[StBernard] ST. BERNARD CATHOLIC CHURCH SPONSORS 62nd ANNUAL BLESSING OF THE FLEET

[Westley Annis]

ST. BERNARD CATHOLIC CHURCH  SPONSORS  62nd   ANNUAL  BLESSING OF THE FLEET

 

St. Bernard Catholic Church recently sponsored the 62nd annual  Blessing of
the Fishing Fleet at Breton Sound Marina in Hopedale, Louisiana.  The
Reverend John  Arnone, pastor of

St. Bernard and Our Lady of Lourdes Church parishes, celebrated an outdoor
Mass and blessed a procession of more than 20 boats.  The Reverend Clemens
Schneider, former pastor of Our Lady of

Lourdes Catholic Church, introduced this tradition to eastern St. Bernard in
1947.

 

Father Schneider presided over four fleet blessings at Violet, Caernarvon,
Delacroix Island and Yscloskey by the early 1950s.  The tradition of
blessing fishing fleets in the Catholic Church dates to the very foundation
of the Catholic Faith and is generally associated with the Apostle Saint
Peter the Fisherman.  The fishing communities of St. Bernard celebrated
blessings with elaborate boat parades, balls, outdoor dancing  and delicious
local cuisine.

 

"There has always been an ultimate connection between our fishermen and our
faith in St. Bernard," Parish President Craig P. Taffaro Jr. said. "We are
blessed to keep this connection alive for our parish."

 

The final blessing of the fleet prior to Hurricane Katrina occurred in
August, 2005, only days before the hurricane devastated St. Bernard.
Sheriff Jack A. Stephens and St. Bernard Parish Government leaders

encouraged Los Islenos Heritage and Cultural Society to work with local
residents to revive the fleet blessing in August of 2007 at Breton Sound
Marina.  Retired St. Bernard Chief Deputy Sheriff Anthony A.

Fernandez raised funds to subsidize the fleet blessings in 2007, 2008 and
2009.

 

St. Bernard Catholic Church was supported by Los Islenos Society, St.
Bernard Parish Government and the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Department in
organizing the 2009 Blessing of the Fishing Fleet.

 

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