WE SHALL NEVER FORGET

WE SHALL NEVER FORGET

July 28th, 6:00 p.m. ~ Acadian Deportation "Day of Commemoration"

Memorial Service held at St.Martin De Tours & The Acadian Memorial Meditation

Garden St.Martinville ~

Brenda Comeaux Trahan, Curator Director of the Acadian Memorial and Monsignor Douglas Courville of St. Martin De Tours invite all Louisiana Acadian /Cajuns and friends to join in a spiritual Memorial to remember the Acadian victims who died during the years of the deportation.

As mandated by the Queen's Proclamation of December 9, 2003, and with the support of the Catholic Diocese of Lafayette, we request that all churches in the Acadiana region please toll the church bells at 6:00 P.M. on July 28th, 2009 in remembrance of the day that the Acadian Deportation Order was signed by the British officials in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The signing of the Order by the British Lt. Governor Charles Lawrence brought about the Diaspora which commenced on September 5, 1755 and resulted in the cruel removal of Acadians from their homelands in Acadie, now present-day Nova Scotia.

Warren Perrin, instrumental in bringing awareness to the Canadian Parliament comments, "Over 250 years after the defining tragic event of Acadian history, we will pause to remember the unparalleled saga of our ancestors because, as was stated in dictum by William Faulkner, ' The past is never dead. It's not even past '

The desirability of an official apology to the Acadians became the subject of debate in the Canadian Parliament and within the Acadian community.

In 2003, the Society Nationale d'Acadie, -- the largest Acadian organization in the world-- wrote directly to the Queen of England "asking that she ' recognize the wrongs done to the Acadian people as a consequence of the deportations from 1755-1763' in order "to turn the page definitely on this tragic episode in our past". As I look back upon the Petition For An Apology, which I launched in 1990, I'm very gratified to have played a role in bringing about this closure."
Following the Commemoration ceremony, please join those in attendance for a prayerful procession to the Acadian Memorial Deportation Cross and the closing ceremony.

Thereafter, there will be a short reception and later a communal dinner at local restaurants in St. Martinville, Louisiana (Dutch treat).

32nd ANNUAL ACADIAN FESTIVAL

Event Date(s): 6/25/2009 - 6/28/2009

Name: Downtown Madawaska
Address: Main Street
City: Madawaska
State: ME

Event Time / Additional Information: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m. (see the list of events for times and more information)

The 32nd Annual Acadian Festival will take place June 25-28 in Madawaska. The festival celebrates the culture and heritage of the Acadians who, driven from Nova Scotia during the 18th century, ultimately arrived in the St. John Valley and established settlements that later became American and Canadian towns.

This year’s festival will coincide with the Marquis Family Reunion, with descendants of the original Acadian Marquis traveling to Madawaska from throughout North America — and perhaps points beyond.

Events will take place throughout downtown Madawaska, including Bicentennial Park overlooking the St. John River. Among the scheduled activities are:
• June 25
9 a.m.: Merchant sidewalk sale in downtown Madawaska;
10 a.m.: Quilt show at Madawaska High School;
6-8 p.m.: Official opening ceremony at Bicentennial Park. The Pride of Madawaska Band will perform, and a new festival mascot will appear;
8-10 p.m.: La Famille LeBlanc providing music at Bicentennial Park.

• June 26
9 a.m.-5 p.m.: Townwide yard sale;
9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.: The "My Acadian Valley" bus tour will stop at such locations as the Tante Blanche Museum, the Acadian Village, and Madawaska’s oldest homestead;
11 a.m.: Les Chanteurs Acadien providing music at Bicentennial Park;
12 noon, 2:30 p.m., and 4:30 p.m.: Great State of Maine Lumberjack Show at Bicentennial Park;
6-7 p.m.: Bed race on Main Street, with each team requiring five participants;
Throughout the evening: Various groups providing music in downtown Madawaska.

• June 27
6:30-11:30 a.m.: Acadian Breakfast at Four Seasons Trail Lodge, Spring Street, Madawaska;
9 a.m.: Top O’ Maine Mountain Bike Race at Four Seasons Trail Lodge;
9 a.m.- 4 p.m.: Open house at Martin Acadian Homestead on St. Catherine Street, Madawaska;
10 a.m.-3 p.m.: Show n’ Shine Classic Antique Car Show at Dead River Co., Madawaska;
10 a.m.-1 p.m.: Held at the Acadian Cross Landing Site on Route 1 in Madawaska, a Welcoming Ceremony will feature a re-enactment of the first Acadians arriving in the St. John Valley in 1785;
1:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m., and 9 p.m.: Great State of Maine Lumberjack Show at Bicentennial Park;
2-4 p.m.: Family Fun Day at Bicentennial Park;
6:30 p.m.: Fashion show at Four Corners Park on Main Street, Madawaska;
7-9 p.m.: La Famille Arsenault performing "Ca Swing Encore" at Bicentennial Park.

• June 28
10:30 a.m.: Firemen’s Chicken Barbeque at Madawaska Fire Station;
1 p.m.: Acadian Festival Parade on Main Street, Madawaska;
3:30-7 p.m.: Closing ceremonies at Bicentennial Park;
10 p.m.: Fireworks display launched over Madawaska.

Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day: Québec's Fête Nationale

Every year, on the 24th of June, all Québécois get together with friends and family to celebrate their Fête Nationale (National Holiday); la Saint-Jean-Baptiste. It is a privileged moment to celebrate our identity, our pride of what we were, of what we are and of what we dream of becoming. But what are the origins of this great national celebration?

The event originated more than 2000 years ago, in pre-Christian Europe, as the pagan celebration of the summer solstice. It was originally held on the 21st, but with the arrival of Christianity, it transformed into Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, and moved to the 24th. The two events did have several things in common after all. Both celebrated the symbol of "light"; the sun of the summer solstice and Saint-Jean-Baptiste who opens the way for the light of Jesus-Christ. The ancients used to light a great bonfire on the evening of the 24th to honour the sun, a tradition that continued into the Middle Ages.

Before the Revolution, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day was a very important event in France. In the night between the 23rd and 24th, the king himself used to light a great Saint-Jean bonfire. This tradition was brought to New France by the first colonists. The Jesuits refer to the tradition as soon as 1636. On the 24th of June of that year, the Gouverneur of Québec, Monsieur de Montmagny, had five shots of cannon fired. The first Saint-Jean bonfires in New France date back to 1638. They were accompanied by dancing and singing in every village along the Saint-Laurent river.

In the beginning, Saint-Joseph had been designated as the patron saint of New France (just like Saint-Patrick is to Ireland). The problem was that his Holy day is in March and the Québec climate during that time of the year is not very favourable for celebrating. It is for this very practical reason that Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day became more popular, the end of June being a great time to have fun outside. Today, the holiday has lost its religious meaning but has kept its traditional name.

