Holy Family Church in Port Allen celebrated its centennial of being “good soil” for planting the seeds of faith on the west side of the Mississippi River on Sunday, Sept. 12.
The origin of Holy Family goes back to Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Lobdell, established in 1876. In 1892, a mission chapel, St. Michael, was established in Port Allen and attached to Sts. Peter and Paul. The pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul served the parish at Lobdell, St. Michael chapel and another mission chapel in Grosse Tete.
In May 1904, the pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Church preferred living in Grosse Tete and moved his residence there. Grosse Tete became the parish seat and Sts. Peter and Paul and St. Michael its missions.
In December 1906, Sts. Peter and Paul and St. Michael were transferred to St. Joseph Church, now St. Joseph Cathedral, in Baton Rouge. In January 1910, the two missions again changed hands and Grosse Tete again served them.
In July 1915, St. Joseph adopted Sts. Peter and Paul and St. Michael for a second time. In 1920, the archbishop of New Orleans established the missions of Lobdell and Port Allen as a separate parish named Sts. Peter and Paul, which was seated in Lobdell. St. Michael chapel was Sts. Peter and Paul’s mission, with a rectory constructed in Lobdell.
Because of factors such as a declining population in Lobdell, the growth of the Port Allen area, and the fact that Port Allen was the West Baton Rouge Civil Parish seat, it was decided to move the church parish seat to Port Allen. In 1925, the chapel in Port Allen was renamed Holy Family Parish. A new church building was quickly planned and dedicated on Nov. 29, 1928.
In his homily Father Ryan Hallford, who was recently installed at Holy Family and is serving his first pastorship there, said the church was celebrating and recognizing how special it is. Its spiritual genealogy goes back to Christ and the early church.
“It’s an unbroken line in his genealogy of love that continues in every generation,” said Father Hallford.
He said the spiritual connection and mission of Holy Family and its community come through the many people who have prayed and sacrificed for them throughout the generations of the church.
He said God’s love invites the current generation, through the sacraments, prayer, sacrifice and service, to participate in each other’s salvation.
“We have an opportunity to be a beacon of hope and life to the community,” said Father Hallford.
In his remarks at the conclusion of the Mass celebrant Bishop Michael G. Duca thanked everyone for their contributions to the church and reminded attendees to build up each other in the body of Christ and go into the world with a common goal of serving the community through charity, love and self-giving.
Father David Allen, who spent the past 12 years at Holy Family before retiring earlier this year, said after the Mass, “I found in my time here, the people have been a people of integrity, of great hope, even in times of challenge and disaster – the people of the soil who always looked at how they could blossom in God’s love. Among other things they live as a family, in great respect for all life.
“You see the state Capitol right across from here (the Port Allen side of the Port of Greater Baton Rouge). That is a beacon for the state. This is a beacon of faith for this side.”
The reception at the Holy Family Parish Hall was a walk through its history with displays of artifacts, as well as memories of fellow parishioners, priests, sisters and religious educators who were part of the tapestry of Holy Family’s story. Father Hallford kicked things off by leading attendees in singing “Happy Birthday” to Holy Family.
The relationship of the priests with the Holy Family flock developed from the natural, vibrant faith life of the community, according to Mary Ellen Davros, long-time member of Holy Family. Father Dennis Bergeron, who grew up in Port Allen and was one of Holy Family’s first priestly vocations, attended seminary with Davros’ father and was a good friend of the family.
Father Bergeron sent the family Christmas cards and kept in touch through the years. Davros fondly recalled memories of her days at Holy Family School, which opened in 1949 under the direction of the Marianites of Holy Cross, who had a long history with the school and parish. She mused that her first son would refer to Sister Mary Flavia MSC as his “grandmother.”
And classmates still keep in touch.
“Holy Family is an extended family. Everybody looking after everyone,” said Davros, who noted that some ladies still wear their “elegant hats” to church for early Sunday Mass.
Seated at a VIP table were the Holy Family “story tellers,” brothers Coley Hill, Ralph Hill, Harvey Hill and his wife Elaine Cazes Hill. Harvey and Elaine have been married 70 years. They provided many of the historical artifacts that were displayed at the reception.
Harvey, who was baptized at Holy Family in 1929, grew up two doors down from the church. Elaine, who was baptized at St. John the Baptist Church in Brusly, was 1 ½ years-old when her family moved to Port Allen in 1935.
In 1939 the former St. Michael Chapel was selected as the site to teach the Baltimore Catechism.
“You had better know your Catechism,” smiled Elaine about the testing of their knowledge. She received her first holy Communion, also known as “private Communion,” in 1944 and was confirmed in 1946.
Elaine’s twin-brother, Lane, and brother Randolph Jr. “RP” served as altar boys and responded in Latin during Mass. Her father, Randolph, was instrumental in organizing the Knights of Columbus Council and was a Fourth Degree Knight.
A close-knit family, Elaine had a strong bond with Lane. She fondly remembered how he fell in love with the young woman who lived across the street from them, Geri Webb.
They were married in July 1955 at Holy Family by then pastor Father Tjebbe Bekema and Father Alvin J. O’Reilly. Tragically, Lane perished in a plane crash on March 2, 1956, while serving in the Air Force. Geri was seven months pregnant at the time. The family received a lot of support in their grief.
Elaine also proudly talked about the many ways her husband, Harvey shared his craftsman’s talents with Holy Family, making crosses to give to people, building various fixtures in the church and helping meet the church’s structural needs.
But such is the history at Holy Family – the history of the church, families and community intertwining in a common thread.
“When you grew up in Port Allen, you knew everyone, and everyone knew your business. But it was the safest, most caring place someone could live,” said Elaine.