Early Monday morning, August 15, alarm clocks sounded their usual call throughout the Teche region. But for many of the area’s Catholics, this was not the signal to get up and start their jobs. It was a call to journey with their faith, to celebrate the Eucharist on the Bayou Teche. It heralded the eighth annual Fête-Dieu du Teche, a 40-mile boat procession through the region, a celebration of the Eucharist, the Acadian Diaspora, and Our Lady of the Assumption. 

The first stop on the journey was 8 a.m. Mass in Leonville at St. Leo the Great Church. The mass was said in French, and the celebrant was Bishop John Douglas Deshotel. Thus began the day of benediction and remembrance.

August 15 is a significant date as it is the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Patroness of the Acadian people and of Acadiana. Fête-Dieu du Teche also commemorated Acadian Day, the 257th anniversary of the arrival of the French-Canadian immigrants who brought the Catholic faith to Acadiana after enduring great trials and suffering, the first victims of ethnic cleansing in the New World. 

At the end of the French and Indian War, they were forced out of their homes in Nova Scotia and into exile because of their religious beliefs. They traveled south, to find new homes in South Louisiana, welcomed as Catholic and French. Settlements were established along the Bayou Teche, where they built homes, churches and new lives.

Father Michael Champagne, organizer of the event said, “Having a Eucharistic Procession by boat on the waters of the Teche rather than by foot in the streets makes a lot of sense. Fête-Dieu du Teche on the Feast of the Assumption recalls our rich Acadian history and, in a way, re-enacts the journey made by the Acadians over 250 years ago. This year is especially significant, since 2022 marks the beginning of a three-year National Eucharistic Revival, called by the U.S. bishops. With the COVID pandemic, many Catholics stayed at home, became complacent about noting in the sacraments. This Eucharistic Revival calls them back to being active in their faith.

Champagne said that having a boat procession with the Blessed Sacrament and a statue of the Assumption involving priests, religious and laity is basically what happened in 1765: “In order to serve the Acadian settlers in the Attakapas district, Father Jean-Louis de Civrey accompanied the Acadians on their journey down the Bayou Teche. Father de Civrey became the first resident priest. In his records, he refers to his new home as ‘la nouvelle Acadie’ and his new parish ‘l’Eglise des Attakapas’ and later, l’Eglise St. Martin de Tours. It is believed that St. Martinville is named after the church.”

Father Champagne continued, “Last year we were celebrating the year of St. Joseph, so we had a boat dedicated to him. With the National Eucharistic Revival in the Church, many of the boats portray persons who were witnesses for the Eucharist, young and old, from around the world. That’s a little different this year.”    

Bishop Glen Provost, bishop of the Diocese of Lake Charles comments, “The Fête Dieu du Têche is a marvelous and fitting way to observe and contribute to the Eucharistic Revival which is on-going for us in the United States. The Most Blessed Sacrament traveling by boat on the bayou which was a major channel of transportation for our ancestors calls to mind the vital role that the Eucharist has played in the faith of Acadiana.”

Fr. Jason Vidrine, a long-time participant and the pastor of St. Martin heralds the power of the Eucharistic Boat Procession, “Fête-Dieu du Teche has been a tremendous blessing on several levels: it has helped to increase love and devotion to the Most Blessed Sacrament, to celebrate the feast of Our Lady’s Assumption as it should be kept, and to bring awareness to our culture and heritage of love for Our Lady and our Holy Catholic Faith received from our ancestors. I’ve had the great joy of participating in it from its beginning and in different ways – from concelebrating the Mass in French, hearing confessions, and riding in the boat procession with different parishioners each year. I always look forward to the graces Our Lord bestows upon all who participate in it.”

During Fête-Dieu du Teche, the Blessed Sacrament was carried on an altar under a canopy on the lead boat. Another boat carried the statue of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Yet another carried relics of the saints. Other boats transported families and other faithful. Fifty boats were allowed to participate, which made a mile-long processional. Each boat sported a banner with the name of a saint or prominent Catholic devoted to the Eucharist: St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Jean Vianney, St. Katherine Drexel, Blessed Carlo Acutis and Mother Teresa were highlighted. Boats featured cutouts, flags, and banners bearing the name of their Eucharistic Saint and presented quotations from them about the importance of the Holy Eucharist. The congregation of boats made slow progress down the bayou, motoring at an average speed of 8 MPH. The flotilla stopped and disembarked at makeshift altars along the Teche for recitation of the Rosary and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. These locations included Arnaudville, Cecilia, Breaux Bridge and Parks. The final stop was downstream in St. Martinville behind Notre Dame, proceeding on foot first to Notre Dame de Perpetuel Secours for Benediction, then to St. Martin de Tours Church, down Main Street to Our Lady of Sorrows Chapel for Solemn Vespers and Final Benediction.

There were not only sailors on the Teche who were called to participate, (prayers led by the lead boat were broadcast on the FM band for all to participate) but also groups of the faithful who drove along the roads and joined the boats at these numerous stops. There were also streaming services available for those who could not make it out to the procession but wanted to follow along in prayer as well. This year’s Fête-Dieu du Teche called upon Acadiana’s Catholics to reflect and strengthen their faith and devotion to the Eucharist, and to celebrate the great courage and unwavering faith of the region’s forebears as they settled in the area.