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 The Parish of St. Matthew today with its Church and more than 500 members stands a striking reality in contrast to the small church and handful of people in existence when Father Canavan took up his labors in 1851. We of the present generation are not in a position to fully appreciate the sacrifices and the patient labor that fell to the lot of priests in the early days of Catholicism in this area. It was the day of the pioneer the mode of living and the methods of transportation brought real hardships to the priests who had to travel far to visit those of his flock in the distant places. It is truly appropriate; therefore, that next to God, the people of St. Matthew Parish of this present generation and generations to come all give grateful acknowledgment to our past, present, and future priests for the blessings and priceless privileges that are ours today. The history of this Church deserves to be known and recognized by its members today.
In 2001, we celebrated both the founding of our parish community 150 years ago and the 214th anniversary of the Catholic Church in Northeast Louisiana. This was truly an important and impressive milestone that called us to unite with earlier generations of parishioners who have gathered to praise, to offer thanks and to petition our Heavenly Father. The parishioners of this church have shared both success as well as failure in the church's journey through history. Yet, they have persevered and withstood all onslaughts to struggle forward, spreading the Good News of Christ to all. It is well that we as a parish family, for that is truly what we are, look to our past and honor those who have come before us and have done so much to render what we enjoy today. It is also an exciting time as we carefully shape what our parish will become for the next generation of Catholics in the Monroe are. The legacy that will be left to yours and ours is being written now as we continue with plans to ensure the growth of this "Mother Church" of Northeast Louisiana. We welcome you to Saint Matthew. Thank you for joining us as we celebrate our past . . . And our future. |
Though the precise date that the first settler of present Monroe, Captain Don Juan Filhiol, arrived in the Monroe area cannot be fixed with exact certainty, Filhiol's own documents put him in our region, "Post of the Ouachita," on February 1, 1783, which is years before the Louisiana Purchase unified American Colonization efforts. Construction on a fort would not begin until September 8, 1790, five years after it had been established and named after Governor Estevan Miro. Fort Miro remained the successor to the Ouachita Fort until May 1, 1819, when the name of the settlement changed to that of Monroe. On May 12, 1819, the Steamboat Monroe, named after the President, James Monroe, arrived at the present site of the city of Monroe. The citizens of Fort Miro saw the arrival of the Steamboat Monroe as the beginning of a great age of trade proving that river traffic would be coming. Until missionary priests arrived in this area, the founder of the city and the residents attended religious services in the southern part of Louisiana at regular intervals.
As the oldest parish of the diocese, it is from St. Matthew the origin from which all other parishes throughout the area were created. This has caused many to affectionately refer to St. Matthew as the "Mother Church" of northeast Louisiana. The history of the parish, beginning in 1851, is replete with the many contributions of the faithful and friends from throughout our region. St. Matthew and the clergy who served here have been a unifying force in this community throughout the last 150 years, and it will continue to be so into this third Millennium.