The Old French Church - Notre Dame de Bon Secours Jackson Avenue; constructed in the late 1850's
I discovered the photo above bearing only the inscription, "The Old French Church, Jackson Avenue," and it intrigued me. I was hoping to learn more about it and I'm so very grateful to Rev. Martin E. Lawrence, who wrote to share the history of this church with us. Notre Dame de Bon Secours was one of three churches organized and built by a dedicated group of Redemptorist priests. From the history of St. Mary's Assumption Church: "In 1847, this young Catholic parish was officially turned over to the Redemptorists ... priests and brothers of remarkable vision, energy and faith. They found themselves ministering to three national language groups: the French, the Irish and the German. Within ten years, the Redemptorists had built three separate permanent church buildings: St. Mary's Assumption (German), St. Alphonsus (Irish) and Notre Dame de Bon Secours (French)." Notre Dame de Bon Secours, known as the old French Church, was on Jackson Avenue, a few blocks from St. Alphonsus and St. Mary's Assumption. It was demolished in the 1920's, after being heavily damaged in the hurricane of 1918. Rev. Lawrence writes that the stained glass windows from the church are on display at the Blessed Seelos Shrine in St. Mary's Assumption Church.