Leisure was the word of the day with ‘bike stroll’ being more accurate than bike ride. The morning was warm and the sky clear blue. We were heading south on River Road with no end, just enjoying the day and sights.
We could see the spires of St. Michael’s Catholic Church so this was our first stop. The parish was established in 1809 along with the first church about one mile from the current church. The parish began acquiring land and in 1927 the cemetery was established. The new and current church was begun in 1831 and in 1833 the current church was completed at a cost of $19,445. For the construction of the church, slaves made the red bricks. In the 1870s the church was enlarged, steeple added along with the Lourdes Grotto. This is the church today except in 1965 during Hurricane Betsy the steeple was blown down and never replaced.
Lourdes Grotto
The church has two unique features. It is home to the oldest pipe organ on record in Louisiana. The Henry Erben organ was purchased in 1857 and has the distinction of being the only Henry Erben organ built for a Louisiana church still in the original location. The organ is said to have the original nameplate.
Henry Erben Pipe Organ
The surprise of our visit and to us the most unique feature was the Lourdes Grotto housed behind the altar. The grotto was built in the 1870s, 18 years after the first apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary and is believed to be among the first Lourdes grottos in America. Although the grotto is modeled after the grotto in Lourdes, France and honors Our Lady of Lourdes, it also honors the sugarcane industry of the area and the Mississippi River. The grotto is made from bagasse with the recessed dome being an overturned sugar kettle and the altar is covered with hundreds of small clam shells from the Mississippi River.
Grotto Altar
Bagasse is what remains after the extraction of the juice from sugarcane. The name was first applied to the debris from the pressing of olives, grapes, and palm nuts. Today the word is used only to represent the fibrous waste product of sugarcane.
We could have lingered longer in St. Michael’s but a wedding was about to take place and we were not dressed in our finest.
St Michael Catholic Church
Altar
Stained Glass Windows
Church Altar
Church Statues
Y’all’s church was absolutely beautiful. Love the grotto. Glad I got a chance to see it.
I grew up a couple houses down from St Michaels. I played out side many days and would find myself drawn inside. Where I would be mesmerized by the images of Jesus. Such a peaceful place.
Thanks for the comment. It is a very serene place. We enjoyed visiting the church and grounds.
How far Is St Michael’s from Burnside (Hwy 44) via River Rd? Is that the best to get there?
I’d like to attend Mass on Saturday.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Hi and thank you for stopping by. From Burnside, Convent is about 12 miles. We have never taken that route but it should be nice. I hope you enjoy the church as much as we did.
I was at the Roper/Louviere wedding last Friday that was held at the St. Michael Church and I have to say that it was probably one of the best churches, if not the best, that I’ve had the pleasure of setting foot in it. My niece Neta Bourgeois’s husband Brian told me of the Louvre Grotto which is located just behind the church that I wish to visit one day before I return to my home in American Samoa.
I took some photos of the inside of the church, but unfortunately, it was too dark to take some outside photos by the time the wedding ceremony was over.
Thank you for the comment. Yes, the church is beautiful as is the organ. I hope you make it back for a tour during the day; it is well worth it. Enjoy your visit with family.
Is this the church where Pierre Maunoir or Louis Emile Maunoir from French Settlement in Missouri painted some religious paintings, I believe in the late 1800’s? They were relatives of my husband’s. Thank you for any information you can give me.
Sylvia Portnoy
I am not sure. We visited the church when we stayed in the area.
A visit to this church is a truly moving experience.
It is. Thanks for stopping by our blog.
My husband and I were riding about and a friend suggested we by St Michael’s church. I am so very glad we did. The church is absolutely beautiful. Have not seen a church like that one in a very long time. It was a wonderfully, enlightening experience.
Thanks for stopping by our blog. We agree the church is beautiful. Glad you enjoyed the visit.
Do you have guided group tours?
Thank you,
Tarilyn McBride
Thanks for visiting our blog. We are not affiliated with St. Michael’s. We visited the area and church and wrote our blog. I would suggest calling the rectory.