History of Our Lady of Pompeii Church Parish
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Our Lady of Pompeii Catholic Church & Parishioners
Picture taken about 1922
Catholic beginnings in the Tangipahoa area can be traced to Catholic missionary priests from France, Germany, and Italy who worked mainly in other parts of Louisiana. Subsequently, the Benedictine Fathers became the major Catholic force in the development of the Catholic Church in this area. In l908, Father Placide Gabrielle, a Benedictine priest, became the first resident pastor in Independence. According to all probability, he also took care of the Tickfaw area. In l9l4, the Benedictines sold all their holdings in Tangipahoa to the Spanish Dominicans of the Phillippine Province for the sum of $1.00.
In the meantime, many people of Italian descent had moved into Tangipahoa. Most of them had worked on sugar plantations around New Orleans. After some time, they had decided to go into farming for themselves. Many came to Tangipahoa to raise strawberries.
In the l920's, a wood framed church was erected on the site next to the present church. With the advent of the Spanish Dominicans, a priest was commissioned to take up residence in Tickfaw. Our Lady of Pompeii, (Madonna di Pompei) remained an autonomous parish for a considerable period of time. During World Was II, due to personnel and financial difficulties, Tickfaw again became a Mission of Independence.
One of the residing priests in Tickfaw was Father Peregrin de la Fuente, O.P., who later became Bishop in the Philippines. With the conclusion of the Civil War in Spain (l930) the religious situation in Spain had radically changed, and the Spanish Dominicans left Louisiana and the United States. The American Dominicans then replaced the Spanish Dominicans in Tangipahoa. Father Francis H. Scola, O.P. was the first American and last resident priest to serve in Tickfaw. Father Scola’s successor was Father Daniel M. Della Penta. He served as pastor of both Independence and Tickfaw for roughly twenty years. Father Joseph Bernier, O.P., completed the present church in l962.
Our Lady of Pompeii was canonically reestablished as a parish April 12, 1973. The cornerstone was laid on August 9, l974, and was dedicated by Bishop Joseph Vincent Sullivan. The boundaries of the parish run north to the Black Cat Road, south to the Natalbany Road, east to the St. Tammany Parish line, and west to the Livingston Parish line.
Our Lady of Pompeii owns and maintains Tickfaw Catholic Cemetery located one quarter of a mile from the Church. Tickfaw Catholic Cemetery was established in the early 1900's on land donated by Sam Perise who also donated the one acre of the land Our Lady of Pompeii Church sits on today.
The first recorded baptism at Our Lady of Pompeii is that of Ninfa Valente, daughter of Francesco and Anna Valente, on September 21, l913. Many priests have worked in Tickfaw since its beginning. At this time, Our Lady of Pompeii Church and Holy Ghost Church are sister parishes. The two churches share a pastor and resident priests.
The history of priests, as found in the baptismal records, is as follows:
Spanish Priests:
Father Feliciano Martin, O.P. 1913 – 1914
Father John Guiterrez, O.P. 1914 – 1921
Father Vitalis Fueyo, O.P. 1923 – 1927
Father Peregrin de la Fuente, O.P. 1927 – 1936
Father Galende, O.P. 1936 – 1938
American Priests:
Father Francis H. Scola, O.P. 1938 - 1939
Father Daniel M. Della Penta, O.P. (Pastor) 1939 - 1962
Father Harry Hamel, O.P. (Assistant) 1946 - 1950
Father Dominick Tambuello, O.P. (Assistant) 1950- 1954
Father Luke Scheider, O.P. (Assistant) 1955 - 1958
Father Joseph Bernier, O.P. (Assistant) 1958 - 1969
Father Lawrence Pandolfo, O.P. (Pastor) 1969 - 1988
Father Ceslaus Prazan, O.P. (Pastor) 1988 - 1998
Father George Reynolds, O.P. (Pastor) 1998 - 1999
Father Robert Perry, O.P. (Pastor) 1999 - 2006
Father John Pitzer, O.P
Father Chris Eggleton, O.P
Father Leobardo Almazan. O.P. (Parochial Vicar) 2006
Father John Restrepo, O.P. (Parochial Vicar) 2006
Father Edward Everitt, O.P. (Pastor) 2006 - 2011
Father Cayet Mangiaracina, O.P. (Parochial Vicar) 2006 - 2011
Father Henry Groover, O.P. (Parochial Vicar) 2006 - 2011
Father Roberto Merced, O.P. (Parochial Vicar/Administrator) 2011
Father John Boll, O.P. (Parochial Vicar) 2011 -
Parish Life Coordinator:
Diane Hooley, O.P., 2000 – 2002
Carole McCollester, O.P., 2003 – 2005
Director of Religious Education:
Joel Gubler, O.P., 2007 - Present
Our Lady of Pompeii Catholic Church is a very close-knit community of great faith. Prior to 2005 and the destruction of much of South Louisiana due to hurricane Katrina, Our Lady of Pompeii parish was primarily descendents of Italian immigrants. Since Katrina this parish has experienced an influx of people from St. Bernard, Plaquemines, Orleans, Jefferson, and St. Charles civil parishes. The enrollment has grown from 250 families to 421 registered parishioners. This influx has been wonderful for this parish as it has brought new life and a richness of diversity to our community of faith.
