The Opelousas courier., 1885-06-27
Corpus Christi at Church Point

CHURCH POINT. La, June Is, 1885
Editors COURIER:
I expected to see some mention made
in your last issue, of the celebration o
the feast of Corpus Christi, which tool
place here on Sunday, the 9TH inst
This feast is, and always has been, cele
brated in all the Catholic countries n
Europe with great pomp and solemnity
and only for the first time here, this
year.
1t was conducted under the guidance
and supervision of our young and ener,
getic parish priest, Father Eby, who
has done more for the spiritual and
temporal welfare of this congregation,
during the two years that he bas had
charge of it, than all his predecessors
have done before him
He has built one of the finest, if not
the finest church in any part of the
State outside of towns and cities.
The feast of Corpus Christi, this year,
was Thursday, June 4th. Owing to the
busy season amongst the farmers, he
had the celebration postponed until
Sunday, June 9TH, after high mass. l
never saw as many people assembled
together in the country on such occa-
sion This day was celebrated in
Grand Coteau on Thursday, the 4th,
and several persons from here attended
the ceremonies there. Some of them
inform me that the procession here out
numbered, and was more superb than
that held at Grand Coteau. Our large
church was packed from the altar to
the door-no standing room left-du-
ing mass, and I estimated that at least
four hundred were outside the church
there must have been over one thou
sand persons in the procession. The
church was beautifully decorated with
evergreen leaves and boughs, most ar
tistically twined into arches, &c.
Those leaves and branches were
brought from the adjoining woods and
arranged in this manner by the ladies
of this village. Amongst them | noticed
the Misses Eby, David and Daigle, and
Mrs. Homer and Edgar Barousse. After
mass the whole congregation was form
ed in single file in two lines about
twelve feet apart, under chief marshal
ship of Judge Henry D. Mcbride, aid
ed by four deputy marshals.
The procession marched towards Mr.
Barousse's store, and fled to the left to
distance of about two thousand yards,
where a temporary altar was erected
under the shade of large trees. This
altar was most magnifcently decorated,
by Mrs. Edgar and Homer Barousse.
The ehalice containing the sacred
host borne by our beloved priest, was
preceded by military escort, who fred
a salute. After the ceremonies at this
altar were concluded, the procession
filed to the left and marched past Judge
McBride's residence, the priest and
choir singing all the way. The choir
consisted of about twenty persons,
headed by Messrs Theogene Daigle and
P. L. Guidry and the Misses Eby and
Ida Daigle On reaching the street
leading to DIR. McMillan's office, the
procession filed in that direction, where
another altar was erected, and which
had been decorated by Mrs. Judge Nc
Bride and other ladies. After the cere-
monies were concluded at this altar,
the guard again fired salute and the
procession marched towards the Church,
where, after the benediction of the
blessed sacrament, the crowd dispersed.
Every thing was most beautifully con-
Quoted, and will be repeated annually
hereafter. P. H. M