SLS 161ES-95 ORIGINAL
2016 First Extraordinary Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 7
BY SENATOR MORRISH
COMMENDATIONS. Commends Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church in
Jennings on its 100
th
anniversary.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To commend Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church in Jennings, Louisiana, on its
3 one hundredth anniversary.
4 WHEREAS, founded on December 7, 1891, Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic
5 Church is a Roman Catholic parish dedicated to providing a parish setting in which the
6 family of faith may be nourished by word and sacrament; and
7 WHEREAS, Catholic immigrants of French descent began arriving in the Jennings
8 area in the mid-1880s from the East and from nearby Lake Charles and were served by
9 Immaculate Conception parish in Lake Charles; and
10 WHEREAS, in 1889, under the Reverend E. J. Fallon of Lake Charles, a wooden
11 chapel which was unpainted, unfinished, and largely unfurnished, was built south of the
12 railroad at the corner of Madison and South Main streets; and
13 WHEREAS, on May 14, 1890, Archbishop Francis Jansens blessed the chapel and
14 administered confirmation, and on December 7, 1891, that chapel became Our Lady Help
15 of Christians and a new parish was established in the diocese; and
16 WHEREAS, the Reverend Joseph Peeters was appointed pastor in 1892 and
17 remained in that capacity until 1917; and
18 WHEREAS, from 1907 until 1916, the present church, patterned after Notre Dame
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SLS 161ES-95 ORIGINAL
1 Cathedral in Paris, France, was constructed and dedicated on February 29, 1916; and
2 WHEREAS, the church was built with stones made by hand, one at a time, block by
3 block, when horse and buggies were the mode of transportation; and
4 WHEREAS, several renovations took place from 1949 to 1956, and again in the
5 1970s; and
6 WHEREAS, those renovations were completed by 1976 and a prayer garden was
7 dedicated in October 1987; and
8 WHEREAS, today, Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church serves more than
9 one thousand families; and
10 WHEREAS, the mission of Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church is to
11 proclaim the word of God in an environment of love and understanding, and to affirm and
12 enable the many ministries that the parish affords; and
13 WHEREAS, Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church has flourished for the past
14 one hundred years, and its members and leaders have the utmost trust that His grace will lead
15 them on in harmony and thanksgiving as they celebrate as a community of faith and
16 fellowship.
17 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
18 does hereby commend and congratulate Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church on the
19 occasion of its one hundredth anniversary, does hereby record for posterity the noble and
20 exemplary strides taken by the members and leaders of this special church family in their
21 creation of a loving and dedicated spiritual community, and does hereby extend its best
22 wishes for the church's continued vitality and success in enriching the lives of the people it
23 serves.
24 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to Our
25 Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Nancy Vicknair.
DIGEST
SR 7 Original 2016 First Extraordinary Session Morrish
Commends Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church in Jennings, Louisiana, on its 100
th
anniversary.
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