A Rich History - A Promising Future

Father Anthony Bourges, Father. Maurice Rousseve, Father Francis Wade and Father Vincent Smith answered a calling which came from both their hearts and their minds.  Together they became the first Black priests ordained through the Society of the Divine Word Missionaries at St. Augustine Seminary in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi and by invitation of the late Bishop Jules Jeanmard arrived at Immaculate Heart of Mary parish in Lafayette, Louisiana.  They worked to not only build, but also develop and create a community that would become unified through the visions of faith and education in the life of the church and school.

The journey of Black Catholic education would not have begun were it not for the insight of these visionaries, but the vision is incomplete without the contribution of the Sisters of the Holy Family.  It, in essence, is prayer without works.  Henriette Delille, the foundress of the religious order of the Sisters of the Holy Family dreamed of providing quality Catholic Education to poor black children -  the ancestors of slaves.  This dream lives because of the women who cling to the dream of Mother Henriette, the women of the Sisters of the Holy Family who are indeed the instrument of God’s work,

Within five years of their arrival to IHM, they enrolled 2300 members through personal contact, presented a class of 188 candidates for confirmation and opened mission chapels in Scott and Duson.  Through their hard work and dedicated service, the people of IHM proved that they could work together and continue to work with all who make up the Mystical Body of Christ.

IHM’s Heritage

The first African American priests assigned to an African American parish in Lafayette, LA.

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