WEST BANK GENEALOGY SOCIETY MEETING

Title: WBGS Meeting

Date: Saturday June 20, 2009

Time: 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Location: Westwego Library, 635 4th Street, Westwego, LA

Speaker: Richard Stringfield

Topic: Plaquemines Parish Native American research and the Ancar Family

BREAUX REUNION CMA2009

The Breau Family Reunion

(Breault, Breaux, Brault, Brot et autres)

Friday, August 21, 2009 in Neguac

INVITATION TO ALL!!!

The Br(e)au-lt(x) during the World Acadian Congress 2009 will be held in Neguac on Friday, August 21, 2009. The day Programme includes a community breakfast at the Neguac C.S.C La fontaine School from 7 AM to 11 AM, a genealogical presentation by genealogist Robert Brault of Quebec from 8 :00 AM to Noon and from 7 PM to 9 PM at Neguac C.S.C La fontaine School, the Breau Family Rally & Tribute to Jean-François Breau at Neguac Sportplex Arena from 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM, and the Breau Party at Neguac Sportplex Arena with Les Fair-Isle-Liens group and others from 9 PM till 1 AM.

PROGRAMME
COMMUNITY BREAKFAST à la BREAU
At Neguac C.S.C La fontaine School
From 7 AM to 11 AM
Admission : Adults: $5.00 & Children/Students: $3.00

GENEALOGICAL PRESENTATION BY ROBERT BRAULT
Part 1: At Neguac C.S.C La fontaine School
From 8 AM to 11 AM
Admission included with breakfast

Part 2 : At Neguac C.S.C La fontaine School
From 7 PM till 9 PM
Free Admission

BREAU FAMILY REUNION: TRIBUTE TO JEAN-FRANÇOIS BREAU
Invited artists : Dominique Breau, Marie-Josée Breau, Raymond Breau & others
At Neguac Sportplex Arena
From 1 :30 PM to 4 :30 PM
Admission : Adults : $5.00 & Children/Students: Free

BREAU PARTY (with Les Fair-Isle-Liens group)
At Neguac Sportplex Arena
From 9 PM to 1 AM
Admission: Adults 19 years or older: $8.00

BREAU FROM HEAD TO TOE

HISTORY OF THE ACADIANS

The Beginning: Sainte-Croix Island and Port-Royal

The Acadian adventure in North America started in June 1604 when Pierre Dugua De Mons established a first French trading post in Acadie.

Having been granted the fur trade monopoly in the New World by King Henri IV of France, de Mons organised an expedition composed of a hundred men, including mapmaker and geographer Samuel de Champlain.

They chose Sainte-Croix Island in what is now southwestern New Brunswick to build a Habitation.

During the first winter, scurvy caused many deaths, so much so that only about half of the 80 settlers survived, hence, when spring came the settlers moved to Port-Royal, in what is today northwestern Nova Scotia.

Even though the establishment in Port-Royal was destroyed in 1613 by an English attack, it remained a key French establishment throughout the 17th century and still marks the beginning of the permanent French presence in North America.

The Acadian Cross by Denise Comeau

FRENCH CANADIAN RESEARCH - NERGC

New EnglandRegional Genealogical Conference (NERGC)

April 22-26, 2009 in Manchester, NH

Some of the talks include:

Discovering Family Treasures in Quebec: What you need to know - SylvieTremblay;

Beginning Acadian Research - Jessica Hacken;

Franch-Canadian/Native American Connections - Patty Vigeant Locke;

How toTell if Your French Canadian Ancestors include Acadians - George Findlen;

Wandering (Canadian) Frenchmen: Tracing the Voyagers Back to Canada - JamesL. Hansen
And much, much more!

NERGC features over 50 genealogical experts and 100 informative lectures,workshops, the Ancestors Road Show, Librarians and Teachers Day and the popular Special Interest Groups.

This year's national headline speakers are Megan Smolenyak, Thomas W. Jones,FASG and

L. Hansen, FASG.

For more information or to register visit http://www.nergc.org/2009

NERGC is held only every other year. And each conference is held in adifferent state. Don't miss the chance to attend in New Hampshire.

GENEALOGICAL SEMINAR & BOOK FAIR!

The Louisiana State Archives is having its

Annual Genealogical Seminar & Book Fair

Sat March 7th 8 AM to 5 PM

Archives 3851 EssenLane, Baton Rouge.

2008 was canceled last fall so this is the first one in a year and a half.

Seminar is free. There is a charge if you would like a box lunch.

Last time the vendors & other exibitors included:

USL (oops ULL-Laf) so check their online catalogue for books ofinterest. We were able to purchase the early US period maps of Bayou Teche &Vermilion River.

Archives association's inPrint books.

Other local associations, libraries & Museums.

Again, I will ask the SAR/DAR if anything has changed about the members of "Verret Company" eligibility.

Anyone who wants more info contact me off list & I will send you theattachment with more info.
Contact me also with your book wish list & I will see what I can do.

Paul Le B l'Ascension Louisiane

CAJUN ASH WEDNESDAY

Ash Wednesday is the first day of the 40-day Lenten Fast. Lent is a word that comes to us in English from the Anglo-Saxon word for Spring. In Cajun French, we use the word, careme. Careme comes to us from the Latin word quadragesima. The Latin and French words for this season of the Church both mean “the 40th day”

The Lenten (or 40-day) Fast is period of fasting and penance preceding the Easter Festival; it occurs 40 days before Good Friday.

On Ash Wednesday, Catholics begin this period by attending Mass, where they will receive ashes on their foreheads in the shape of a cross.

This ceremony serves several purposes, among which are 1) to remind all of us that we belong to Jesus Christ, who died on a cross for our salvation; 2) that ashes are a biblical symbol of repentance and mourning; 3) and that, by this visible display of our faith, we are a visible sign to the world of the Body of Christ, His Holy Catholic Church.

HAPPY MARDI GRAS!

Mardi Gras, literally "Fat Tuesday," has grown in popularity in recent years as a raucous, sometimes hedonistic event. But its roots lie in the Christian calendar, as the "last hurrah" before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. That's why the enormous party in New Orleans, for example, ends abruptly at midnight on Tuesday, with battalions of streetsweepers pushing the crowds out of the French Quarter towards home.

Carnival comes from the Latin words carne vale, meaning "farewell to the flesh." Like many Catholic holidays and seasonal celebrations, it likely has its roots in pre-Christian traditions based on the seasons. Some believe the festival represented the few days added to the lunar calendar to make it coincide with the solar calendar; since these days were outside the calendar, rules and customs were not obeyed. Others see it as a late-winter celebration designed to welcome the coming spring. As early as the middle of the second century, the Romans observed a Fast of 40 Days, which was preceded by a brief season of feasting, costumes and merrymaking.

GO GATORS!

FLORIDA GATORS PLAY OKLAHOMA IN MIAMI FOR BCS CHAMPIONSHIP

ACADIAN NEW YEAR'S BLESSING

I'm delighted to share because it was such an important part of my growing up years in New England of Canadian ancestry.

