From Fr. Michael Champagne, CJC
Féte-Dieu du Teche is holding the annual Bible Marathon in the Town Square of St. Martinville that on Ash Wednesday and concludes at 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
The event drew over 3,000 people last year. This year marks the third time that the Holy Bible will be read publicly from cover to cover without pause in the square of the Diocese of Lafayette’s oldest church parish, St. Martin de Tours. The parish was erected in 1765.
During the four days of continuous reading, 300 lectors from the various 121 church parishes in the Diocese of Lafayette as well as faith leaders from other denominations from across Acadiana will be employed. Bishop Douglas Deshotel will read during the event as well as retired Bishop Michael Jarrell. The Bible Marathon will help to accentuate the rich cultural heritage of the region by including various nationalities and languages represented in the region. In addition to English, selections of the Bible will be read in French, Italian, German, Spanish, Vietnamese, Hebrew, Latin and Greek.
The special event is intended to help “prime the pump” and re-ignite a love for the Word of God and its practice in life. “People everywhere love to exercise. It’s important to stay in physical shape, which is why many participate programs such as CrossFit and compete in Iron Man races, triathlons, and marathons. And we wanted to provide a way for people to spiritually exercise,” says Fr. Michael Champagne, of the Community of Jesus Crucified, organizer of the event. “We, as Christians, and all men and women of good will, need to ‘shake the dust off’ our Bibles and begin to ponder God’s plan for our lives. In these chaotic times we often get confused about how we are to act in our personal lives, in our families, at work, and in our dealings with others. God’s pre-eminent way of speaking to us is through the Sacred Scriptures. Every page of the Bible recounts God’s burning and fatherly love for us, and the Bible Marathon is a reminder of that love.”
Over 3,000 people were in attendance at the Bible Marathon held last year. Bishop Douglas Deshotel, Bishop of Lafayette, will be reading during the event. “The Jubilee of the Word Marathon serves as a reminder of the importance of the Bible, the word of God, and the sacred Scriptures” the bishop stated. “In the very noisy world we live in today, the significance of the word of God can be easily lost. The Bible is a record of God’s interaction with the human race” and “culminates in the Person of Jesus Christ.” Sr. Anne-Marie, a novice of the Community of Jesus Crucified, attended as a volunteer. She recounts, “It was very peaceful just to sit and listen to the Word of God. It was wonderful to see all the different faith groups coming together to proclaim the love of God for His people.” Bishop Glen Provost, a native of Lafayette, participated last year and had this to say, “The sacred Scriptures are like the sun, and to read them openly and completely is like basking in full daylight. To read them in St. Martinville, where my 18th-century ancestors were nurtured by the Catholic sacraments, is to return to the roots of my faith, which benefited from that sunlight.” Lisa Schmidt commented, “Reading the Bible again just reminds you how important and rejuvenating it is to read always. Scripture is eternal like God because it is alive.” Louisiana’s attorney general, Jeff Landry, will also read. Referencing that the rule of law won’t fail if it is anchored in the Law of God, Landry said, “The Jubilee of the Word Marathon is a great way to recover that wisdom and reflect on it together.” Many Bible studies were spawned as a result of the public Bible Reading in the square and the event has inspired other Bible Marathons such as the one last year at McNeese State University and just recently in New Orleans on Carrollton Avenue.
During the Bible Marathon priests will be available each day for the Sacrament of Reconciliation by means of the Spiritual Care Unit (SCU – Mobile Confessional). Catholics who are properly disposed can obtain a plenary indulgence by reading or listening for 30 minutes from the Holy Bible in the Square during the event. Organizers are asking all lectors to invite at least 10 people to come along with them and listen to the Word while it is being proclaimed in the Square. “We need proclaimers of the Word, but also hearers of the Word, and most importantly Doers of the Word” recounts Fr. Champagne. The 100-hour Bible Marathon will be live streamed on Fete-Dieu du Teche FaceBook.
Lectors will be reading from a very special, handmade Bible during the Marathon. The Bible measures 12” x 18” in its closed position and weighs nearly 25 lbs. The Bible was blessed by Pope Francis for the first Bible Marathon held during the Year of Mercy in 2016 and has since been used in other Bible Marathons hosted across Louisiana.
Additional Information
For more information, visit the website www.fetedieuduteche.org or Fete-Dieu du Teche on Facebook, or contact Fr. Michael Champagne, CJC, by telephone at 337-394-6550 or email at fetedieuduteche@gmail.com
About Fete-Dieu du Teche, LLC
Fête-Dieu du Teche, LLC is a non-profit Catholic association directed by Fr. Michael Champagne, CJC. It is dedicated to preserving and promoting the Catholic Faith in the Acadiana area. It is devoted to the New Evangelization - the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ anew, with a new zeal, a new vitality, a new credibility, with new methods, to those who may have drifted from the Church and are in need of a re-evangelization. Fête-Dieu du Teche has implemented several initiatives to help promote and revitalize the Faith. In 2015 it began an annual Eucharistic Boat Procession down Bayou Teche on the Feast of the Assumption, August 15. Last year, to commemorate the centennial of the Diocese of Lafayette, the Boat Procession was held on the Vermilion River, beginning at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Abbeville and culminating with a two-mile foot procession to the Cathedral. This year the annual event returns to Bayou Teche Thursday, Aug. 15 with a French Mass at 8 a.m. in Leonville presided by Bishop Douglas Deshotel and culminating in St. Martinville with Solemn Vespers at Mater Dolorosa Chapel at 6 p.m.
At the beginning of the Year of Mercy an old ambulance was converted into a mobile confessional and put into service traveling throughout Louisiana and making stops where people gather. Fête-Dieu du Teche, LLC now operates three units. To date the mobile confessional has traveled over 16,000 miles, and making over 300 stops across Louisiana, hearing over 7,000 confessions on the road.