From: "Sandi" < spichon@charter.

net>
To: <frosmusic@yahoo.com>
Subject: Fw: Deconsecration of St. Genevieve Catholic Church
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2007 09:03:42 -0600

this is what I submitted - it is probably too long and I may have to had a
few other things but thought you would like to see what I submitted. Will
send more pictures separately.

----- Original Message -----

From: Sandi
To: Times Pic
Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2007 8:42 AM
Subject: Deconsecration of St. Genevieve Catholic Church

"The deconsecration of St. Genevieve is a very poignant and bittersweet

moment for the parishioners of St. Genevieve, and also for me, " said
Archbishop Alfred Hughes as he began a solemn mass. "We come to
inaugurate a new phase in the church parish; we have come to
deconsecrate a building where we will no longer continue to hold sacred
actions. Sacramental life and devotional life have been nourished here
since 1958, and this rich history will continue in a different form."

The deconsecration service was very emotional, and yet beautiful.

Parishioners, led by the choir singing "Just A Closer Walk With Thee",
walked from the present church (which is being held in the Parish Hall) to
the church and were given candles. As they gathered in the center of the
church, Archbishop Alfred Hughes, assisted by Deacon Reginald
Seymour (who emceed the occasion and is assigned to Epiphany Church
of New Orleans), Deacons George Menges and Dan Haggerty, and
Father Roel Lungay, began by stopping at the place the baptismal font
formerly stood. "Let us remember the souls who were saved at this spot",
he prayed as quiet sobs filled the church.

"So many memories," wept Laura Narcisse.

Archbishop Hughes then moved to the spot of the confessional where he

prayed for the parishioners whose sins had been forgiven at this special
place.

Advancing to the 5th Station of the Cross, where Simon of Cyrene helps
Jesus to carry His cross, we were reminded of the sacrifice Jesus made
for us and of our responsibility to help our fellow man. Archbishop Hughes
then made his way to the holy place where the altar once stood, and the
tabernacle which housed the body of Christ, which we share when we
take communion in memory of our Lord. The last blessing was that of the
lectern podium from where the scriptural readings and the Gospel were
read. This was a place where the word of God was shared with
parishioners.

After the special prayers, a reception was held in the church which was
once the Parish hall. Grant Pichon, a local historian for Bayou Liberty,
showed Archbishop Hughes photos of Father Balay with his motorized
bicycle, as well as photos of the original mission of St. Genevieve and the
original church later built on the banks of the bayou.

St. Genevieve Church does, indeed, have a rich history, dating back to
the 1700's when a Jesuit priest named Father DuRu accompanied
Iberville on his second trip to Louisiana trekking through the Pearl River
swamp to the Colapissa Indian Village. The first church on the northshore
was in Madisonville, then Covington, then Mandeville. After the French
Revolution the Cousin family, who were refugees, resided between the
area known then as BonFouca (now Bayou Liberty) and Mandeville.
Madame Anatole Cousin, the former Camille Pichon, built a church for her
family and the family slaves in 1852-53 on the banks of Bayou Bonfouca -
where the present church stands. The church was named St. Genevieve
in memory of Madame Cousin's mother, Genevieve Dubuisson Pichon.

In 1845, Madame Cousin's nephew, Abbe Adrian Rouquette, was

ordained, and was the first native Creole in this vocation after the
Louisiana Purchase. Father Rouquette offered mass at the BonFouca
chapel as did the other priests from Mandeville, Covington and
Madisonville. Fifty feet away from St. Genevieve Chapel, Madame Cousin
erected a rectory to offer a place of comfort to visiting priests.

For many years, the Choctaw Indians had resided in this area of St.
Tammany Parish to Pearl River. Many Choctaw attended church at St.
Genevieve. Another distinguished visitor to St. Genevieve was the great
French Dominican Father Pierre Chocarne, who also offered mass here in
May, 1867.

On October 23, 1888, Archbishop Francis Janssens gave confirmation to

47 adults and children at St. Genevieve. According to his diary he wrote
"there is a brick church in fair condition at Bonfouca, with a good
presbytery, and the people are simple and well disposed. We (Father
Mignot and the archbishop) slept there and left Wednesday morning at 5
am for Bayou Lacombe." At this time Bonfouca was a mission church
under St. Theresa's church (later called Our Lady of the Lake) in
Mandeville. Father Eugene Aveilhe was the pastor of the Mandeville
church and referred to St. Genevieve as " St. Genovefa". In 1887 it was
suggested that the Mandeville parish be divided and Bonfouca used as a
center for a new parish. Father Aveilhe told Archbishop Francis X Leras
"Bonfouca has a new roof to it's church, a nice yard well cared for since
three years and a decent rectory." In 1893 St. Genevieve was changed
from Mandeville parish and assigned to the new parish of Lacombe, with
Father Paquet as pastor In 1894 Bonfouca was listed as having 400
Catholics, 102 Communions, 8 baptisms and 2 burials.

On March 31, 1891, Madame Cousin donated the parcel of land with all
it's buildings and improvements thereon on the right or west bank of
Bayou Liberty to the archbishop and his successors. The track covered
60/100 of an acre and was valued at $250. The church, however, began
to fall into disrepair. Father Roth went once a month to the chapel,
however revenue had dwindled and there were no funds for repairs as
Madame Cousin had died and no one had maintained the chapel or the
rectory.

In 1913, Father Francis Balay was named visiting priest and came from
St. Joseph's Abbey where he had been teaching French to the
seminarians. Under his direction, the church began to change. He
observed that the steeple had disappeared and the church bell had been
hung on the branch of a great oak tree. Before making changes, Father
Balay began to visit every family in the area. On August 10, 191, he
offered mass for them all. Having assurance of the support of the people,
Father Balay proceeded with the renovation of St. Genevieve's chapel and
it was rededicated on June 21, 1914. Father Balay was generously
supported in his restoration efforts by Mrs. Armand Cousin, Mr. and Mrs.
J. P. Pichon and the Dubuisson family. The only means of music in the
little white chapel in the early 1900's was a graphanola owned by the late
Samson Pena. Father Balay continued at St Genevieve until 1933, even
when he was pastor of Slidell. On Sept 3, 1933 Rev Joseph Bordenave
came to assist Father Balay as an assistant to all the missions, including
St. Genevieve. In 1945 the parishes were again divided with Father
Bordenave the pastor of St. Genevieve. On Sept 17, 1947 permission was
given to Father Bordenave to begin a drive for a new church at Bayou
Liberty. Part of the original church circa 1852-53 foundation can still be
seen in the parking lot.

The cornerstone for the present building was laid in June, 1958 with
Father Daved Melacon officiating. Before the church was completed,
Father Melacon was transferred and Father Timothy Pugh finished the
church. Since it's inception there have been 3166 baptisms, 1685 First
Communions, 1376 Confirmations, 638 marriages, 887 funerals and 15
adults who converted to Catholicism through the RCIA program.