One of the most endearing memories of my early childhood is of the New Years Eve blessing. We were a small family but everyone – uncles, aunts, cousins -- gathered on New Years Eve to receive my grandmother’s blessing as she was the senior GIROUX of the family.

When she died in 1938 my mother became the one to bestow the blessing and none of her siblings or their children ever missed the occasion … even if they had to do it by telephone. (My favorite uncle died Jan. 1, 1978 … but he had called my mother for her blessing the day before.)

As a teenager, I was often one of the “telephoners” … but no matter what joyous revelry was going on … if I was not at home, I called Mother just before midnight. (Imagine the reaction when I said, “I HAVE to call my mother!”)

In later years, I always had my own private blessing on New Years Eve as Mother and I went outdoors (weather permitting) to contemplate the stars as she laid her hands on me before we welcomed the New Year.

Now that role has fallen to me as the senior descendant. On behalf of all of the wonderful ancestors who preceded me, may I wish you and yours all GOD’S BLESSINGS FOR THE NEW YEAR.

PRAYER FOR PATERNAL BLESSING

In old Quebec the paternal blessing was one of the most moving times of the New Year. It reaffirmed the father’s authority and preceded the mass which the entire family attended before going to share a meal with the grand-parents. It was a significant gathering at which the following prayer was generally recited:

May God bless you and grant you

health and happiness throughout the coming year,

in the name of the Father, the Son

and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Jackie Hostage

CHRISTMAS MESSAGE FROM POPE BENEDICT XVI

URBI ET ORBI MESSAGE
OF HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI

CHRISTMAS 2008


"The grace of God our Saviour has appeared to all" (Tit 2:11, Vulg.)

Dear brothers and sisters, in the words of the Apostle Paul, I once more joyfully proclaim Christ’s Birth. Today "the grace of God our Saviour" has truly "appeared to all"!

It appeared! This is what the Church celebrates today. The grace of God, rich in goodness and love, is no longer hidden. It "appeared", it was manifested in the flesh, it showed its face. Where? In Bethlehem. When? Under Caesar Augustus, during the first census, which the Evangelist Luke also mentions. And who is the One who reveals it? A newborn Child, the Son of the Virgin Mary. In him the grace of God our Saviour has appeared. And so that Child is called Jehoshua, Jesus, which means: "God saves".

The grace of God has appeared. That is why Christmas is a feast of light. Not like the full daylight which illumines everything, but a glimmer beginning in the night and spreading out from a precise point in the universe: from the stable of Bethlehem, where the divine Child was born. Indeed, he is the light itself, which begins to radiate, as portrayed in so many paintings of the Nativity. He is the light whose appearance breaks through the gloom, dispels the darkness and enables us to understand the meaning and the value of our own lives and of all history. Every Christmas crib is a simple yet eloquent invitation to open our hearts and minds to the mystery of life. It is an encounter with the immortal Life which became mortal in the mystic scene of the Nativity: a scene which we can admire here too, in this Square, as in countless churches and chapels throughout the world, and in every house where the name of Jesus is adored.

The grace of God has appeared to all. Jesus – the face of the "God who saves", did not show himself only for a certain few, but for everyone. Although it is true that in the simple and lowly dwelling of Bethlehem few persons encountered him, still he came for all: Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, those near and those far away, believers and non-believers… for everyone. Supernatural grace, by God’s will, is meant for every creature. Yet each human person needs to accept that grace, to utter his or her own "yes", like Mary, so that his or her heart can be illumined by a ray of that divine light. It was Mary and Joseph, who that night welcomed the incarnate Word, awaiting it with love, along with the shepherds who kept watch over their flocks (cf. Lk 2:1-20). A small community, in other words, which made haste to adore the Child Jesus; a tiny community which represents the Church and all people of good will. Today too those who await him, who seek him in their lives, encounter the God who out of love became our brother – all those who turn their hearts to him, who yearn to see his face and to contribute to the coming of his Kingdom. Jesus himself would say this in his preaching: these are the poor in spirit; those who mourn, the meek, those who thirst for justice; the merciful, the pure of heart, the peacemakers, and those persecuted for righteousness’ sake (cf. Mt 5:3-10). They are the ones who see in Jesus the face of God and then set out again, like the shepherds of Bethlehem, renewed in heart by the joy of his love.

Brothers and sisters, all you who are listening to my words: this proclamation of hope – the heart of the Christmas message – is meant for all men and women. Jesus was born for everyone, and just as Mary, in Bethlehem, offered him to the shepherds, so on this day the Church presents him to all humanity, so that each person and every human situation may come to know the power of God’s saving grace, which alone can transform evil into good, which alone can change human hearts, making them oases of peace.

May the many people who continue to dwell in darkness and the shadow of death (cf. Lk 1:79) come to know the power of God’s saving grace! May the divine Light of Bethlehem radiate throughout the Holy Land, where the horizon seems once again bleak for Israelis and Palestinians. May it spread throughout Lebanon, Iraq and the whole Middle East. May it bring forth rich fruit from the efforts of all those who, rather than resigning themselves to the twisted logic of conflict and violence, prefer instead the path of dialogue and negotiation as the means of resolving tensions within each country and finding just and lasting solutions to the conflicts troubling the region. This light, which brings transformation and renewal, is besought by the people of Zimbabwe, in Africa, trapped for all too long in a political and social crisis which, sadly, keeps worsening, as well as the men and women of the Democratic Republic of Congo, especially in the war-torn region of Kivu, Darfur, in Sudan, and Somalia, whose interminable sufferings are the tragic consequence of the lack of stability and peace. This light is awaited especially by the children living in those countries, and the children of all countries experiencing troubles, so that their future can once more be filled with hope.

Wherever the dignity and rights of the human person are trampled upon; wherever the selfishness of individuals and groups prevails over the common good; wherever fratricidal hatred and the exploitation of man by man risk being taken for granted; wherever internecine conflicts divide ethnic and social groups and disrupt peaceful coexistence; wherever terrorism continues to strike; wherever the basics needed for survival are lacking; wherever an increasingly uncertain future is regarded with apprehension, even in affluent nations: in each of these places may the Light of Christmas shine forth and encourage all people to do their part in a spirit of authentic solidarity. If people look only to their own interests, our world will certainly fall apart.

Dear brothers and sisters, today, "the grace of God our Saviour has appeared" (cf. Tit 2:11) in this world of ours, with all its potential and its frailty, its advances and crises, its hopes and travails. Today, there shines forth the light of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Most High and the son of the Virgin Mary: "God from God, light from light, true God from true God. For us men, and for our salvation, he came down from heaven". Let us adore him, this very day, in every corner of the world, wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a lowly manger. Let us adore him in silence, while he, still a mere infant, seems to comfort us by saying: Do not be afraid, "I am God, and there is no other" (Is 45:22). Come to me, men and women, peoples and nations, come to me. Do not be afraid: I have come to bring you the love of the Father, and to show you the way of peace.

