Belgian Jesuit Falls In Love With Shreveport, Louisianna

Reverend Francis Bertels

With the return of Father Van Haver to Zwolle, Father Francis Bertels was assigned to Holy Trinity Church. Father Bertels, a native of Belgium, worked as a member of the Jesuit Fathers in south Louisiana until he requested to become a secular priest and was accepted by Bishop Durier. He served at Lecompte and Cottonport before coming to Shreveport. His 1906 annual report to the diocese listed 800 families in Holy Trinity parish. The new pastor set himself to the task of completing the church. He collected funds to plaster the interior and place the stained glass windows in the body of the church. For this purpose contracts were signed with Garson Brothers and J.H. Harrison. When he died on February 6th, 1926, he left the parish in fine shape financially and spiritually.

I am not a "coon ass" but I was born in Alexandria, La.

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