Dénecé, Father John Mary J., Petit-Caillou, Louisiana, to Archbishop John Mary Odin, C.M., New Orleans, Louisiana, 1864 December 20

Bad weather forced Dénecé to spend a month with the pastor at Houma. There he baptized many children, heard some confessions, made burials, etc. so that he was less "new." He finally came here on horseback on December 10; they are taking up a collection for a house for him. The chapel is far from being finished; he hopes to get more suitable land for a chapel, a cemetery and house. He talked to a rich planter at Houma, who, though a Protestant, is very generous. The people are excellent but there is a lot of ignorance. Everyone would be delighted if Odin gave him permission to have a school. It would help to pay his board at Homère Babin's who is a widower with only one boy. He has 20 or 30 at his Mass. At Houma they said he could not live at Petit-Caillou but he remembered what Odin said the first time he saw him at St. Brieuc. He asks permission to say two Masses on Sunday so that everyone can attend. If Odin comes around May he will not lack for those to be confirmed. He hopes to be able to go to Bayou-Salé for Mass twice a month. As he can get what he needs from New Orleans through Father Francis Tasset's brother who is at the customs office, Dénecé does not know when he will see Odin again. He asks Odin to give a note to Mr. Godefroid. ` P.S. Odin can give his reply to Ernest Tasset at the customs. :: VI-2-h A.L.S. French 3pp. 4to.