Let us go, then, brothers and sisters! Let us make haste, like the shepherds on that Bethlehem night. God has come to meet us; he has shown us his face, full of grace and mercy! May his coming to us not be in vain! Let us seek Jesus, let us be drawn to his light which dispels sadness and fear from every human heart. Let us draw near to him with confidence, and bow down in humility to adore him. Merry Christmas to all!




© Copyright 2008 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana

THNOC SYMPOSIUM

The Williams Research Center Symposium
Annually since 1996

From 1764 through 1788, when Louisiana was under Spanish governance, some 3,000 French-speaking Acadians settled in the prairies, bayous, and marshes of Louisiana.

A popular conception of le grand dérangement is that of a "straight line" migration from Nova Scotia. The diaspora, in fact, lasted a period of 25 years and the Acadians' journeys often made detours through France, the British Colonies of the Eastern Seaboard, or the islands of the Caribbean.

Once situated in Louisiana, the Acadians established a lifestyle, foodways, and culture that continue to enrich and define the region.

Friday, January 30, 2009

Reception (for symposium registrants) The Historic New Orleans Collection

6:00 p.m. Meet the speakers

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Symposium Omni Royal Orleans Hotel, 621 St. Louis Street

8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. 8:00 a.m.

For a complete list of speakers and topics, click here.

Special $179-per-night rate at the Omni Royal Orleans hotel available. Call (504) 529-5333 and mention The Historic New Orleans Collection when making your reservation to receive this rate.

Registration rates:
THNOC Members: $60
Early Registration (on or before January 9): $60
Early Student/Teacher Rate (before January 9): $35
Deadline to cancel registration (in writing) and receive a refund:A written cancellation notice is required to receive a refund. Notices should include the participant's name and contact information and should be submitted by fax at (504) 598-7168 or by email at wrc@hnoc.org.

Register
online event registration

ADVENT BLESSINGS

Be Watchful!
Be Alert! “You do
not know when
the time will come”
Mk 13: 33

RIVER PARISH CEMETERY TRANSCRIPTIONS

WestBankGenealogySociety@yahoogroups.com

Reminder from: WestBankGenealogySociety Yahoo! Group

Title: GACHGS Meeting

Date: Tuesday November 25, 2008

Time: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Location: St. John the Baptist Parish Library, 2920 Hwy 51, Laplace, LANotes:

Topic: River Parish Cemetery Transcriptions

Speaker: Jay Schexnaydre

ITALIANS FROM THE ISLAND OF USTICA

Reminder from: WestBankGenealogySociety Yahoo! Group

Title: Genealogical Research Society of New Orleans

Date: Monday November 17, 2008

Time: 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Location: Whitney Bank meeting room, 1441

Metairie RoadNotes: The Genealogical Research Society of New Orleans will hold its monthly meeting on: Monday, Nov. 17, 2008, Metairie Branch Whitney National Bank, 1441 Metairie Rd., Met. LA, 7:30 pm. The speaker will be Chris Caravella. His topic will be "Using Genealogical Research to Reassemble the Migration History of Italian Immigrants from the Island of Ustica." Please join us for this interesting presentation, light refreshments, and an opportunity to meet and greet other amateur and professional genealogists. The meeting room is adjacent to the parking lot.

"L'Ordre de Bon Temps"

Reminder from: WestBankGenealogySociety Yahoo! Group

Title: WBGS Membership

Meeting Date: Saturday November 15, 2008

Time: 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Location: Westwego Library, 635 4th Street, Westwego, LANotes:

Topic: Celebration of the "Order of Good Times" as our Acadian ancestors established in November of 1606.Brief presentation about the establishment of "L'Ordre de Bon Temps" followed by the celebration, details of which will be developed by meeting time.

ELECTION YEAR PRAYER

O most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy, at this most critical time, we entrust the United States of America to your loving care. Most Holy Mother, we beg you to reclaim this land for the glory of your Son. Overwhelmed with the burden of the sins of our nation, we cry to you from the depths of our hearts and seek refuge in your motherly protection.

Look down with mercy upon us and touch the hearts of our people. Open our minds to the responsibilities that accompany human freedom. Free us from the falsehoods that lead to the evil of abortion.Grant our country the wisdom to proclaim that God's law is the foundation in which this nation was founded, and that He alone is the True Source of our cherished rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. O Merciful Mother, give us the courage to reject the "culture of death" and lead us into a Millennium of Life.

Trusting in your most powerful intercession, we pray: Remember O most compassionate Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, we fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, our Mother, to you do we come, before you we stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in your clemency hear and answer us. Amen.

Florida Catholic newspaper, 2000

HURRICANE AID FOR TERREBONNE PARISH

Our cousins in
Terrebonne Parish lost very much during this past hurricane season.

You may make donations

in honor of our ancestors as well as our cousins.

Mike & Teresa Duplantis and family, of Mike's Steak House, have
established a Non-profit Hurricane Relief Organization called
WINDSTRONG.

The program is based on the LIVESTRONG bracelet program.
with ALL donations going to help victims of Gustav & Ike in
Terrebonne & the immediate surrounding parishes.

Thanks for your help and may God Bless you.

WINDSTRONG
Contact information:
WINDSTRONG FOUNDATION
1023 West Tunnel Blvd.
Houma , La. 70360985-876-5071

9/11 WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR PEACE

God of peace, bring your peace to our violent world.
Peace in the hearts of all men and women and peace
among the nations of the earth.
Turn to your way of love those whose hearts and
minds are consumed with hatred.

God of understanding, overwhelmed by the
magnitude of this tragedy, we seek your light and
guidance as we confront such terrible events.
Grant that those whose lives were spared may live so
that the lives lost...may not have been lost in vain.
Comfort and console us. Strengthen us in hope, and
give us the wisdom and courage to work tirelessly
for a world where true peace and love reign among
nations and in the hearts of all.

-- Pope Benedict XVI
Prayer Service at Ground Zero
April 20, 2008

NATIONAL DAY OF THE ACADIANS FRENCH MASS

ACADIAN MEMORIAL 121 SOUTH NEW MARKET, ST. MARTINVILLE
Contact: Brenda Comeaux Trahan (337) 394-2258

BANNER CARRIERS NEEDED FOR NATIONAL DAY OF THE ACADIANS FRENCH MASS

Volunteers are needed to carry Acadian family name banners during a French Mass to be held in St. Martinville on Friday, August 15.

On this day, Mayor Thomas Nelson and the city of St. Martinville celebrates la Fête Nationale de l'Acadie or National Day of Acadia with a flag raising, grand opening and open house at the Acadian Memorial and St. Martinville Cultural Heritage Center. Additional events are planned at the Duchamp Opera House and at Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site.

The day of activities leads up to a procession which departs from theMemorial at 6:30 and makes way to St. Martin de Tours, followed closely by the family name banner carriers.

