Lloyd G. Barras
The Vine and the Branches
This volume is the first to record the history of Catholicism in southwest Louisiana. Beginning in the 1850s, it is a fascinating document containing story after story of priests and religious brothers & sisters who journeyed to a frontier mission from France, Holland, Italy, Ireland, Canada, and across the United States.
You will journey back to the beginning of the original Oblate Missions, the establishment of additional parishes, and finally the celebration of the first Bishop of the new Diocese of Lake Charles. Included are the struggles of faithful parishioners to recover from the great 1910 city fire, which destroyed all church properties and schools in one stroke.