St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church - Grand Coteau, LA
N 30° 25.212 W 092° 02.684
15R E 591745 N 3365734
This is the third oldest parish in the Diocese of Lafayette, LA and was established in 1819, with this, the current building built in 1879.
Waymark Code: WM8551
Location: Louisiana, United States
Date Posted: 01/30/2010
Views: 2
This fine church was built in 1879 sixty years after the Parish was established. Only the St. Landry and St, Martin parishes are older in the diocese. The entire Grand Coteau area is heavily influenced by the Catholic religion. Also located in the town are the Academy of the Sacred Heart, beegun in 1821. The St. Charles College, and the Jesuit Spirituality Center, which is located within the College complex. Brief History taken from thr Parish website, located
here states
Sixty years after the church was built, the parish expressed its need for a larger church building. To acquire the funds necessary for the proposed structure, parishioners hosted fairs, a circus, and Mardi Gras theatricals. The Jesuits, who had been in service to the parish since 1837, and the Religious of the Sacred Heart, who had played a vital role in the community since 1821, requested funds from their Orders and were generously answered. Support came from all over the United States as well as Europe. The most unique contribution came from the Holy Father, Pope Pius IX, who donated a blue cameo to help fund the Grand Coteau church.
On March 19, 1879, the cornerstone of the new church building was put into position and blessed. The primary builders were two Jesuit brothers: Cornelius Otten of Holland and Joseph Armand Brinkhaus of Grand Coteau