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A Walk through Our Church
As far back as about 1745, the Bay St. Louis area had been recognized as a Catholic center: and the liturgical needs of the Catholic people here were attended to by missionary priests.
But it wasn't until 1845 that Our Lady of the Gulf Parish was formally established by the first Bishop of Natchez, Dr. John J. Chance. It is the second oldest parish in the Diocese, following the 1841 establishment of St. Mary's Cathedral in Natchez.
The first resident pastor was Father Stanislaus Buteaux. Very much interested in the education of youth, it was he who invited the Brothers of the Sacred Heart to establish a school in his parish, and the Brothers arrived in 1854. They named their school-- which is right next door—St. Stanislaus College Prep — in honor of Father Buteaux and under the patronage of St. Stanislaus Kostka, who died at the young age of 15 and who has been named as a patron of youth. Despite hurricanes, the Civil War, and the yellow fever epidemic, the Brothers continue to operate St. Stanislaus as a school of excellence for both, resident and day students.
Father Buteaux also invited the Sisters of St. Joseph to his parish, and the Sisters opened St. Joseph's Academy for Girls in 1854. The Sisters closed the school at the end of the 1966-67 school year, and the current Our Lady's Academy was established in 1968 with Father Greg Johnson as pastor and principal.
Our Lady of the Gulf Church was built in 1908 to replace the former parish church destroyed by fire a few years before. The cornerstone of this new Church was laid on the feast of St. Francis, October 4, 1908. The first Mass in the church was celebrated on Sunday, December 13, of that same year.
This Church is one of the largest Catholic churches in Mississippi, and it can seat about 800 people.
The second set recalls these titles: "Mother most pure," "Mother most chaste," "Mother inviolate," and "Mother undefiled." These are depicted by the lilies and the turtle doves.
The third set uses the initials IHS and MR to depict Jesus and Mary. The IHS are from the Latin meaning "Jesus, suffering for all." The MR are also from the Latin "Mater Regina." meaning "Mother and Queen."
The fourth set recalls these titles from the litany: "Ivory tower," and "Tower of David." This is done by the depiction of towers.
The final set on the west side recalls these titles: "Queen, conceived without original sin" and "Queen assumed into heaven." This is done with a laurel wreath and a dove.
Coining back up the east side, we see additional titles of Mary from the Litany. The first set recalls the titles "Mother of divine grace," "Queen of Peace," and "Singular vessel
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