Holy Trinity Catholic Church: History

Reverend Francis Bertels (1904-1926)

With the return of Father Van Haver to Zwolle, Father Francis Bertels was assigned to Holy Trinity Church. Father Bertels, a native of Belgium, worked as a member of the Jesuit Fathers in south Louisiana until he requested to become a secular priest and was accepted by Bishop Durier. He served at Lecompte and Cottonport before coming to Shreveport. His 1906 annual report to the diocese listed 800 families in Holy Trinity parish.

The new pastor set himself to the task of completing the church. He collected funds to plaster the interior and place the stained glass windows in the body of the church. For this purpose contracts were signed with Garson Brothers and J.H. Harrison. When he died on February 6th, 1926, he left the parish in fine shape financially and spiritually.

Incorporation of Holy Trinity Parish

It was during the pastorate of Father Francis Bertels that the incorporation of Holy Trinity Church took place. Most Reverend Cornelius Van de Ven, Bishop of Alexandria, announced that parishes of the diocese would be incorporated in keeping with the directives of Pope Pius X.

The Chapter of “The Congregation of Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church of the Parish of Caddo, Louisiana” was dated July 23rd, 1913. According to the charter the bishop is president of the corporation, the vicar general is vice-president and the pastor is secretary-treasurer. Two members of the laity are appointed to complete the board. The charter shows these two individuals in 1913 to be Messrs. Denis Ricou and Charles L. Horne Sr.

Reverend Monsignor Francis Van Haver (1926-1944)

On March 26th, 1926, Msgr. Van Haver again became pastor of Holy Trinity Church. At this time the parish took in the civil parishes of Bossier, Claiborne and Webster, downtown Shreveport and north Caddo parish to the Arkansas state line including the towns of Oil City and Vivian.

Msgr. Van Haver's first concern was to build a new rectory. Until then the pastor lived in an old frame building across the street from the church on the site occupied by the parish hall. On August 6th, 1928, Edward Neild's plans for the present rectory were accepted, and a contract was let to H.G. Hodges for its erection. The house was built, and remains today, next to the church facing Marshall Street. Once the new home was completed, the old rectory was torn down. Later the lots on Marshall and Fannin Street and the hall were leased to the Tri-State Bus Company as a depot.

Members of the building committee were C. Tubre, Charles Horne, Jr., M. Giambre, Alex Caplis, Howard Doll, Joseph Caplis, W.L. Trowbridge and Charlie Harrison. There also was a ladies' committee that assisted greatly with fund raising, - Mrs. Howard Doll, Jr., Miss Lucile Horne, Mrs. Alex Caplis, Mrs. T.E. Crofton, Mrs. J. Patzman, Mrs. H.J. Wolcott and Mrs. Leo Gunning. Activites to raise money for the new rectory included bridge parties, musical reviews and plays and magizine sales. By December 1928 funds collected amounted to over $4,000. Cost of the rectory was about $14,000. On March 16th, 1929, Msgr. Van Haver made this announcement from the pulpit:

“Church collections for the debt on (the) rectory will be continued but pledges will not be collected any longer. All bills and first note due on mortgage have been paid. Substantial balance is left in the treasury. Ladies of the congregation are now joining efforts to raise money for the plastering and painting of the interior of the church.”

The next project was the renovation of the interior of the church. A coat of fresh paint was added. A beautiful new pipe organ was purchased and installed as well as a new heating plant. An automatic electrified bell ringing system was put in to replace the rope pulling method of ringing the church bell. This last was a gift from the Dillinger family in memory of their mother.

At Christmas 1943 the health of Msgr. Van Haver was not good. Despite this he answered a call to minister to a dying man. Pneumonia ensured and the pastor lingered for two weeks between life and death. On January 25th, 1944, he died.

Reverend Monsignor J.V. Plauché (1944-1952)

On February 1st, 1944 Msgr. J.V. Plauché became pastor transferring from St. Catherine of Siena Church, Shreveport. On taking charge, he found that the former pastor had accumulated a fund for future improvements, and there were no debts. He set out at once to remodel and renovate the church and rectory and to improve the grounds. It was during World War II, and some wanted him to wait until the war was over to begin the work. However, he called in a landscape artist, and the beautiful garden, now known as "Our Lady's Garden", was developed as a tribute to those serving in the armed forces.

On the evenful D-Day, work was begun on the church. A new roof was applied. In October 1944 a contract was signed for a complete renovation and decoration project. New pews, doors, lighting system, additional stained glass windows, vestments and many other improvements were ordered. Painting of the five priest who died in the 1873 yellow fever epidemic were added to the walls of the church as a historical gesture.

Msgr. Plauché celebrated his Silver Sacerdotal Jubilee in 1946 in conjunction with the 90th anniversary of the founding of the parish and the golden jubilee of the church. At his direction a comprehensive history of Holy Trinity Church was compiled. He retired from parish ministry in 1952 and resided at Maryhill Seminary in Pineville serving as Diocesan Consultor and Chancellor before his death on January 9th, 1956.

The Interior Design of the Church

The main altar is Romanesque, imported from Italy, of solid Carrara marble. It was donated by the Doll Family and consecrated by Bishop Cornelius Van de Ven during the pastorate of Father Bertels. The two Gothic side altars, dedicated to the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, were originally in the chapel of St. Vincent Academy. In 1973 they were moved to Holy Trinity for preservation when St. Vincent was torn down. The Romanesque architecture is enhanced by the art design. The 55 foot dome above the altar is lit by more than 200 light bulbs.

There are over 60 stained glass windows in the church. The windows in the dome area depict scriptural messages. On the east nave of the church are five matching windows with the message from the Sermon on the Mount. The windows on the west nave are dedicated to the five priests who lost their lives in the 1873 Yellow Fever Epidemic.