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Saint Charles Borromeo Catholic Church
History
There were very few Catholics in the Picayune area in the early part of the 1900's. A Benedictine priest from Covington, Louisiana, used to come periodically to offer Mass for the people in their homes. Some of the earliest Catholic families in the area were Cressionne, Fluke, Lombardo, Oatis, Patterson, Puyper and Turgeau.
More Catholic families moved into the Picayune area. They were the Simonds, D'Antoni, White, Triplett, Martinez, Grice, Haydel, Cuccio, Farrel, Marcel, Attaya, Neiymeyer, Richter, Schwiejohn, Seals amd Goellner families.
Fr. Bernard Keating, O.S.B., from St. Joesph's Abbey in Covington, Louisiana, used to come offer Mass in the Seneca and Ozona area. In 1913-1914, he wrote Bishop Gunn asking him to come to Picayune for Confirmation. He wanted to build a church in the area, and enlisted the help of the local people.
On March 2, 1917, Mr. Robert J. Williams, a lumberman of Picayune and Wilco, who was Protestant, donated to the Catholic Diocese of Nachez a lot 50 x 140 feet reserving 8 feet for a sidewalk, and making the following restrictions: "It is agreed that the title to this parcel of land is to revert back to the grantor in the event that the same is not used for church building." The lot was at the Northeast corner of West Canal and Rester Streets, in the city of Picayune.
Under the leadership of Mr. Charles Mertel, Catholics and some Protestants, with the help of the Catholic Extension Society, raised enough money to build a church. Some of the building supplies were donated by the Thigpen-Whitfield Hardware Store.
A church was built and was dedicated to St. Charles Borromeo on November 4, 1917 (November 4 being the Feast of St. Charles Borromeo). This church building was used for the next 34 years until 1951, when a new church was built.
There were very few Catholics in the Picayune area in the early part of the 1900's. A Benedictine priest from Covington, Louisiana, used to come periodically to offer Mass for the people in their homes. Some of the earliest Catholic families in the area were Cressionne, Fluke, Lombardo, Oatis, Patterson, Puyper and Turgeau.
More Catholic families moved into the Picayune area. They were the Simonds, D'Antoni, White, Triplett, Martinez, Grice, Haydel, Cuccio, Farrel, Marcel, Attaya, Neiymeyer, Richter, Schwiejohn, Seals amd Goellner families.
Fr. Bernard Keating, O.S.B., from St. Joesph's Abbey in Covington, Louisiana, used to come offer Mass in the Seneca and Ozona area. In 1913-1914, he wrote Bishop Gunn asking him to come to Picayune for Confirmation. He wanted to build a church in the area, and enlisted the help of the local people.
On March 2, 1917, Mr. Robert J. Williams, a lumberman of Picayune and Wilco, who was Protestant, donated to the Catholic Diocese of Nachez a lot 50 x 140 feet reserving 8 feet for a sidewalk, and making the following restrictions: "It is agreed that the title to this parcel of land is to revert back to the grantor in the event that the same is not used for church building." The lot was at the Northeast corner of West Canal and Rester Streets, in the city of Picayune.
Under the leadership of Mr. Charles Mertel, Catholics and some Protestants, with the help of the Catholic Extension Society, raised enough money to build a church. Some of the building supplies were donated by the Thigpen-Whitfield Hardware Store.
A church was built and was dedicated to St. Charles Borromeo on November 4, 1917 (November 4 being the Feast of St. Charles Borromeo). This church building was used for the next 34 years until 1951, when a new church was built.