What is Catholic life like in Louisiana?

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HomeschoolDad

HomeschoolDad

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What are some similarities and differences, if any, between Catholic life in Louisiana as contrasted with the rest of the United States?

Louisiana is the only southern state with a long-standing Catholic tradition and a fairly significant Catholic population. The latter is changing with the mass migration of people to North Carolina, but I refer here to a deeply entrenched historical Catholicism, and I don’t count Maryland and southern Florida as being “southern” in culture. And sorry, northern Virginia, but I have to exclude you as well (I made my home in NOVA for many years), the Catholic glory that is the Diocese of Arlington notwithstanding.

Incidentally, Louisiana is the only southern state I have never visited. I am long overdue for this. Laissez les bons temps rouler!
 
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HomeschoolDad said:
What are some similarities and differences, if any, between Catholic life in Louisiana as contrasted with the rest of the United States?

Louisiana is the only southern state with a long-standing Catholic tradition and a fairly significant Catholic population. The latter is changing with the mass migration of people to North Carolina, but I refer here to a deeply entrenched historical Catholicism, and I don’t count Maryland and southern Florida as being “southern” in culture. And sorry, northern Virginia, but I have to exclude you as well (I made my home in NOVA for many years), the Catholic glory that is the Diocese of Arlington notwithstanding.

Incidentally, Louisiana is the only southern state I have never visited. I am long overdue for this. Laissez les bons temps rouler!
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Watch the episode “Cajun Catholic” on the Real Life Catholic tv show.

You can watch it via Amazon Prime on-demand

Great show. Season Two is starting now on EWTN.
 
According to the testimony of a (Jewish) friend of mine (whom I mentioned in another one of your threads), there is a significant Catholic population in parts of Louisiana, for example Shreveport. But the prolonged heat and humidity, according to him, as well as the bugs, are unbearable even to native Louisianans. Certainly worth a visit at least.
 
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The heat and the football are two things your ancestors did NOT bring with them from Acadia!
 
Yep I agree. I think you guys chose the wrong Canadian coast (of course the West Coast wasn’t a practical option in 1600…)… I live in Vancouver. Our weather is like Seattle’s. Lots of rain, but little snow and it never gets that cold.

I hate super hot humidity. I lived in the Dominican Republic for a while.
 
Perhaps due to my advanced years, but I can not tolerate humidity. I lived in Florida in my youth and have family that I visit on occasion but I restrict myself to the winter months. Ohio was better but still too humid for my tastes. Wyoming and Colorado are perfect. Colorado is the best due to three months of each season.

Louisiana is on my bucket list and will also be a winter visit. Can’t wait to try all the food!
 
Admittedly I’ve only been to New Orleans, but I enjoyed it very much. It was a couple years after Katrina so things were still pretty wrecked in spots. Also my hotel wasn’t the greatest - I didn’t choose it as I was there for a work training. I’d love to go back and actually pick my own place to stay this time. My friend went for this week and was posting pictures of Napoleon House and Pimms cups and it brought back memories. I also loved being able to eat beignets in the middle of the night outside.
 
Five years ago I travelled through Lafayette on the way back from New Orleans ,it was in June and the heat wasn’t too bad then.
I wish we had had more time to explore ,as Cajun country felt kind of special.One of the highlights apart from mass was taking part in a Creole dance that just happened to be on in the afternoon ,a young local mentioned it 🙂
I did notice a very bright green and very curious little lizard in the street when we had a cold drink in Lafeyette …I hope you have an army of them to eat all your creepy crawlies CJ !🙃
I found the weather there actually much more agreeable to St Louis at that time of year 🤔
 
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Blessings of the Fleet in Chauvin, La; Delcambre, La (a small fleet); Grand Isle, La. Probably other La fishing communities have blessings of their fleets. What to expect???A priest blesses the fishing boats (shrimp boats, oyster luggers) and a parade down the respective bayous of boats decorated for the occasion. You can google the names of the Catholic Churches in those towns.

Fete Dieu du Teche… A boat eucharistic procession that takes place along Bayou Teche (http://fetedieuduteche.org/) on August 15th (Feast of The Assumption). It is probably atleast 35 miles with temporary stops at local churches along the waterway.

Louisiana acadian culture has an acadian flag to represent the subpopulation. On it is a single star which represents “Our Lady of the Assumption”.

Our Lady of Prompt Succor is an event that took place during the Battle of New Orleans. Ursuline Nuns were involved.

One deceased individual is up for possible canonization. https://www.nonco.org/
 
I am on the email list of Don’s Specialty Meats.

I got some cracklings and boudin from them. I think I’m addicted. 😂
 
Cooler temperatures and higher ground, yes. In the end, though, it is the people that make it what it is.

I don’t know that you’d have people in any other franchise who respond to that horrible call and disappointment by holding boycott gatherings that raise thousands of dollars for youth rec. Other places riot or just shrug, but they don’t figure out how to come together like that when things get awful.

Oh, and the way they met the team with “We love you, Marcus” signs after the heartbreaker the year before. When a Saint works and deserves support, they get support, even when things go bad. Not to name names, but there are franchises that wouldn’t get that many fans showing up at o-dark-thirty to support the team after a win.

That’s why I became a Saints fan before I ever even set a foot in Louisiana. I figured every franchise goes through its ups and downs, but no franchise deals with both ups and downs in the great way that Saints fans do. Geaux, SAINTS!!
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That’s usually my plan wherever I visit. Fancy restaurants are nice but I always have better food and fun at little hole in the wall places, usually in small, out of the way towns!

If you ever want to taste the best Rocky Mountain Oysters, I know just the place!
 
I live in northwest Louisiana - born here and lived here most of my life. I have been Catholic since the point of my conception.
The town I live in is the “seat” of the Diocese and house’s therefore the Cathedral parish.

The Cathedral is a glorious gift from GOD and man that enhances the faith in a beautiful way. It houses a beautiful pipe organ that recently underwent a $1mil. Renovation/completion. The choir is superb.

The Cathedral Parish offers a TLM once each month and it is well worth attending.

Personally, I attend a small parish in downtown that was established @160 years ago.
It is quaint and beautifully adorned.

Now as far as how the faith is - let me offer this. I believe that locally, much like many other areas, there are many excellent pastors who are offering the mass diligently and in form with the rubrics. Unfortunately, there are a few renegades also.

We are primarily a Southern Baptist/ Evangelical area though and Roman Catholicism isn’t predominant. This is much different from far south Louisiana.

Well offered and well practiced our common faith should be the same - world-wide…
One - Holy - Catholic - Apostolic
 
Wherever you go, Catholic life is pretty much is what you make of it. Go there, not seeking something greater, but with a willingness to contribute to making it greater.
 
“Nine out of 10 people who stop me on the street say nothing about football. They say, ‘Thank you for being a part of this city, thank you for what the team has done, thank you for embracing us and loving us the way that you have.’” --Drew Brees

Love Drew Brees. Love what he loves about New Orleans and her fans. Love that he and Brittany were able to recognize what was being offered to them. Yes, if the Cajuns decide something needs doing, count me in. Those are Catholics with a strong connection to reality, both temporal and eternal, I’d say.
 
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You’re welcome! The late Levon Helm, drummer and singer, is from Arkansas.
 
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