The Mass is devoted to Our Lady of the Assumption, patroness of Acadians. It will be celebrated in French by Monsieur Douglas Courvillewith the French Acadian Memorial Choir led by Sarah Roy.

After Mass, a Bar-B-Q dinners will be sold for ($15.00) at the newly renovated, La Maison on 100 N. Bridge Street in St. Martinville. RSVPat 337.9813289.

Volunteers who would like to carry a banner to the Mass should contact the Memorial at (337) 394-2258 as soon as possible to reserve one.

At 5:30 p.m. on August 15, those who have reserved their banners should meet at the Acadian Memorial and prepare to depart for church at 5:45p.m.

JULY 28: A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE

JULY 28: A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Date: July 7th, 2008

St.Martin de Tours Catholic Church & Acadian Memorial Host "July 28th: A Day of Remembrance": A moment to remember the suffering of the Acadians during the Acadian exile
in 1755.

In 2003, Queen Elizabeth II signed a Royal Proclamation stating that every July 28th, the world should pause to remember the suffering of the Acadian nation of people during the Acadian exile.

The deportation order was signed by the British Governor Lawrence in Halifax, Nova Scotia on July 28th, 1755. From 1755 to 1763, more than 7,000 (half ofthe population) perished.

On Monday, July 28th, at 5:30 p.m., the mother church of the Acadians,"St. Martin de Tours" and the Acadian Memorial invite the community to meet at the church for a commemorative ceremony of reflection on the international "Day of Remembrance" (as provided in the 2003 Queen's Royal Proclamation ).

At the conclusion of the service, the church bells will toll during a solemn procession of the congregation to the Acadian Memorial Deportation Meditation Garden for prayers under the Deportation Cross. A light reception will follow.

For more information call Maegan Berard or Brenda Comeaux Trahan at394.2258.

ANNE LePRINCE

"Does anyone have the story of the Acadian widow (Landry) and her daughter who was guillotined for helping a priest?"

The guillotined Acadian woman, Anne LePrince, was born about 1724 in Acadie,died 1 Jul 1794 at Brest, France.Note by Stephen A. White, Dictionnaire Généalogique des Familles Acadiennes,p. 1081.

She died (according to C.-J. d'ENTREMONT) at Brest on 1 Jul 1794 at age 80years (sic), "sur l'e'chafaud [scaffold]."

Bona Arsenault, Histoire et Généalogie des Acadiens, pp. 1237 (Grand Pré) &1423 (Pisiguit) also has a reference:A martyr of the French Revolution, she was guillotined with one of her daughters and Abbe Clech on 1 Jul 1794. (Reference: Guillon, LES MARTYRS DE LAFOI; 1821, vol. 3, p. 489.)


Karen (Theriot Reader)
I am the Project Administrator of three DNA projects at_www.familytreeDNA.com_ (http://www.familytreedna.com/) .

LIFE WRITING CLASS AT ST. MARTINVILLE

The University of Louisiana Lafayette's University College Department will offer a Life Writing class in St. Martinville at the Acadian Memorial Conference Room.

The class, for adults 55 and over, will be held from September 8ththrough December 1st at 1:30 pm.

The course will cover writing techniques such as dialog, character writing, descriptions, and story flow.

Registration is now open at the Acadian Memorial Office / Memorial Hall, 121South New Market, St. Martinville and the ULL Registers Office in Lafayette.

The cost is $20.25 and pen and notebook are the only requirements. Spaceis limited to 15, so please register soon. For more information, call 337.394.2258

(ACADIAN) HAPPY BASTILLE DAY!

"The holiday we are expected to celebrate even though very few of our ancestors were still in that country then.

"Does anyone have the story of the Acadian widow (Landry) and her daughter who was guillotined for helping a priest?

"Does anyone go to any celebrations?? I went to Paris in July? 1970 & 1971 but missed the parades.

"It has been celebrated In Kaplan Louisiana since about 1911 This is the town that if you speak English , or don't live in the town? you are Less Americians."

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE3D6163FF937A25754C0A96F948260
http://www.msje.org/history/archive/la/kaplan.htm
General infohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storming_of_the_Bastille
http://french.about.com/library/weekly/aa071400.htm

From http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/acadian

LABAUVE REUNION AT THE CMA2009?

FAMILIES WHO ARE PLANNING REUNIONS

WANT TO ADD THE LABAUVE FAMILY?

Photo is from the CMA1999 Breaux Reunion in Breaux Bridge

CONGRÈS MONDIAL ACADIEN 2009

CALLING ALL CAJUNS !!!

Congrès mondial acadien in Louisiana

HAPPY MARDI GRAS!

Reminder from:

WestBankGenealogySociety Yahoo! Group

Title:
Mardi Gras

Date:
Tuesday February 5, 2008

Time:
All Day

Location:
The Greater New Orleans Area

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

RING OUT WILD BELLS

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light:
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more;
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes,
But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease;
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.

by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS!

ADVENT BLESSINGS

A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah 9:1-2, 5-6

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing, As they rejoice before you as at the harvest, as men make merry when dividing spoils.For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests.They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, From David's throne, and over his kingdom, which he confirms and sustainsBy judgment and justice, both now and forever.

The Word of the Lord

GOD BLESS OUR VETERANS

THE DEATH OF A HERO

Gilbert LaBauve's Journal

July 17, 1917



I am about recording the death of a hero, Gustave Labauve, Orderly Sergeant of a Company of the 18th regiment of Infantry commanded by Col. Armant of St James' Parish, participated in the battle of Mansfield, during the Confederate War.

The 18th regiment was ordered to charge a battery disployed behind a rail fence. As soon as the colonel received the order to charge the battery, he arose, leaving his regiment prone on the field. And, answering "The order to charge will be executed; but charging that battery is leading my men to death." whereupon he mounted his fiery steed, no sooner had he mounted, than a ball ended his military career. He fell dead; but the regiment made the charge nevertheless, and, in advancing at a double quick, the Standard bearer fell. No sooner had he been killed than Alexander Breaux of Fausse Pointe raised it high, telling the boys to follow their standard.

He had made only a few steps onward when he was killed, Leonce Ransonette also of Fausse Pointe, raised the color on high and advanced on toward the goal, but he also fell, mortally wounded.
Gustave Labauve, happened to be, the only officer of the company unscathed. All the others had either been wounded out of action, or killed; he, as follows, in such emergencies, would not allow the regimental color to trail in the dust. On picking it up, he raised it on high and called to the men to follow him on to victory; no sooner were these words uttered than he was perforated by a mines? ball. And, fall on the bloody field, covered with immortal glory.

He was my first cousin, Uncle Victor Labauve being his father. There was not a lazy bone in that boy, fear was an unknown quantity in him. He was always ready to do his part in everything. I knew the boy well, for we split boards together in the Fausse Pointe swamps on Bayou Crocodile that empties into Lake Pond. For nearly two months we were encamped near that bayou; I was then 15 years old, and Gustave was about two years older than myself.