This parish is uniquely Dominican in its devotion to Our Lady of the Rosary, aka Our Lady of Pompeii. The Parish Council and Finance Committee employ a uniquely Dominican model of participation and consensus. In 2010, the parish was able to not only meet expenses, but update the church, renovate Pompeii Hall, and expand by purchasing a thirty-six hundred square foot home, as well as three-quarters of one square city block of property for our new church offices and expanded parking. In December of 2009, the possibility of purchase was announced. By May 2010 enough pledges had come in to purchase the property, and only borrow $116,219.39 of the $175,000.00 purchase price from the Diocese of Baton Rouge. At the end of December 2010, less than $6,000.00 remained to be pledged.
The Sunday collection has almost doubled in the last four years. The permanent Deacon, Al Levy, preaches regularly and is a great asset to our parish community.
Our Lady of Pompeii is a more rural outreach by the friars assigned to Holy Ghost. It has its own unique popular pieties and brings a richness to the church of the Diocese of Baton Rouge. Brother Michael Augustine DeArmond, O.P. is a recent vocation from our parish.
In March of every year, the largest St. Joseph Altar in Tangipahoa parish is prepared by our parishioners for all to attend. It takes many men and women weeks to bake, cook, and decorate for this extraordinary event. The day of the event, the saints are served in Pompeii Hall, and the public is served at outside tables. All food is donated or paid for with monetary donations, and labor is all by volunteers. It is truly a Labor of Love and Community Outreach.
Two years ago the Italian Festival established its home here on the grounds of Our Lady of Pompeii. Our collaboration with City Hall and the Police Department is unmatched; there is no separation of church and state in Tickfaw. The Italian Festival of Louisiana is held the last weekend of April. Thousands of people from all over Louisiana come to enjoy our hospitality and facilities.
Passion Sunday of every Lent the laity in the parish present a live Passion Play/Reenactment of Leonardo DaVinci’s Last Supper. This is truly a spiritually moving experience for all who participate and attend.
In early summer each year, a Co-ed Children's & Youth's Softball League practices and plays each weeknight during the months of May and June. The league is open to children ages 4 to 18, from all over Tangipahoa Parish.
Also held annually on the first weekend of July, here at Our Lady of Pompeii, is a Blessed Mother Celebration. This solemn procession began in 1927 and continues still today. Christians throughout South Louisiana attend. The people also enjoy a host of games and concessions for two days.
The annual Blessing of the Pets & Pet~tacular Promenade is held in October. The Blessing of the Pets, celebrated in remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi’s love for all creatures, began here in 2007. Each year at the deck on the grounds, Deacon Al Levy blesses the pets during a prayerfully beautiful ceremony. Attendance has been growing over the years. Following the Blessing of Pets, since 2009, is the Pet~tacular Promenade. Costumed pets, stuffed animals, and their families promenade around the block with a police escort, as spectators line the route to view the fun-filled family event. Awards are given in many categories.
Our Lady of Pompeii also has a functioning Parish School of Religion in St. Dominic Hall with a current enrollment of 120 children. Until 2009, Vacation Bible School was hosted for many years in Pompeii Hall, one week each summer with outstanding participation of our Catholic school-aged children as well as those of other denominations.
The year 2011 was emotionally overwhelming for the priests, parishioners, and staff of Our Lady of Pompeii and Holy Ghost churches, as well as the Southern Dominican Order. In March, our beloved Fr. Hank Groover, O.P., who had done so much to advance the faith and prosperity of Our Lady of Pompeii parish, was suddenly taken from parish life as we all knew it here. In July all received another emotional shock when it was announced that our beloved Pastor, Fr. Ed Everitt, O.P., was murdered at the Dominican home in Waveland, Mississippi. Fr. Cayet, the third of our beloved priests, had previously been transferred to St. Joseph Church in Ponchatoula. Though not far away, that also pulled at the heart strings of everyone.
The first replacement to arrive and begin work one week before Fr. Ed's untimely death, Fr. Roberto Merced, O.P., was suddenly thrust into an overwhelming position of Administrator of two parishes, with less than five years experience as a priest, and no previous knowledge of the two parishes or people. He has served in this capacity for two months now, and is loved by all!
Fr. John Boll, O.P. arrived two weeks after Fr. Robert was assigned as Administrator. He has been a great help to Fr. Robert, and is also a joy to all parishioners at the Masses.
With the many activities and events at Our Lady of Pompeii, and the great relationship with City Hall and the Police Department of the Village of Tickfaw, the church of Our Lady of Pompeii is the heart and soul of Ticfaw Louisiana.