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Welcome from Fr. Louie Richard
Dear friends,
I am happy to welcome you to this website for St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church. This church dates back 172 years when it was founded in 1842 by Pere “Abbe” Antoine Megret. In fact the town of Abbeville is named after him. There began a long line of clergy and religious who formed the bedrock of this great Catholic parish on the banks of the Vermilion Bayou. I recently became Pastor on July 1, 2014 when Bishop Michael Jarrell appointed me as the 18th Pastor of this community of faith. Prior to this assignment, I just completed twelve years as Pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Broussard, La.
In coming to St. Mary Magdalen, I am truly “coming home”. I was born and raised here in Abbeville, and St. Mary Magdalen Parish is the spiritual home for all of my sacraments. I was baptized in this very church and made my First Confession and First Communion in this church. In 1968, I received the Sacrament of Confirmation, and on August 7, 1981, I was ordained a priest in this very church by Most Rev. Gerald Frey, Bishop of Lafayette at the time.
While it has been over 40 years since I lived in Abbeville, much of the charm and warmth are exactly as I remember it. My prayer is that you, either parishioner or visitor, find here in this place the same warmth and hospitality. We are a community of faith as we strive by our reverence and devotions to deepen our sense of being living members of the Body of Christ.
Welcome to St. Mary Magdalen Church!Rev. Louis J. Richard