The Company must have been the center of the regiment, as it was entrusted with the Regimental Color. The regiment got to the rail fence, anyhow.

All at once the battery which had been pouring grape shot and canister into the ranks of the 18th regiment ceased. firing, and the whole battery with its support of infantry, were captured as prisoners of war, but the Confederates who had flanked them by a circutious movement around them. They all surrendered, about 5000 men in all. To accomplish this Genl. Dick Taylor had sacrificed nearly one whole regiment. Gustave Labauve was every inch a man;

To prove his sense of honor, it is only necessary to relate about his furlough at his home at Fausse Pointe, for he was on furlough home at the time the yankees went up the Teche to Red River. His wife and wife's relatives begged him to remain home--that his furlough was not yet up. But nothing could prevail on him to remain home while his company would be exposed to the enemy's fire on the battlefield. So, eluding the yankee army by a flank movement, he left his home and arrived at the headquarters, just in time to enter into action.

TWO MINUTES OF SILENCE

OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION

In 1884 in Burnswick, Canada the Acadian people adopted "Our Lady Of The Assumption" as the patroness of the Acadian people' this was ratifed by Pope Pius X.

August 15 is celebrated as her feast day. The song "Ave Maria " was picked as the Acadian National Hymn.

A flag was adopted with the French tricolor to which a yellow star was added in the blue field. The star represents "Our Lady Of The Assumption."

HISTORIC NEW ORLEANS ONLINE STORE

On 8/11/07, Paul LeBlanc LeBlancpleblan@netscape.net wrote:

The Historic New Orleans Collect on line store is up for the first time since the storm. A little pricey for me but some of the maps looked interesting

http://hnoc.tamretail.net/

BRAULT/BREAU TRIP TO FRANCE

Bonjour to all,

This is my semestrial email (January and July ... well this one is late hee hee hee) checkup to see if my genealogy correspondants email's are still good. You need do nothing as invalid emails will bounce back to me, so i'll know your email is no longer good ... unfortunately I won't know if you have a new valid email.

There is one of you who is planning a trip to France in 2008 as a prelude to the big acadian/cajun gathering in the summer of 2009 in New Brunswick. Check the World Acadian Congress 2009 web site to find the details: a Breau reunion is planned and a preliminary program is out. http://www.cma2009.com/.

Here's the info for the 2008 France trip extracted from the email of Gayle Breaux: Regarding FRANCE.
John and I are planning on a trip to France in 2008 as a pre-trip to the 2009 family reunion in New Brunswick. Do you think others of the Brault/Breau family would be interested in such a trip?????? It would be great to have a gathering in the church where they think Vincent might have been baptisted. Do you have an email group that you could "spread the word" and see if there is interest???? What do you think? If anyone is interested, you can reach Gayle and John at smith.john.gayle@cox.net
*******************************************************
Bonjour,

Ceci est mon courriél semestriel (janvier et juillet ... ohhhh celui-ci est en retard hi hi hi) pour vérifier si vos adresses de courriéls sont toujours valides. Vous n'avez pas besoin de rien faire car les adresses invalides vont "rebondir" et je saurai que votre adresse de courriél n'est plus bonne ... malheureusement j'ignorerai si vous avez une nouvelle adresse de courriélvalide.

Il y a quelqu'un parmi vous qui est à planifier un voyage en France en 2008 comme prélude à la grande rencontre acadienne/cajun de l'été 2009 au Nouveau-Brunswick. Voir le site internet du Congrès Mondial Acadien 2009 pour les détails: une réunion de famille Breau est prévue et un programme préliminaire est déjà sorti:http://www.cma%202009.com/

Voici l'information sur le voyage en France en 2008 de Gayle Breaux au cas où ça pourrait vous intéresser (en anglais seulement) en extrait de son message de courriélSi ça vous intéresse, vous pouvez rejoindre Gayle et John à: smith.john.gayle@cox.net

Au revoir,

(-o-o-) ( O )> _________oOOo______________oOOo___________

e-mail: Robert.Brault@ens.csaffluents.qc.ca

Robert Brault
Commission Scolaire des Affluents
SECTEUR 4 (TERREBONNE)
École secondaire Armand-Corbeil incluant l'Accès-Cible
École primaire St-Louis École primaire du Vieux-Chêne
QUÉBEC

WELCOME TO THE ACADIAN MAILING LIST!

A new Acadian (also later known as French Neutrals, & Cajuns) mailing list on rootsweb is available. For details see below the welcome members will receive.

Please share this with any individual who you think may be interested. You may also send it to the list-mom/dad of any list/board & ask them to post or give permission for you to post. Please remember it is their decision.

To join: in LIST mode send mail to ACADIAN-L-request@rootsweb.com with the single word subscribe in the message subject and body. To join in DIGEST mode, do the same thing with ACADIAN-D-request@rootsweb.com.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to the ACADIAN mailing list!

Dear soon to be cousin,

Welcome to the Acadian List. This list is about all descendants of the original European settlers and their Amer-Indian cousins in the Maritime Provinces of present-day Canada and the nearby coast of Maine. Families of anyone who later married into these families is also researchable. All families of the diaspora of the Grand Derangement will be addressed in this forum. It is hoped that many new connections will be made and many presently known lineages extended and verified to their origins and to the present time.

Everyone is welcome. We are joined on a mutual journey. All that is asked is respect for others, especially to have the freedom to research any related person, location, or event by any genealogical or academic method they choose. This respect would also include adherence to the International Copyright Laws and the privatization of information as required by the statutes of Canada and the United States; that is for individuals born after 1900 in Quebec and 1930 in the United States or anyone still living. The data gathered is for personal use and is not to be gathered en masse for other purposes.

Looking forward to your participation.

In fellowship,

Paul LeBlanc
List Administrator

CENSUS OF LOUISIANA, SEPT. 2, 1771

from Stanley LeBlanc
to acadian@rootsweb.com
date Jul 7, 2007 2:45 PM

Periodically, I've seen references to the Census of September 2, 1771, but couldn't find any lists.

The mystery has been solved. Governor O'Reilly ordered a census on September 14, 1769, but it wasn't completed until 1771 [this would explain some differences in ages between the 1766 and 1769 census]

The registers were compiled into a report dated September 2, 1771. This is a very interesting report because it shows that the Acadians represented a significant percentage of the total population.

The census is in the Annual Report of the American Historical Association
1945 in four volumes,

Volume II, Spain in the Mississippi Valley, 1765-1794,
Part I, The Revolutionary Period, 1765 - 1781, edited by Lawrence Kinnaird, p. 196.

I've created a pdf file that is linked from my Arrival of the Acadians page at the url below. The direct url is also provided.

