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from France he encountered a storm returning where he felt destruction was inevitable. Falling to his knees he invoked the protection of the Blessed Virgin, and promised, if their lives were spared he would erect a shrine. Their lives were saved. A few months later a statue arrived from France. This statue was taken in procession to a pedestal, which was in the beginning, a tree trunk that was felled for this purpose. This was eventually changed to a wooden pedestal because of the work of the Sisters and a few ladies in the parish. In a phamplet we read: "A gentle man involved in serious difficulties made a promise to "Our Lady of the Woods" that if she would help him he would build a suitable shrine in her honor." This shrine was built and still stands today. This simple statue, made of plaster of Paris, with no other protection stands as a beacon to many who honor her as OUR LADY OF THE WOODS.
On June 14, 1875, Rev. Louis Stanislaus Mary Buteux died in Boston active in ministry almost up to the day of his death.
Very Rev. Henry LeDuc, pastor from November 17, 1859 to August 1897, was born in Nantes, France. He came right after ordination in France to Bay St. Louis. This would be his one and only assignment for nearly 38 years. He would spend himself and be spent in service of this parish. The ground broken and the seed planted by Fr. Buteux were now nurtured by this young priest.
In 1864, during the Civil War, the Confederates repulsed the Yankees and took prisoners. About two weeks later 200 Federals came to rescue these captives. Captain Marshall of the Confederates was shot at the corner of Front and Union Streets while on a reconnoitering expedition. After these events, the Yankees were determined to burn down the town. Father Le Due, the young priest, appeared on the street in the neighborhood of the church, holding aloft the cross of Christ. The federal soilders , mostly Irish Catholics, instantly ceased firing and in respect for the cross of their Savior, doffed their hats. Bay St. Louis was saved from destruction by Fr. LeDuc and the power of the cross. .
The original Church was condemned by architects and Fr. LeDuc rebuilt it.	He built churches at many sites
including Pearlington, Waveland, and St. Joseph's on Dunbar Avenue.	St. Joseph's was built to sserve the families who
worked in the canning factories. The church was built on what was the Cowan Plantation. Few residents of Cedar Point owned wagons prior to the 1900's and so it was almost impossible for them to travel to the main Church, Our Lady of the Gulf about 4 miles away. It enabled people on the north end of town to worship with a parish priest who came from the main church to celebrate Mass. Fr. LeDuc also built churches/chapels at Bayou Binanchoa, Bayou Cadet, and Bayou LaCroix. Fr. LeDuc also opened St. Mary's cemetery on December 22,	1872. In 1879 he attended 13 missions in
addition to the Bay.
Traveling to France he hurt his leg and eventually died
--Our Lady of the Gulf History page 2 --