Beauprez, Father Pierre Francis, Vermillionville, Louisiana, to Bishop Anthony Blanc, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1842 July 16

Beauprez has just learned of Blanc's arrival in New Orleans after a long, difficult trip. He will give some details of the situation at Lafayette. Everything is very badly organized and it is ten times worse than New Iberia. Here he has only a little shanty of a house; the trustees promised to furnish one but have done nothing. What discourages him most is the great ignorance here; it is almost as if there had never been a priest there. The children who made their First Communion last year are also ignorant. It looks as if Father Lawrence Peyretti had not given any instructions during all the time he was here. Beauprez has made several trips into the parish and especially below the Bayou and the last time he was there he almost lost his horse and his life because of the mosquitos. He saw Mr. Young who did not encourage him to build a new chapel because times are too hard. However, Beauprez has begun a subscription to build a chapel at Pont-Perry. If Blanc had sent him here on his arrival from Europe he could have done better for the new church because last winter they complained less than now because the people have had to sell their cotton at a low price. They should have built a church but they could not collect anything. The trustees have again had the folly to appoint the same treasurer and the same collector who pocket the little they collect. Everything here is on the same basis as at his arrival at Baton Rouge, that is, the trustees doing nothing. He is pleased to see that church is well attended; very different from New Iberia and Baton Rouge. He has had 204 baptisms since he arrived. It seems the people of New Iberia feel the loss of him; he said Mass there last week and they were very glad to see him. If Blanc intends to visit Lafayette this year to give Confirmation, Beauprez would not be ready until the 18th or 19thSunday after Pentecost. He could have one or two priests from Grand Coteau to help him. He has just been told that Father Nicholas Point, S.J. will leave soon; this will be a great loss for Beauprez. He sends regards to Father Jeanjean; Blanc is to tell him that Beauprez received the things Jeanjean sent. A.L.S. French