Stanley LeBlanc

http://www.thecajuns.com/acadians.htm

http://www.thecajuns.com/lacensus-1771.pdf

-------------------------------
To subscribe to the list, please send an email to ACADIAN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'subscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message. You will receive a confirmation e-mail to try & stop "machine" enrollment spam. Give it the "Name" you would like us to call you.

ACADIAN-CAJUN & FRENCH-CANADIAN ONLINE BOUTIQUE

Thanks to Joe and Aggie Collinson for the following link to the online Acadian-Cajun & French-Canadian Online Boutique: http://www.cafepress.com/acadstore/819789

"This is not the official site for the Congress but it is an interesting boutique for material. Just look up your last name of interest, using the spelling that you use, and you should find a bunch of items for sale."

I met Joe and Aggie at the Mass and Breaux Family Reunion in Louisiana.

They rode to Breaux Bridge from Sherwood Park, Alberta, on a motorcycle!
Joe says that the same group is planning on being in New Brunswick in 2009 (GBW).

You can see photos from that Reunion at http://labauve.tripod.com/grid13.html

HAPPY JULY 4TH!

This is my song, O God of all the nations,
a song of peace for lands afar and mine;
this is my home, the country where my heart is;
here are my hopes, my dreams, my holy shrine:
but other hearts in other lands are beating
with hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.

My country's skies are bluer than the ocean,
and sunlight beams on cloverleaf and pine;
but other lands have sunlight too, and clover,
and skies are everywhere as blue as mine:
O hear my song, thou God of all the nations,
a song of peace for their land and for mine.

This is my prayer, O Lord of all earth's kingdoms,
thy kingdom come, on earth, thy will be done;
let Christ be lifted up 'til all shall serve him,
and hearts united, learn to live as one:
O hear my prayer, thou God of all the nations,
myself I give thee -- let thy will be done.

Jean Sibelius (1899)

LABARRE AND LABAUVE

There should be no connection between LaBarre and LaBauve, unless you expect something through wedding.

LaBauve in fact comes from the French name de la Bauve which, as far as I have been informed, was probably a Feudal land named Bauve. The land lord was the Seigneur de la Bauve. When came the revolution, the de la Bauve would have left France and some dropped the "de" from their name and the la Bauve changed into LaBauve to escape the revolution attacks to the "Nobles"

In 1510, one of the de la Bauve was granted by the King for services to the crown, the land of Arifat and thus Nicolas de La bauve became Earl of Arifat. I am descendant of this branch whose elder son went to Mauritius and remained during the revolution.There are now a good lot of de LaBauve or de Labauve d'Arifat living in Mauritius.

On the other hand LaBarre which in France is also Labarre is a more common name as Labaume, Leroy, Dupont, Duval, Deschiens etc...

I am staying some days in Mauritius to prepare our move from Brazil.

All the best from Jean de Labauve d'Arifat

GODFREY/LABAUVE FAMILY REUNION 2007

To ALL,

Godfrey/LaBauve Family Reunion will be on July 21, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. Please pass on the following information to your family members. We will do something simple as far as the food and we will have plenty fun and games for adult and children. This year we are concentrating on fellowshipping with one another. I would like for everyone to really get to know their relatives.

The cost will be $5.00 for adults. No prices for children this year. You can pay at the park. If you are staying through Sunday, I invite you to my church in League City, Texas, where I Pastor. The name is True Living Word Christian Church. I will furnish direction if you are interested.

Please RSVP if you are attending and tell family members to do the same. My telephone number is 713-894-6700 (cell) or 281-334-7018 (home). They can response to my e-mail address too, both at work and at home. pcaballero@sntg.com (work)caballeropatrick@hotmail.com (home)

Name of Place: White's Park

Date & Time: July 21, 2007, 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Directions: From Houston Travel I-10 East to Beaumont, Exit 812 in Hankamer, stay on the feeder road until you get to the stop sign. Take right at the stop sign and White's Park is on your right approximately one city block.

Be Bless,

Dr. Patrick W. Caballero

AN ACADIAN PARISH REMEMBERED

An Acadian Parish Remembered
The Registers of St. Jean-Baptiste
Annapolis Royal, 1702-1755

9 June 1713
Baptism
Marie Joseph La Bauve

8 January 1714
Marriage
François Bastarache and Agnes La Bauve

13 January 1716
Marriage
Jean Baptiste Levron and Françoise La Bauve

18 May 1722
Marriage
Louis Hebert and Anne Marie La Bauve

11 August 1722
Marriage
Jean de La Bauve and Magdelaine Levron

EVEN CAJUNS ARE IRISH TODAY!

“Christ shield me this day:

Christ with me, Christ before me,

Christ behind me, Christ in me,

Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ on my right, Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down, Christ when I arise,

Christ in the heart of every person who thinks of me,

Christ in the eye that sees me, Christ in the ear that hears me.” —

“The Breastplate of St. Patrick

NOVA SCOTIA VITAL STATS

The Nova Scotia Vital Stats are due to go online this Monday, March 19, 2007.The website address is:http://www.novascotiagenealogy.com/The inventory will include:All birth records before 1906.All marriage records before 1932.....All death records before 1956.

Thanks to Erich on the Amerindian myfamily.com site.

LABAUVE & LABARRE SAME SURNAMES?

I'm interested in finding out what the origins of LaBauve DNA might reveal as to the origins of Louis Noel Labauve.

Was he a Mi'kmaq, was he European?.

One of the more common names in the early Mi'kmaq-Maliseet records is the name Labauve and it's many variations.

As Mario recently posted, the names LaBarre and LaBauve seem to be the same name as well.

One way to solve part of the mystery around the origins of this family, is to have a LaBauve male take a Y-Chromosome DNA test.

The Y-Chromosome DNA test can only be taken by a male and costs about $99 US.

Erich

NO LABAUVE FAMILY IN CEMETERY

From: "Don Louviere"
To: "Julaine and Isby Schexnayder"
Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2007 1:47 PM
Subject: Re: ] Cemetery Desecration

Could you forward this onto Lynn LaBauve? Based on the Cemetery Map we are creating, Patoutvile has no LaBauve family and only one Breaux.
L. Breaux died 3 Aug 1896.
Don

CEMETERY DESTRUCTION AGAIN!

