Rev.
4hese, CatnoUcs, .since Father. Hoi—;rsome"!change in ■ that'.placernow.^ther Chauvin ^ton'^pli'PassiChristian and Father	In-August, 1874;:Rev. T.-'Meer-'-'is-'the’
I’oht'ivM^ere'funable.• to do . so./-. A;.: schaert-'-was j.':appointedU;--resident‘-assumed
impossible to tell’ all established in 1912, Bayou Cadet made very '-distinct . .progress . in 'nalver. informed Carondel6t\thatv'«^ ;el to see that *■some -?nd Pearlington were attached to -modern times, but : spiritually'it is^he^-Jjad'!: examined the --qualificasyjSy ------	;<•	-	on a level otf its own, due in great;, tions of Father James Maxwell an^^^
.'“T.mPflSlire t/i, (ttrplPQ«* nripcfc-' urVin j.TrofVior^TrtVin	Pavinnlittf