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Thursday£October"' 14; .1937
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CATHOLIC ACTION OF THE SOUTH
l^lfiiriCBatidn Parish-Kiln
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Kiln," Once Known as Jordan River, Is Said to Be One of Oldest
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: ,i/. Catholic Settleinets in Mississippi; Missionary Labors ; ^ of Priests Seen in History of Annunciation Church
Kev.-v Alexander C. Denis,
•	bprn, Liege, Belgium; studied i, at^.St.1 Stephen’s Seminary* i New! i/Orleans, La.; Kenrick Seminary, St. Louis, Mo.; or-v. damed,v .St Louis, June 11, V*'1909/'-at Kenrick Seminary; ,-' came|i to diocese, October 10, 1909;/successivc appointments, October, 1909, St. Paul’s >.-. church, . Vicksburg, assistant.
September, 1910, St. Joseph’s
4	church, Woodville, pastor; Au-i&‘ eus^"'18,’■ 1919, Annunciation ;..c}iurcji,' Kiln, pastor.
By Rev. A. C. Denis
Kiln, situated 15 miles from Bay St.- Louis, on the Jordan river, and formerly known by the latter name, is one of the oldest Catholic settlements in the diocese. Indians, of the Choctaw-Muskhogean family inhabited this territory before white settlers began to reside '.in it early in the 18th ccntury. Baptismal ?ecords of the~pioneer Catholics ^ire to be found in the parochial registers of St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans, La., and the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virg'.n Mary, Biloxi, evidence-which indicates that Catholic missionaries from these parishes visited thp, Jordan River missions.
When the DioCese of Natchez had sufficient priests, Bishop Chanche requested Rev. Louis Buteiix on July 31, 1847, to take charge' of Jordan River, Pearl River, Wolf River and Pass Christian as missions of Bay St. Louis. Rev. H. LeDuc, successor of . Father Buteux, continued 'to visit this territory. His annual report under date of September 17, 1860, indicates that the Jordan River mission was attended by him once every six weeks and that a- chapel was being erected there. At this time the C a t h o 1 i c population amounted to some 300 souls with a slightly lesser number scattered around the outlying territory.
. Church Built Rev. H. A. DeMorangies took charge of Jordan River (Kiln) and its missions in April, 1869, being introduced to his flock by Father LeDuc, who, writing to Bishop'El-
der on June 10, 1870, says: “Father DeMorangies is well and doing his best; he travels continually in the rivers (i. e., Jordan River, Pearl River and Wolf Rivor, this territory being known as “The Rivers” or “Three Rivers”) . . . The congregation is so poor. The dea1* Father has now a good horse.” Jordan River became known as Kiln in 1913. Before long a new school building opened its doors at Jordan River with a satisfne-tory enrollment. A new church was built on a convenient site after a' brief delay and the spiritual and material foundations 'of the community became organized. Father DeMorangies was promoted to Holly Springs in April, 1871, and an elderly priest, Father Flo-rent, succeeded him for some months when, forced by ill health, he resigned and Father LeDuc of Bay St. Louis resumed the responsibility of attending the missions until the arrival of a resident priest at Jordan River.
Chapels Erected,
In November, 1872, Rev. T. Meerschaert arrived at Bay St. Louis to relieve Father LeDuc of the responsibility of the “Three Rivers” territory. His zeal, energy and continual ministry at Jordan River, Pearl River and surrounding missions were ■ fruitful and lasting. Lost sheep returned to the fold, children, were instructed in catechism and prepared for Holy Communion and the attendance at Holy Mass increased. Chapels were built on the missions and a school was operated under considerable financial difficulties. His
Shown above is the Church of 'the Annunciation at Kiln which, serves the “Three Rivers” section.	■	.	i	•	•
term ' at Jordan River witnessed the definite growth of the CathcP-lic community on solid foundation.
Rev. At Oberti succeeded Father Meerschaert in October, 1874, and after some time’he in turn was relieved by Rev. L. Dutto, 'who, as ^assistant to Father LeDuc of Bay St. Louis, co-operated with the latter in attending the “Three Rivers” until Rev. A. J. Van Waesberghe took full control from 1881 to 1890.
During Father Van Waes-berghe’s term of office Bayou Cadet, La Croix, Pearlington and
Wolftown are listed as Missions of Jordan River, vvhile many srfiall groups of Catholics scattered o\ier an extensive territory depended on it. In 1886 a new church was built at Jordan River to replace the old one, which had become too ; small. Bishop Janssens dedicated the new building on November 14 of the same year. Henceforth 'it was known as the Church of the Annunciation. At this time Wolftown and missions in Harrison county became the responsibility of Rev. A. Ketels, thus lessening
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S!jft Patrick’s—'WaterValley
Eleven'. Counties Are Administered by Priest from Water Valley ^>;:Histofy of St. Patrick’s Church Reveals Dire Want of ' Missionaries; Four Churches; Chapel in Parish ,
By; Rev, Patrick McAlpine
£•: The 'parish, or the missionary '•'district," if'you'will, of Water Vai--ley ~ covers 11 counties, namely Yalobusha (the central point of all' activity), Grenada, MontgoirP cry, Calhoun, Panola, De Soto,
. Marshall,, Benton, Union, Lafayette ■ and Tate. It'extends from Winona northward to the Tennes-,'sce state line and takes in all the stations, between these two points along the Illinois' Central Railroad. Again.it extends from Grenada 'up tl)e main line of the Illinois .Central '-.to ,'.the Tennessee state line and takes in all'stations • in 'Mississippi'. situated on ttje-Grenada..'district of tl}e railroad.
