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Annunciation Parish served by
missionaries in early 18th century
REV. A.C. DENIS
Kiln, situated 15 miles from Bay St. Louis, on the Jourdan river, and formerly known by the later 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 century. Baptismal records of the pioneer Catholics are to be found in the parochial registers of St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans, La., and the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Biloxi, evidence which indicated that Catholic missionaries from these parishes visited the Jourdan River missions.
When the Diocese of Natchez had sufficient priests, Bishop Chanche requested Rev. Louis Buteiix on July 31, 1847, to take charge of Jour-^dan 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 Jourdan River mission was attended by him once every six weeks and that a chapel was being erected there. At this time the Catholic population amounted to some 300 souls with a slightly lesser number scattered around the outlying territory.
(^HURCH BUILT Rev. H.A. DeMorangies took charge of Jourdan River (Kiln) and its missions in April, 1869, being introduced to his flock by Father LeDuc, who, writing to Bishop Elder on June 10, 1870, says: “Father DeMorangies is well and doing his best; he travels continually in the rivers (i.e.,
Jourdan River, Pearl River and Wolf River, this territory being known as “The Rivers or “Three Rivers”)...The congregation is so poor, the dear Father has now a good horse.” Jourdan River bacame known as Kiln in m3. Before long a new school building opened its doors at Jourdan River with a satisfactory 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 Florent, 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 Jourdan River.
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
By NORTON HAAS
Father A.C. Denis has brought the history of Annunciation through the construction of the new church in the year 1886. This is the period when Father Smith was pastor and operated the first Catholic school in Kiln.
Around 1900 Father Joseph Chauvin began as pastor and remained until 1919 when Father A.C. Denis took over the duties of pastor until 1947 when the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity with a small group of Priests, Sisters and Brothers sufficient to operate the Mission Church, a clinic and elementary school, and together they have continued to serve the Kiln Community and surrounding area over this period of the past 30 years.
ANNUNCIATION CHURCH