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The Catholic Church in Lake Charles Collection |
Ca. 1890-2001
1.5 linear feet
Collection Number 164
Prepared by
Patricia A. Threatt
June 2004
CITATION: The Catholic Church in Lake Charles Collection, Collection No. 164, Box number, Folder number, Archives and Special Collections Department, Frazar Memorial Library, McNeese State University.
Archives and
Special Collections Department
Frazar Memorial Library
McNeese State University
Historical Sketch
Catholicism in Lake Charles began in the 1850s when priests from the larger towns of Vermillionville, Abbeville, and Galveston traveled to Lake Charles to minister to the few early settlers. As the population grew, Father Jean Francois Raymond purchased the first church building in 1857 from Sirius M. Pithon. By 1882, the church realized the need for educational facilities and summoned the Congregation of the Marianite Sisters of Holy Cross to Lake Charles to start St. Charles Academy, the first Catholic school in the area. Later, in 1927, the Order of the Christian Brothers opened J. A. Landry Memorial School for boys at the site of the former Louisiana Baptist Orphanage. Later the two schools merged to become St. Louis High School.
Through the years, the Catholic Church expanded throughout southwest Louisiana. In 1908 the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word opened St. Patrick’s Hospital and ten years later started the first School of Nursing in the area. Also in 1908 the Immaculate Conception Parish, which encompassed all of Lake Charles, established its first “daughter parish,” Sacred Heart Parish in North Lake Charles. Other “daughters” followed, including St. Hubert, St. Margaret, Our Lady of Good Counsel, St. Henry, and Our Lady Queen of Heaven Parishes. In 1980, Pope John Paul II restructured the Catholic dioceses of Louisiana and formed the new Diocese of Lake Charles directed by Bishop Jude Speyrer.
Scope and Content Note
The Catholic Church in Lake Charles Collection contains photographs, clippings, notes, and an oral history. Series A consists of records collected by St. Louis High School. The records include documents relating to the parishes, schools, and hospital of the Catholic Church in Lake Charles. Series B consists of notes and photographs that Lloyd G. Barras used to write her book, The Vine and The Branches: A History of the Catholic Church in Lake Charles (BX 1418 .L27 B 37 1993).
Container List
Series A. St. Louis High School Records
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Box |
Folder |
Description |
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1 |
1 |
Chronicles of the House of Lake Charles 1882-1883. Photocopy of a journal kept by the Congregation of the Marianite Sisters of Holy Cross, the first teachers of St. Charles Academy. The following files contain photocopies of other journals covering overlapping time periods, but in different handwriting. |
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2 |
Chronicles of the House of Lake Charles 1913-1914 |
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3 |
Chronicles of the House of Lake Charles 1913-1937 |
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4 |
Chronicles of the House of Lake Charles 1914-1936 |
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5 |
Photographs of unidentified people and places, ca. 1890-1970. |
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6 |
Landry High School Photographs, 1922-1936. Includes a photo of the Louisiana Baptist Orphanage, ca. 1905. |
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7 |
Souvenir program of “A Night in Bohemia” presented by the Knights of Columbus on February 15, 1917. |
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8 |
St. Charles Academy Mothers Club: journal of meetings, 1919-1926, and two letters from the Arcade Theatre regarding donations, 1934. |
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9 |
Photographs of identified people, ca. 1942-1970. Includes photos of Lucien Moss, Maude Reid, Mrs. Joseph J. LeBleu, Brother Anselm Salaville FSC, and others. |
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10 |
St. Louis High School: photographs of the building, ca. 1957-1970; newspaper clipping on Robert Angelle, November 14, 1969; A History of St. Louis Catholic High School, 1995; Junior Ring and Leadership Ceremony program, 1998; and a Graduation program, 1999. |
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Oral history of Monsignor Angelle, July 30, 2001 [3 original audio tapes and copies of tapes 1 and 3]. |
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Photograph of St. Charles Academy and its class of 1933 |
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Photograph of a Mass at the Christ The King procession |
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Photograph of nuns posing in front of St. Charles Academy |
Series B. The Vine and the Branches by Lloyd G. Barras
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Box |
Folder |
Description |
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1 |
11-14 |
Lloyd G. Barras’ notes for her 1993 book. These folders contain notes, clippings, correspondence, and lists. |
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15 |
Photos: Chapters 1-6. Early history |
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16 |
Photos: Chapter 7. St. Charles Academy |
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17 |
Photos: Chapter 8. Landry Memorial School |
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18 |
Photos: Chapters 9-11. Early priests |
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19 |
Photos: Chapter 12. The Sisters’ Hospital [St. Patrick’s Hospital] |
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20 |
Photos: Chapter 13. Sacred Heart Parish |
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21 |
Photos: Chapters 14-15. Msgrs. Vigliero and Boudreaux |
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22 |
Photos: Chapter 16. St. Hubert Parish |
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23 |
Photos: Chapter 17. St. Margaret Parish |
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24 |
Photos: Chapter 18. Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish and Newman Club |
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25 |
Photos: Chapter 19. St. Henry Parish |
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26 |
Photos: Chapter 20. Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish |
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27 |
Photos: Chapter 21. Our Lady Queen of Heaven Parish |
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28 |
Photos: Chapter 22. Monsignor Irving A. DeBlanc |
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29 |
Photos: Chapter 23. St. Louis High School |
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30 |
Photos: Chapter 24. Diocese of Lake Charles |
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31-37 |
Copy negatives of photographs used in the book. |
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