Cemetery Destruction AGAIN!!!! HORRIBLE
Leslie Braddock - Mar 7, 2007 View Viewers

This is happening in Louisiana..it is a common practice for the Catholic Church to remove graves and "reuse" the spaces if no one claims them..it happened in the historic St. Martinville Church where my "Jean Charles LeBlanc" ancestor was burried according to records but his body is "missing". I guess they just "forgot" to move him when they moved the cemetery and made way for a parking lot! He is the Father of the current LeBlanc family that lives in Louisiana and is on the St. Martinville Wall of Ancestors of the Original Acadians. What is going on here is HORRIBLE and wrong on so many levels.And My "Jean Charles LeBlanc" is just one of HUNDREDS of "missing graves" at that church. We have to stop this practice..I dont know if any of you live in Louisiana but if you do ..please pass this on to anyone that you think might be able to help this or fight this issue.
Thanks,
Leslie Braddock

This is a notice to anyone who has ancestors who were part of the St. Nicholas Catholic Church near Patoutville/Lydia. There are many dozens of sites throughout, which are nothing more than a pile of broken bricks and mortar. Some are open so that the remains are visible.
Is this the way you would want your great-great grandmother to "rest in peace"?
Furthermore, a Finance Committee from the church has posted signs announcing that if these sites are not claimed by April 7, 2007, then repaired, the remains will be removed to another spot and the site cleared. The vast majority of these graves have markers. Some of the families represented areDubois, Dupuy, Gary, Guillot, Louviere, Hebert, etc.
A group of genealogy enthusiasts including some people who live out of state, called The Friends of the Historical St. Nicholas Cemetery are working together to find living descendants and notify them of the need to make a claim known to the church and then to do repairs immediately. Anyone in this organization who suspects he has an ancestor buried there can contact me, and we can help you to determine if this is a problem for you and your family.
My contact info is Julaine Deare Schexnayder, 337 365-7667, or julainehome@cox.net.
We have just completed the inventory of the entire cemetery. Unfortunately many tombs are unmarked. But we are willing to do lookups for any name you'd like. E-mail me at julainehome@cox.net. I am a member of the Lafayette Genealogical Society and would like to make a presentation to the group on our efforts since last fall to prevent any destruction to the historical tombs in the St. Nicholas Cemetery at Patoutville/Lydia. We have been able to find descendants for about 10-15 tombs and some have already been repaired.
This is happening in Louisiana..it is a common practice for the Catholic Church to remove graves and "reuse" the spaces if no one claims them..it happened in the historic St. Martinville Church where my "Jean Charles LeBlanc" ancestor was burried according to records but his body is "missing". I guess they just "forgot" to move him when they moved the cemetery and made way for a parking lot! He is the Father of the current LeBlanc family that lives in Louisiana and is on the St. Martinville Wall of Ancestors of the Original Acadians. What is going on here is HORRIBLE and wrong on so many levels.And My "Jean Charles LeBlanc" is just one of HUNDREDS of "missing graves" at that church. We have to stop this practice..I dont know if any of you live in Louisiana but if you do ..please pass this on to anyone that you think might be able to help this or fight this issue.ThanksLeslie BraddockThis is a notice to anyone who has ancestors who were part of the St. >> Nicholas Catholic Church near Patoutville/Lydia. There are many dozens >> of sites throughout, which are nothing more than a pile of broken bricks >> and mortar. Some are open so that the remains are visible!>>>> Is this the way you would want your great-great grandmother to "rest in >> peace"?>>>> Furthermore, a Finance Committee from the church has posted signs >> announcing that if these sites are not claimed by April 7, 2007, then >> repaired, the remains will be removed to another spot and the site >> cleared. The vast majority of these graves have markers. Some of the >> families represented areDubois, Dupuy, Gary, Guillot, Louviere, Hebert, etc.>>>> A group of genealogy enthusiasts including some people who live out of >> state, called The Friends of the Historical St. Nicholas Cemetery are >> working together to find living descendants and notify them of the need >> to make a claim known to the church and then to do repairs immediately. Anyone in this organization who suspects he has an ancestor buried there can contact me, and we can help you to determine if this is a problem for you and your family.>>>> My contact info is Julaine Deare Schexnayder, 337 365-7667, or julainehome@cox.net
We have just completed the inventory of the entire cemetery. >> Unfortunately many tombs are unmarked. But we are willing to do lookups >> for any name you'd like. E-mail me at julainehome@cox.net. I am a member of the Lafayette Genealogical Society and would like to make a presentation to the group on our efforts since last fall to prevent any destruction to the historical tombs in the St. Nicholas Cemetery at Patoutville/Lydia. We have been able to find descendants for about 10-15 tombs and some have already been repaired.
Julaine Schexnayder New Iberia, LA 337 365-7667

UPDATE ON Acadian/Mi'kmaq Festival

Ellen Hunt - Mar 5, 2007 View Viewers

Hi Everyone, I have received emails from people who are interested in this reunion. I will make plans to have it in Lahave during the festival. The date is not set yet, because I have to meet with the Lunenburg County Historicial Society who sponsors this festival, but I have asked for August 18 & 19th. Lahave is about 45 minutes from Mahone Bay if you drive to Bridgewater and follow the highway to Lahave. If you join the Lahave Ferry, it would take about 25 minutes. From Lunenburg by way of Lahave ferry, it takes me 20 minutes. The ferry crosses the river every 15 minutes, but on special days during an event , it crosses often. It holds about 16 vehicles. There are Risser's Campground and others in the area. The Mi'kmaq/Acadian Burial Ground in Petite Riviere is about 10-15 minutes away. We will tour this burial ground as part of the agenda. What other things would you like to do while you are here? I was thinking maybe: The Mi'kmkaq Burial Ground Research and Restoration Association plan to erect a panel at the burial ground this year. It depends on funding. Maybe we could help pay for the panel and it would be from all the descendents of the Lahave/Bras dor Indians. Its our ancestors who are buried there. Then we could have a special ceremony. This would be our mark. Go on a boat ride to the Lahave Islands. Have a picnic Story telling time Talking Circles Sharing of culture A reenactment Genealogy Dig clams Weiner roast on the beach near the burial ground Acadian and Mikmaq entertainment at the festival Beach walks - mussel boils. any other suggestions. Please get them out to me before the meeting which will be sometime soon, so I can bring them forward. thanks ellen I will post links for accommodations.'http://www.myfamily.com/isapi.dll?c=s&htx=m&siteid=G1kYAI

ACADIAN/MI'KMAQ FESTIVAL

Acadian/Mi'kmaq Festival
Ellen Hunt - Mar 2, 2007 View Viewers

Hi Everyone,

It looks like most of our ancestors first lived in Lahave. We will be celebrating the fourth Acadian/Mi'kmaq festival sometime in August. It is usually the weekend closest to August 15th. This year we will have the grand opening of the First Mi'kmaq Village on the grounds and also the opening of the reconstructed Maria de Grace Fort.

Plans for the festival are just in the planning stages. I am one of th co-ordinators for the Village and the festival. Would anyone be interested in a reunion of the Lahave and Bras'dor Indian descendents.? In this area is Petite Riviere, where Germain LeJeune lived. Also the Mi'kmaq/Acadian burial ground which dates back to at least early 1500's. Maria de Grace Fort is where the french lived in 1600's and traded with the Mi'kmaq. Sourquois, stated in the "History of Lunenburg County" by Mathis Desbrisay means "Salt Water Indians". There are lots of history in this area . You could walk in the foot steps of our ancestors. I lives close to Lahave and visit it quite often.

Please let me know if you are interested and I can set the plans in motion.

Thanks,

Ellen

Image provided courtesy of Steve Brien