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

---

Parish to celebrate anniversary 199t
Special to the Echo
Annunciation Parish in Kiln will hold a special celebration June 12 to commemorate the occasion of its 125th anniversary.
It was just after the conclusion of the Civil War when this parish was given its name. Catholicism was still in its infancy for all practical purposes in the state of Mississippi.
The first Catholic diocese was established in Natchez by Pope Gregory XVI, who appointed Bishop John J. Chanche as its first bishop.
The diocese was established July 28, 1837, but Bishop Chanche was not appointed until 1841, having turned down similar positions in two other dioceses. Natchez was a busy river town in those days and so was a logical choice for the seat of the first diocese.
In 1847, ten years after the establishment of the diocese, Bishop Chanche created the first parish in Hancock County, Our Lady of the Gulf in Bay St. Louis, and appointed Fr. Stanislaus Louis Buteux as its first pastor.
Hancock County in those days covered a much larger area than the present-day county, but according to notes belonging to Fr. Buteux we read “Saturday 31st, 1847, on the feast of St. Ignatius, Bishop Chance told me at Natchez that he confides to me Bay St. Louis, Pass Christian, Pearl River, Jourdan and Wolf River are as far as 20-25 miles to the north.”
The present-day boundary of Hancock County was not decided upon until about 1910. Fr. Buteux spent most of his
energies in Bay St. Louis, establishing a school for boys that became the present-day St. Stanislaus school, named in honor of its patron saint.
He also established a school for girls to be known as St. Joseph in honor of the St. Joseph (Bourg, France) sisters who were the first to operate that school — the forerunner of the present-day Our Lady Academy.
In those years, travel through the county was difficult and time consuming. One visitor to the areas in the 1850’s describes the area east of the Pearl River and south of the 31st parallel as “a dreary and thinly inhabited forest.” Consequently, Fr. Buteux only made occasional visits to this area.
By then, it had become known as the Three Rivers Mission, referring to the areas adjacent to the Pearl, Jourdan and Wolf rivers. Records indicate that in those early years, a little church had been built on the banks of the Jourdan River.
With the passage of time and the growth of population, that little church was soon outgrown with the result that a larger church had to be built in 1869 and was given the name of “Church of the Annunciation” in honor of the biblical account of the Angel Gabriel announcing to the Virgin Mary that she was to be the mother of Jesus.
The location of that church is thought to be almost identical to the location of the present-day church structure.
Again, as time progressed and the congregation grew, the
church of 1869 w utgrown
and a larger church had to be built in the same vicinity in 1886.
Some records indicate that the old church was used as the first Catholic school in the area called St. Mary’s and had an enrollment of 11 boys and 17 girls.
This school did not survive for long as apparently that building was demolished to make way for a sacristy for the new church. The church of 1886 is quite possibly much of the present-day structure still in use today with many modifications.
Many elderly parishioners still remember this church of their youth with no electricity, only oil lamps for light and a large stove by the right-hand wall to supply heat in the winter.
In fact, the renovations to this structure in 1985 uncovered some of the old chimney used by that stove.
Many of the early priests who served this parish were natives of France, Belgium or Holland. The records kept here date from 1869 and were hand written in the registers by whatever priest was here at that time. They are available to be viewed in the rectory. Many are written in French or Latin.
The celebration planned for June includes a Mass celebrated by Bishop Joseph Howze, bishop of the Diocese of Biloxi, with any visiting priests as concelebrants.
Parishioners are being encouraged to dress in period costume, long dresses with bonnets or hats for the ladies and the men are considering period
dress, together with beard/ moustaches.
In the ceremony, the oldest parishioner will be honored, while the newest and youngest will be baptized as part of the liturgy.
The first reading of the liturgy will be rendered in French, the language of the congregation in 1869 by Elise Minnaert, a parishioner and native French Canadian, while the second reading will be read through the medium of Braille by Hope Thomas, the granddaughter of our parishioners on both her maternal and paternal sides.
After the Mass, Bishop Howze will dedicate a granite monument in honor of this historic occasion before proceeding to another site where he will plant two live oak trees close to the majestic oaks that now grace the property.
From there, a procession will be led by Bishop Howze, riding a horse and buggy, to the parish hall, followed by pastor Fr. Henry Mclnemey on horseback and any other parishioners who wish to bring their horses for the occasion.
The annual parish picnic will be in the parish hall where parishioners will bring various dishes.
Also included in the picnic will be some activities for kids, including a space walk and hay ride. A little souvenir shop will be opened at the parish hall to sell some commemorative plates, mugs, t-shirts, bumper stickers, etc.
It is hoped it will be a memorable and enjoyah’ day for all parishioners.