Annual Mass is hosted in honor of “Little Cajun Saint”

By: CLAUDETTE OLIVIER
LSN Editor

RICHARD — By the time the Rosary began prior to the 64th anniversary Mass for Charlene Richard, "The Little Cajun Saint," every seat in St. Edward Catholic Church in Richard was filled.
Richard was born January 13, 1947, and After being diagnosed with acute lymphatic leukemia, she passed away on August 11, 1959, at the age of 12.
While receiving treatment at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Lafayette, the young girl offered her prayers and suffering to God each day for the benefit of others.
In the years since her passing, steps have been taken to advance the cause of Charlene’s beatification and canonization as a saint. In January 2020, Bishop J. Douglas Deshotel of the Diocese of Lafayette officially opened the cause of Richard’s sainthood, and it was at the pass that Richard was officially named a “Servant of God,” the first step in sainthood.
This year's anniversary mass was led by Rev. Frederick Taylor Reynolds. Bishop Deshotel was also in attendance.
The annual mass was hosted Friday, Aug. 11, the anniversary of Richard’s death. In addition to the church, the church’s hall was also used to seat attendants of the Mass, and the mass was simultaneously broadcasted on a screen in the hall.
Reynolds began his homily by speaking about Bishop Polycarp, who was put to death in the year 155.
Reynolds said a group of Christians gathered to watch as the Bishop was put to death by fire.
"It was not a moment of sadness, but of great encouragement,” Reynolds said. “As the tradition has been handed down, it says he stood there a strong man, prepared to sacrifice. ... This courageous Bishop stood there as he was tied to a large pyre ... and the Christians recounted that something mysterious happened. Instead of being this tragic burning of their believer, there became this almost dome of fire that surrounded his body.”
When the fire failed to affect the bishop, he was then stabbed.
“Following this, each year, the Christians gathered there to recount the story. The would recount the courage they had in him. They recounted the events, they recounted its passion and marked the hour of death. Every year, they would mark it on their calenders. This was a day of celebration. This was a day of rejoicing,” he said.
Taylor said the saints provide examples of who to look to in life, and he said Charlene loved Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, a French Catholic Discalced Carmelite nun.
Thérèse was born in France in 1873, and she became a nun at the age of 15. Thérèse passed away from tuberculosis at the age of 24. She was Canonized in 1925 by Pope Pius XI.
“Charlene, for 64 years, has allowed that (her) light to show,” Taylor said. “People have looked to her for prayers, companionship and miracles.”
He continued, “The great miracle the Charlene has caused is she has changed the unwilling heart to love God. Many people have come here, just by hearing the story.”
“Charlene as echoed through people who have never heard of her and been an inspiration,” Taylor added.