There being
no bridges or ferries to cross the river
at that time, the priests
came over in “skiffs”. Since there was no church building, the faithful
assembled in local homes, often in the home of Jean Baptiste Herbert, who
was an early benefactor of our church. Jean Baptiste Herbert came to be
a wealthy land owner in the Brusly area. It is not stated in church records,
but perhaps it can be surmised that the parish was named by Jean Baptiste
after his patron saint, John the Baptist. Jean Baptiste Hebert’s name
is the first on the list of those who had the congregation incorporated
by a special law of the Louisiana legislature on March 19, 1835, under
the name “l’Eglise Catholique de St. Jean Baptiste d’Ouest Baton
Rouge”. |
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Prior to 1832,
the congregation’s first chapel was located on land owned by Jean Baptiste.
The chapel was built not only on his property, but at his expense. This
tract of land has long disappeared into the Mississippi River (just southeast
of our present church).
In 1838 the congregation
decided to purchase the tract of land on
which we have our present
church cemetery and other buildings. On January 11, 1840, a new brick church
building was completed, closer to the river in front of the present church.
The brick church was destroyed by fire in 1907, and our present church
was built the same year. A recent book, Louisiana Church Architecture,
contains a black |
and white photograph of our
church and a brief description of the architecture. It is described as
a rectangular woo frame structure. The Gothic Revival style of the exterior
is suggested by the
| pointed openings.
However, there are no buttresses, pinnacles, or tracery. On the interior,
the altar of the Blessed Virgin Mary was the first main altar. It was moved
to the side altar and replaced with the present altar in 1913. A matching
altar was purchased for the right side, the altar of St. John the Baptist.
The backs of the main and side altars were added sometime after 1913. The
altars were fabricated in Europe. The church was remodeled in the 1950’s
and again in 1979. |
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The
present rectory was completed in 1936. The parish hall (now St. Francis
Hall), was originally St. Francis of Assisi Chapel at Sardine Point, and
was moved to the present location in 1932. The first mausoleum was developed
in 1968 with several additions since then. The catechetical building was
dedicated in 1976. The Bourgeois House (present office building) was purchased
in 1982. In the 1970’s, a pre-kindergarten for 3 and 4 year old children
was instituted.
Our church parish has been
blessed with many faithful pastors, beginning in 1841 when Fr. Evard who
was a pastor in Baton Rouge was appointed non-resident pastor of St. John
the Baptist. Later, in 1841, he was appointed the first and official pastor
of the parish. Some of the most significant and longest lasting pastoral
assignments were that of Fr. Eugene Royer (1909-1936); Fr. Victor Baron
(1936-1956); and Fr. Lloyd Caballero (1956-1973). |
St. John the Baptist
Catholic Church © 2006 All Rights Reserved
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