On August 15th, the fifth annual Eucharistic Procession by boat down Bayou Teche, Louisiana, will take place as part of the celebration of the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Patroness of the Acadian people and of the Acadiana region. It is also a day that marks the 254th anniversary of the arrival of French-Canadian immigrants who brought the Catholic faith to Acadiana after enduring great trials and suffering. (The procession was first held in this manner in 2015 for the 250th anniversary.) See the following website for more information, including the full program of events, as well as links to videos and pictures of the event, which is very well attended, from previous years: http://www.fetedieuduteche.org/ (Our thanks to Fr Michael Champagne of the Community of Jesus Crucified, organizer of the event, for bringing this to our attention; more information is also available on their Facebook page.)
From the website: His Excellency John Douglas Deshotel, a native son of Acadiana and bishop of the Diocese of Lafayette, will begin this year’s event by celebrating the Mass of the Assumption in French at St Leo the Great Church in Leonville at 8 am. The Blessed Sacrament will then be fixed on an altar on the lead boat under a canopy, with a pair of adorers in adoration between the towns visited. Another boat will carry the statue of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Eucharistic Procession will stop and disembark at makeshift altars along the Bayou Teche for recitation of the Rosary and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. For those who are unable to participate by boat, all are invited to join for Mass at St Leo the Great in Leonville at 8 am and then to drive and gather at any of the planned stops along the banks behind the various churches along Bayou Teche. Priests will be available at each stop for Confessions.
From the website: His Excellency John Douglas Deshotel, a native son of Acadiana and bishop of the Diocese of Lafayette, will begin this year’s event by celebrating the Mass of the Assumption in French at St Leo the Great Church in Leonville at 8 am. The Blessed Sacrament will then be fixed on an altar on the lead boat under a canopy, with a pair of adorers in adoration between the towns visited. Another boat will carry the statue of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Eucharistic Procession will stop and disembark at makeshift altars along the Bayou Teche for recitation of the Rosary and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. For those who are unable to participate by boat, all are invited to join for Mass at St Leo the Great in Leonville at 8 am and then to drive and gather at any of the planned stops along the banks behind the various churches along Bayou Teche. Priests will be available at each stop for Confessions.
The Sacrament arrives at one of the stations during the first procession in 2015.
