You may remember an article that ran on this page a few weeks ago, Friday, July 16 to be exact, about the lost mementos of Msgr. Wayne Raymond Richard, which Angela Guillot of Wayne Street had discovered and gathered. At the time, both Angela and this reporter were amazed and dismayed that these shards of a man’s life had literally been thrown away at the side of the road. Surely there was someone to whom these things would mean something, a family who would delight in looking at these faded photographs and handwritten notes, postcards, passports. 

At the end of the first article that ran, there was an email address to contact if these mementos were familiar — and dear — to you. Not long after the article was published, I received a phone call. The excited voice on the other end of the phone identified herself as Julie Engert of Lake Charles. Someone had sent her the article I’d written, and yes, she was very interested. Msgr. Richard was her Uncle Wayne. 

We spoke for several minutes, and she informed me that there were other relatives who were interested as well, including some as close as Lafayette, and yes, even New Iberia. They were all as baffled as we were initially as to how these things got tossed. No matter, because of the good instincts of Angela Guillot, they were saved and here for the family.

We made arrangements to meet in the near future. Not only would she be coming from Lake Charles, her sister, Sue Burke and cousin Ray Simon from Lafayette would like to attend. And could I please call Angela and see if she’d like to visit as well?

Thursday, August 5, we did just that. About 9 a.m., the doors of the Daily Iberian swung wide and in came Julie and Sue. The pictures, bundled in no particular order, awaited in ziplock bags. The first photo Julie pulled out was a school picture of a young boy. “Why, look at Dick,” she exclaimed. The boy was her brother, Richard Canal, from about fifth grade. 

Angela arrived, another tray of pictures and passports in her arms. Then Ray, a tote bag of photo albums at his side. For the next several hours, the family looked at pictures, told stories, remembered gatherings, middle names, why they loved this man so.

All of the cousins agreed that Msgr. Richard loved the life he lived. He was described as upbeat, he loved his family. He had friends all over the world, and he was a jovial correspondent, which the numerous postcards and letters had hinted at before this meeting.

One of the riddles that was solved immediately was the ‘Mystery Woman’ photograph mentioned in the first article. She was revealed as Anna Nell Richard Canal, sister of Msgr. Richard, and mother to Julie and Sue. 

So many interesting details were shared as photographs were examined and people and places were recognized. For instance, Sue told this story: “Uncle Wayne was in Europe after studying at the seminary in France. He and seven other fledgling priests who spoke English were in Rome. With the war ramping up, they were asked to leave. Immediately. These men walked across Europe to Portugal. They were lucky, all but one made it out.”

Ray Simon, who played tennis frequently with Msgr. Richard, remembered that he and Rev. Perry Sanders of the First Baptist Church of Lafayette, stood on different sides of a controversy, when Evangeline Downs was initially proposed to locate in Lafayette Parish. The Baptists were firmly against it, and the Catholics took a more lenient attitude toward the project. Simon recalled Msgr. Richard exclaiming, “Imagine, saying fun is bad.” Richard and Sanders eventually became friends, with Sanders coming to Richard’s funeral, according to Simon.

Another passion of Msgr. Richard’s: his mission to Haiti. The family recounted how he would visit frequently, and as Sue put it,”He’d go to the airport, a fat little priest, wearing layers and layers of clothes, and return with nothing, shorts and flip flops.” “That’s right, he would go with two bags and come back with one,” chimed in another cousin.

Another exciting story from Msgr. Richard’s life was revealed. While the photos were being passed around and admired, Ray Simon asked, “Do you know the Toni Jo Henry story?” 

“Toni Jo Henry was the only female executed in the electric chair in Louisiana, the result of being found guilty of murdering a man in Jennings.”

“Father Richard’s first assignment was in Lake Charles. Through a jailer where she was incarcerated, he came and got to know her, prayed with her. He wound up taking her to church and baptizing her, and when she was executed, he buried her,” said Simon. “The story was so sensational, they made a movie out of it, in 2013. It was called “The Pardon,” and they included Uncle Wayne in the story.”

The group stayed in our lobby talking for more than two hours. Angela sat quietly, every so often softly asking a question about a certain piece of memorabilia, or answering the family’s questions about her life. This reporter scribbled notes, and stole glances at the joyful cousins renewing their relationship with their Uncle Wayne, and relishing their past.