History Summary

South of Lafayette in the farming area known as Judice, awakening in the hearts and faith of the Catholics in the late 1960’s in that area, a vision occurred to have a Catholic Church serve them. St. Basil Parish came to be, first as a mission and then as a Church, because the people of Judice community were determined to have a Church and Pastor of their own.

In November of 1969, the Rev. Bill Crumley was empowered by Bishop Maurice Schexnayder to make St. Basil a mission of Holy Cross Parish in Lafayette. After beginning to say Mass in the homes of the people in the area, their first place of worship was in the Judice School auditorium. Then the parish council was set up and held its first meeting on December 18, 1969.

Two acres of land on the south side of the school were purchased from Celestin Begnaud, and on January 19, 1970 at a special meeting of the council a plan to build a new church was approved. On June 18, Bishop Schexnayder elevated the mission to a Church Parish and appointed Rev. William Koch as the first Pastor. Facing the Rev. Koch was a vacant lot (parishioners just barely had time to mow the grass.) A trailer was purchased to give the new priest a place to live and they affectionately called it the rolling rectory.

A fund of $15,000.00 was obtained. Bishop Schexnayder donated $5,000.00, the Extensions Society gave $5,000.00 and the Rev. Francis R. Webert CSC, Pastor of Holy Cross Church turned over $5,000.00 to the new Parish. Backed by this money, work was started the last weekend in July in 1970. E.J. Simon served as contractor. Every weekend the carpenters, plumbers, electricians and bricklayers came and on September 13, 1970, the first Mass was offered. On March 2, 1970, Bishop Schexnayder made his first official visit to the parish, administering the Sacrament of Confirmation upon 84 young people. Not much longer in the life of the Parish a permanent office/rectory was built as well as a parish Hall. And as they lived in this wonderful community, so they were soon laid to rest in eternal peace as the Church also established a cemetery.

Pastors

Rev. William Koch (May 1970 – March 1974)
Rev. Fernando Roy (March 1974 – September 1980)
Rev. Conley Bertrand (September 1980 – November 1989)
Rev. Henry Broussard (November 1989 – June 2004)
Rev. Rex Broussard (June 2004 - July 2018)
Rev. Steven C. LeBlanc (July 2018 – June 2022)
Rev. Donavan Labbé (June 2022 - present)