Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales (Houma, Louisiana) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales |
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 Location in Louisiana
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| 29°35′41″N 90°43′22″W / 29.59466°N 90.72277°W | |
| Location | 500 Goode St. Houma, Louisiana |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| Membership | 2,061 families |
| History | |
| Founded | 1847 |
| Consecrated | 1938 |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Completed | 1938 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Brick, Copper |
| Bells | 4 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Houma-Thibodaux |
The Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales is a special Catholic church. It is called a cathedral because it is the main church for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. This important church is located in Houma, Louisiana, in the United States. It shares this role with St. Joseph Co-Cathedral in Thibodaux.
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History of the Cathedral
The St. Francis de Sales church community started around 1847. At first, church services were held in the local courthouse. The very first church building was finished in 1848.
The current church building was started in 1936. It was completed in 1938. The original church was damaged by a hurricane in the 1920s. A kind priest named Father August Vandebilt helped make the new building possible. The church is built in the Gothic Revival style.
Catholic Education and the Sisters
In 1870, a group of nuns called the Sisters of the Marianites of the Holy Cross came to the church. They started the first Catholic school in the area. The sisters lived in a special house called a convent on the church grounds.
For many years, the sisters taught only girls at a school called Houma Academy. Later, in 1890, they also started a school for boys. The current school building, which teaches students from kindergarten to seventh grade, was built in 1951.
The Houma Academy later became a high school for boys. In 1965, a new high school, Houma Central Catholic High School, was built. It was renamed Vandebilt Catholic High School in 1966. This was done to honor Father August Vandebilt, who strongly supported Catholic education.
The Sisters of the Marianites of the Holy Cross served the church and schools for a very long time. The last sister retired in 2011. Even though they are no longer there, their hard work and dedication are still a big part of the school's history.
Church Buildings and Grounds
Today, the church property includes several important buildings. There is the main church building, a youth center with a gym, the convent, the school, and the rectory (where the priests live). There are also two historic cemeteries, St. Francis de Sales Cemetery #1 and #2. The old convent building is being updated to become a resource center for people interested in becoming priests or sisters.
The Cathedral Parish also supports different groups. One of these is the Knights of Columbus. This is a group for Catholic men who do charitable work. The local group, Council 1317, was the first of its kind in the area.
On March 2, 1977, Pope Paul VI created the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. At that time, St. Francis de Sales Church became a cathedral. This meant it was now the main church for the new diocese.
Leaders of the Diocese (Bishops)
A bishop is the main leader of a diocese. The Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales is where the bishops of the Houma-Thibodaux Diocese lead from.
- Bishop Warren Louis Boudreaux was the first bishop of the diocese.
- Bishop Charles Michael Jarrell was the second bishop. He served from 1993 to 2003.
- Bishop Sam G. Jacobs was the third bishop. He served from 2003 to 2013.
- Bishop Shelton Fabre was appointed as the fourth bishop.
See also