F 'om the ' eastern boundary of Bmton county it runs west to the Mississippi river. On the’.north it in bounded by Memphis parishs on the east by Tupelo,, on the south by Canton and Greenwood ■ and’ on the west by Clarksdale.
Its total area is 5659 square miles and its, total population is 215,926.
II has- a Catholic population of v333,. which represents one- Catholic .to every 17 square miles, or .one: Catholic to every _700 people. i.-It has'four Catholic cliurches and one 'chapel oyer a. hardware store Dominicans, especially
on Monday, October 12-, 1874, of dysentery. In his last illness Fa- . ther Huber administered to him the last Sacraments. Father Bennett, was alyays a faithful priest, constant in the discharge of his duty, especially to’ the sick and poor.” Father Bennett was "buried north of the church, but'' with funds graciously donated by an Irishman named Jonefe. His re^ . mains were later taken to Holly Springs by Father Doherty* After'-' his death, Water Valley'was at-_. tended once a month from Canton.' {'1	,
In 1876, Father Maurel was sent from Bay-.St. Louis to Water Valley, where there were then 12 . families. On June 7, 1876, he disbanded the school which he had started gn his arrival. In August of the same, year he requested episcopal permission to- attend Holly Springs - in the absence of Father Oberti. In January, 1878, Father Maurel Submits his annual report, mentioning Sardis, Winona, Grenada, Scobey, Oarland, Como and Batesville as h:s' newly' created missions. -In May, 187.8,-Bishop Elder asked'him to. include ’ Greenwood -in his regular schedule. Like his illustrious predecessors, he, too. was obliged to . ask the Bishop for financial aid. The Bishop, realizing his pressing need, kindly sent him a subsidy of $10 a month.
After Father Maurel left in 1881 Father Enright, a Rsdemptorist, came. He gaVe a spl-endid mission and purchased two lots for the church. During 1882, Water Valley had no priest. In 1883 Father O’Brien came and stayed a little while, and so until 1884 the parish Father from Vicksburg, replaced him'and, was orphaned.. In 1884 Father
Pictured above is the interior of St. Patrick’s church at Water Valley, mother church of missions iri 11 counties.______________________________
-where. Mass .isrsaid at least once ,a Elai,'6. p., attached to St Peter’s, like. his illustrious predecessors, Bally'came and remained until • .month. Besides, there are-live sta-	_______	____L___	i___, __ ____looo.
Rev. Patrick McAlpine, born,. Keelogues, .Ballyvany, Fox- i • ; ford, County-. Mayo) Ireland; ^ studied at St.’Jarlath’s college, |	.
Tuam; St. Patrick’s college, .Carlow, Ireland; ordained ■ [ -June 7, 1925, at ■ Carlow, for 'i • '• the Diocese of Natchez; came to the diocese February 20,
1926; successive appointments, February 20, 192G, Cathedral. Natchez, assistant; August 21*
192G, Our Lady of the Gulf, church, Bay St. Louis, assist-ant, January 14,	1931,	'St^
Paul’s‘church, Vicksburg, as-^ sistant; August 25, 193J,' St/' Patrick’s, church, Water-;Val-w-.> ley, pastor. -.
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i^ nri" Memphis, then a frame'structure he, too, had an uphill journey,	Persevenng, de- Glade (1930-1931). These zealous^/
‘itself ' and certainly the oldest faced with many detours, not the	priest, a^ conscientious missionaries were all genuine, na-'r
•vate homes. Inteiestingly it may catholic church for miles aroynd least being financial bankruptcy, religious and a real loven of the ^ men. and have proved beyond1
lNTott] tJ, •	'	this section, attended to the spir-<t From an interesting historical missionary vocation. He was ever ..................................	.	..	.	,
Pontotoc, Cormth, Nettleton, Iuka jtua^ neetjs of the widely scattered’’standpoint, nothing could be more	to	gender any service and
nUfn't 7’ r	north Mississippi Catholics long imperative at this stage than to a ^	®. /e the dominant thar-
1?,’	m0	’	,t°Sether	jjefore Father Wise, even as early quote verbatim extracts from let- acterwhich stood out—actually
with’its: Carrollton mission, and	^	'	■■	M .........	..	..
all doubt .their love, -loyalty- ahdv^
as 1849,
Father Wise served his ters which tell their own pathetic shined was his love for God and
heroic sacrifice	...	,
Father lylcAlpine is the priest ,■$!: now in charge of Water-Valley.
From 1886 to 1888 Father Wood was pastor and is affectionately
lw-^pr newly created parish all through taie and portray the struggles of souls, v^'	p	nn	r	S 1868’ but in 1869 it was included a heroic priesthood. From Bishop
S’„	^	the	missions	attached • to Sul-vElder’s file, it is evident that Fa. ,	.
scnoois, or otner Catholic institu- , hur Springs, where. Father Finn ther Bennett wrote the following; remembered. His great love for.
' annoth«r	was	pastor. In 1870 Father Finn “It may be that they are straining Our Lord in the Blessed Sacra-
"'iL ' T » II ■ was moved to Water Valley as its themselves to sustain me, but if- ment, his preparation, celebration ' f/V' i'’ i t ,enroumenx ih-st resident priest. Finding'him*- they be, I assure "you that the and thanksgiving made his Mass oi -ana one lay teacner. ■	'	self	taxed with ' the -impossible support is meager and slender, reflect his deep faith and'ardent
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Wholesale Co.
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* '-Water Valley < Most. .Complete: ^ rpeparlment^tor^