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St. Margaret Parish
Bayou La Batra
AL
36509
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Who we are
Welcome to the Home of the Annual Blessing of the Fleet!
St. Margaret Parish in Bayou La Batra, Alabama is a Christian congregation serving the Bayou La Batra community and seeking, engaging, and encouraging others through a life-changing Christian journey.
We seek to be a loving, friendly community that worships God, and serves others. We place a high priority on teaching from the Bible and following the example of Jesus.
Our vision is to impact and renew Bayou La Batra and beyond with the transforming message of Jesus Christ through words and actions.
Come as you are - we'd love to get to know you.
St. Margaret Parish in Bayou La Batra, Alabama is a Christian congregation serving the Bayou La Batra community and seeking, engaging, and encouraging others through a life-changing Christian journey.
We seek to be a loving, friendly community that worships God, and serves others. We place a high priority on teaching from the Bible and following the example of Jesus.
Our vision is to impact and renew Bayou La Batra and beyond with the transforming message of Jesus Christ through words and actions.
Come as you are - we'd love to get to know you.
Street Address
13790 S. Wintzell Ave
Bayou La Batra,
AL
36509
United States
Phone: (251) 824-2415
Download St. Margaret Parish vCard with Mass Times
Church Pastor
Rev. Michael Long Vu, SVD
Pastor
13790 S. Wintzell Ave
Bayou La Batra,
AL
36509
United States
Phone: (773)-934-8853
Download Pastor Rev. Michael Long Vu, SVD vCard
Quote of the Day
Nehemiah 8:10
...for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
...for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
Denomination
Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic churches in Bayou La Batra, Alabama, United States
Roman Catholic churches in Alabama, United States
Roman Catholic churches in United States
All churches in Bayou La Batra, AL
Affiliations:
Archdiocese of Mobile
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Leadership
Leader Name:
Rev. Michael Long Vu, SVD
Leader Position:
Pastor
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St. Margaret Parish Leadership Photos
Administration
Admin Name:
Tami Bennett
Admin Position:
Parish Secretary
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St. Margaret Parish Bayou La Batra Mass Times
Saturday: 5:00 PM
Sunday:
8:00 AM
9:30 AM Vietnamese Check bulletin for Mass time
11:00 AM 1:00 PM Spanish
Monday, Wednesday - Friday 8:00 AM
Mass Times last updated on the 11th of April, 2024
Sunday:
8:00 AM
9:30 AM Vietnamese Check bulletin for Mass time
11:00 AM 1:00 PM Spanish
Monday, Wednesday - Friday 8:00 AM
Mass Times last updated on the 11th of April, 2024
Worship Languages
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Children and Youth Activities
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Under 18s:
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St. Margaret Parish Photo Gallery
St. Margaret Parish History
History of Blessing of the Feet
The custom of the Blessing of the Fleet can be traced back to Old World European fishing communities where God was publicly acknowledged and asked for a bountiful harvest and the safety of the men at sea. In 1949, St. Margaret Parish held its first Blessing of the Fleet envisioned by a parishioner, Clarence Mallet, who moved to Bayou La Batre from Louisiana in 1925 with a strong belief that God’s blessings were essential to a good harvest from the sea. With this conviction, he convinced Father Alex O’Neill to hold the first Blessing of the Fleet.
At that first Fleet Blessing, a menu of boiled shrimp, lettuce, tomato, and bread was served for 50¢. Boats were tied up all along the docks at the Bayou Ice Company and Father O’Neill, using water from the bayou that had been blessed for the occasion, walked along the docks and blessed each boat. There was no boat parade or land parade that year.
Today, a Fleet Blessing ceremony, held right here on the dock at St. Margaret Parish, begins with a prayer by the Archbishop of the Diocese of Mobile. The Fleet Blessing Queen is crowned, then the names are read, and the bell is tolled for each person known in our community to have perished at sea. The Archbishop and other clergy then board a boat, and from the bow toss the ceremonial wreath into the bayou waters. After this, decorated boats of all kinds form a procession behind the boat carrying the Archbishop, and parade to the mouth of the bayou and back, as the Archbishop blesses their boats and docked vessels along the way.
In the early years of the Fleet Blessing, every bit of seafood was donated and parishioners worked side by side in their homes or in their shops heading and peeling the shrimp, picking crab meat, cleaning the fish, and shucking oysters. Now most of the seafood is purchased from local companies, and government regulations determine how and where the food can be prepared, but parishioners and volunteers still work side by side to make this a fun-filled family weekend for all.
St. Margaret Parish Blessing of the Fleet has grown to include Vietnamese Cuisine, a Gumbo Cook-off, an Arts & Crafts Show, a Decorated Boat Contest, Boat Cruises, Bingo, and more. It is a tourist attraction and a community event that people of Bayou La Batre look forward to each year. The success of the event lies with the parishioners who plan the event, the volunteers who work the event, and the many loyal sponsors whom St. Margaret Parish depend upon for their contributions. Even though the Fleet Blessing event has changed, the purpose and mission have not; the men of the sea still come each year to have their boats blessed and prayers said for their bountiful harvest and protection against the perils of the sea.
The custom of the Blessing of the Fleet can be traced back to Old World European fishing communities where God was publicly acknowledged and asked for a bountiful harvest and the safety of the men at sea. In 1949, St. Margaret Parish held its first Blessing of the Fleet envisioned by a parishioner, Clarence Mallet, who moved to Bayou La Batre from Louisiana in 1925 with a strong belief that God’s blessings were essential to a good harvest from the sea. With this conviction, he convinced Father Alex O’Neill to hold the first Blessing of the Fleet.
At that first Fleet Blessing, a menu of boiled shrimp, lettuce, tomato, and bread was served for 50¢. Boats were tied up all along the docks at the Bayou Ice Company and Father O’Neill, using water from the bayou that had been blessed for the occasion, walked along the docks and blessed each boat. There was no boat parade or land parade that year.
Today, a Fleet Blessing ceremony, held right here on the dock at St. Margaret Parish, begins with a prayer by the Archbishop of the Diocese of Mobile. The Fleet Blessing Queen is crowned, then the names are read, and the bell is tolled for each person known in our community to have perished at sea. The Archbishop and other clergy then board a boat, and from the bow toss the ceremonial wreath into the bayou waters. After this, decorated boats of all kinds form a procession behind the boat carrying the Archbishop, and parade to the mouth of the bayou and back, as the Archbishop blesses their boats and docked vessels along the way.
In the early years of the Fleet Blessing, every bit of seafood was donated and parishioners worked side by side in their homes or in their shops heading and peeling the shrimp, picking crab meat, cleaning the fish, and shucking oysters. Now most of the seafood is purchased from local companies, and government regulations determine how and where the food can be prepared, but parishioners and volunteers still work side by side to make this a fun-filled family weekend for all.
St. Margaret Parish Blessing of the Fleet has grown to include Vietnamese Cuisine, a Gumbo Cook-off, an Arts & Crafts Show, a Decorated Boat Contest, Boat Cruises, Bingo, and more. It is a tourist attraction and a community event that people of Bayou La Batre look forward to each year. The success of the event lies with the parishioners who plan the event, the volunteers who work the event, and the many loyal sponsors whom St. Margaret Parish depend upon for their contributions. Even though the Fleet Blessing event has changed, the purpose and mission have not; the men of the sea still come each year to have their boats blessed and prayers said for their bountiful harvest and protection against the perils of the sea.
St. Margaret Parish Historical Photos
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