Nativity Catholic Church, Campti: ca. 1720-1850
Church of Natchitoches and its dependencies. His work there until his death in 1834 is an epic of priestly devotion, self sacrifice and zeal. He visited nearby Campti frequently where he gave instructions and awakened the people to their religious duties. Aware of the vast amount of work to be done in this section, Bishop Rosati, then administrator of the New Orleans See, gave Father Blanc an assistant in the person of Father H. Masearoni and later Father Edmond D'Hauwe.
Father Jean Baptiste Blanc's work bore fruit. He was able to build a chapel at Ile Brevelle and a new church at Natchitoches. Finally the Catholic community at Campti received the blessing of a church in its midst. How this happened has been preserved for us by an entry that Father Blanc made in the Natchitoches records:
"Blessing of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I, pastor of Natchitoches, having gone to the district of Campti, proceeded to bless a chapel dedicated in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary under the name of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which was build under the auspices of and through the generosity of Mademoiselle Francoise Crichet, who was kind enough to give the land and of her own volition made all the necessary expenses. May forever the memory of this generous and Christian deed be remembered on earth and in heaven." Signed, Jean Baptiste Blanc
Thus, through the exemplary Christian spirit and generosity of Miss Crichet, Campti got its first Catholic church in 1831. From then on the Catholic community at Campti was able to worship periodically in its own neat church which Father Blanc zealously served. After his untimely death in 1834, Father D'Hauwe, pastor at Natchitoches, and his assistant, Father Francais looked after Nativity Church until 1840. Bishop Blanc visited visited this section on a trip in 1836 and again in 1839. During the latter year, he administered confirmation at Campti to 23 persons and during another visit in 1842, he confirmed 27 there.
In 1840, Bishop Blanc placed the parish of Natchitoches with its many missions in charge of the Congregation of the Mission, popularly known as the Lazarists or Vincentians, and for the ensuing decade the worked energetically in the vast parochial territory. The pastor usually had the benefit of one or two assistants. The Lazarist pastors who looked after Campti during that time were
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