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

---

SISTERS
To operate a Catholic school at Annunciation in 1960, it was necessary to find teachers, and in those days the logical choice was to request some teaching order of Sisters to assume this responsibility Since the Trinitarian Order of priests had been taking care of this parish for many years at that time, it was only logical that the corresponding order of Sisters would join this parish in this new venture. Sisters of that order had already been associated with this parish, not in a teaching capacity, but in working with the needy people of the community. The main thrust of the Trinitarian Order (M.S.S T.) is to establish and develop the Catholic faith in rural communities, and this parish fitted that description perfectly.
Many Sisters of that order have spent years of service in this parish in vary ing capacities. Originally they resided in an old house not far from the site of the old rectory in front of the church. This house, of itself, seems to have had quite a history. It originally belonged to one John Ulvses, who leased a piece of property from the parish for his residence, and he and his w ife operated a small store across the road (at the present bend in the road). However, due to some misunderstanding or oversight, the taxes were not paid on this property. Eventually some settlement was arrived at. and the parish again took control of the property and the house. The only visible trace of that habitation today is a concrete pipe sunk into the ground where the well once was. This house then served as the Sisters? residence until the present brick structure was later built exclusively as a convent for these Sisters. The old convent house was simply tom down for any worthwhile lumber it contained.
The most well-known name among all the Sisters who served here seems to be that of Sr. Mary? Ellen (Henebury) who faithfully served as a nurse to the ill of the area despite the fact that she never learned to drive an automobile, but in later years used a golf cart as her means of conveyance. Her loving service extended over a period of twenty years before she eventually returned to the Mother House in Pennsylvania, where she died just a few years ago at the age of 92. Other names that are still remembered for their service are Sr. Joan Lorraine, Sr. John, Sr. Frances Katherine, Sr. Clare Frances. Sr. Margaret Guinan. Sr. Lorraine Blanchette, Sr. Josepha, and others. Some of these served as Principal of the school during its years of operation while others taught in the classrooms, and are still remembered by their students today.
Some Sisters from the order of the Religious of Jesus and Man- (R.J.M .)
21.
from New York also served in the school and parish in the late 70?s and early 80?s. Also Sr. Marv Daniel (a Dominican from New Orleans) and finally Sr. Julia Marie Burke (Sister of Mercy) from St. Louis served in the religious education in the parish up until 1993. The names of all sisters who at one time served in the parish are to be found at the end of this booklet.
DIAMONDHEAD
The residents of the Diamondhead area now constitute a large percentage of the congregation at each of our three weekend Masses and also the daily morning Mass. The growth of the community is relatively new to this parish, and many of our congregation remember when no such place existed. In those days, and prior to the construction of the Interstate, that area was referred to as Hickory Point - being largely inaccessible except for the road going as far as St Joseph Cemetery and after that it was only tracks across the woods. Onlv three families seem to have inhabited most of that area in the late 1950"s - much of it being used for grazing cattle. The Moran family was one of the three occupying the area - where the old nursery now stands.
Not far from the site of the present marina, also on the shores of Bay St. Louis, there was built a luxury hotel known as Pine Hills. This was a sister hotel to the Buena Vista in Biloxi, and both boasted of very fine amenities in those davs (1940?s) including some fine marble fireplaces and tiled floors. This hotel apparently was built with the expectation that the Highway 90 bridge from Pass Christian would terminate at that point, however, that was not to be the case. It crossed the narrow est point of the Bay and currently joins Pass Christian to the eastern point of the town of Bay St. Louis. Consequently this hotel never flourished as intended. It was later bought by the Oblate Missionary Order of priests and run as a place for novices or seminarians for a number of years. At this time it also featured its own private beach and golf course. However, its operation as a seminary lasted only about 15 years. Afterwards it was owned by a hotel chain, but never again operated as such, and in its latter years it lay derelict, overgrown and ransacked of its fine fittings. Finally it was owned by its newest neighbor, the Dupont Chemical Company, which eventually demolished the impressive-looking four-story structure. Its sister hotel, the Buena Vista, also fell prev to the wreckers? ball about a year ago to make room for the expansion of the new Casino business on the Coast. The Buena Vista served as the venue for the annual Catholic
22.