This page last updated on 08.11.2025               
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            THE HOLY SPIRIT - ST. MARY PARISH 
                   - AZUSA STREET REVIVAL!


   












   Welcome to this page that will very briefly describe a movement of the Holy Spirit known as the "Azusa Street Revival" and its initiator, William Joseph Seymour.  That revival occurred in Los Angeles, California from April 9, 1906 until a time in 1915.  To see more about that revival, please click here.  

   It is believed by this author that this powerful movement of the Holy Spirit that arose in Los Angeles was meant to first be a Louisiana-generated experience.  It was actually initiated in Louisiana but you will see that explained later through William. 
 
   It is believed that William's main purpose in life was to initiate and "practice" it from Louisiana - whether he ever understood that or not.  If allowed at the time, it would have been a perfect example of what Louisiana was created for - as explained in other places in this website - especially on this page.  The faith -practicing environment in St. Mary and Louisiana, as a Catholic, at that time, did not allow that to happen.

   The composite image above purports to demonstrate (in blue) the physical age-old creation of Louisiana (by the soils carried in a great river).  Then by the red lines upward and outwark, due to Jesus' shedding of His Precious Blood, purport to demonstrate His spiritual power going out across America from Louisiana.  A Holy Spirit anointed phenomenon - directly connected to the power of the Holy Eucharist - symbolized by Louisiana - and the Modern Delta - created by the Holy Spirit!

If the AZUSA movement would have been in Louisiana, it surely would have to have been evenmore a God-inspired and led movement because the simple Catholics of Louisiana could not have done anything like that without God!  But because that movement of the Holy Spirit was not allowed to be rooted in Louisiana, a real opportunity was missed (or maybe it was just delayed)!

   As stated above, there was an undeniable connection between the Azusa Street Revival and St. Mary Parish and Louisiana.  What connected all three?  The Holy Spirit, of course!  He compelled an African-American man, by the name of William Joseph Seymour, to move toward initiating a new spiritual revival across America! 

   William was humbly born in the small St. Mary Parish community of Centerville, Louisiana on May 2, 1870.  As a child, he was baptized as a Catholic in Franklin, Louisiana - a few miles away.  To know more about him, there is so much about his life at various websites across the internet.  Research him and his life!  He was a Catholic man on a mission and was thwarted and smothered by the prejudice of his time!  Opportunity lost?

   Maybe not!  The reverse side of that position is that much like the early apostles, because of the oppression upon them at the time, they were forced away from Jersaleum to evangelize across the world.  In like manner, 1900 years later in St. Mary, Louisiana, William was forced away from his home and to go out.  Maybe, at times, that is what it takes to get us to move outward?     

   Note:  Either way, William did what he did in response to outside influences that only he can fully explain.  Either way, he (or his life) was an example of exactly what the red lines of the image above purports to try and demonstrate - from Louisiana outward with a unique anointing.  If allowed to proceed as a Louisiana Catholic, at that time, one can only imagine what may have happened.   This author cannot begin to fully understand and explain this unique Louisiana-connected anointing but can only try to point it out for your discernment.

   As stated, any serious research would demonstrate that William could not fully practice his faith as a Catholic African-American in St. Mary Parish in the late-1800's and early-1900's.  Driven by his Holy Spirit-led mission as a young age, his life led him across America trying to fulfill a spirituality of healing and evangelization!  He experienced many setbacks in that personal journey he took but he would get up each time and push on.  That persistence eventually took him to Azusa Street where powerful things did happen and were acknowledged by many.

   It is believed that William Joseph Seymour was what Pope Leo XIII envisioned and called forth in his 1897 encyclical titled: DIVINUM ILLUD MUNUS!  In particular, Paragraph No. 11 of that document addresses it directly.  William was 17 years old when that encyclical was released by the same pope that heard the well-known conversation between Jesus and the devil on October 13, 1884 (William was 14 years old).   Was William an example of what the Holy Spirit wanted to bring forth to confront the devil's temporary plan?

   As another example of what the Holy Spirit is doing connected to Louisiana to confront the attacks of the devil.  Who could have ever imagined that our Holy Church would now have a Pope in Rome who has maternal roots from Louisiana.  Those roots run deep into New Orleans!  There is so many spiritual possibilities interwoven in all these facts.  Too many, too premature in time, and too spiritually advanced for this author to try and unfold in this short narrative. 

   At first glance some may say that all this appears to be coincidental.  On the other hand, believers say they are providential.  All with faith should simply ask:  What is God telling us through all this?   

   What a loss to the "Louisiana Sacred Story" and the Catholic Church in America that William Joseph Seymour was not supported as a Catholic black man!  What if he could have practiced his faith in and from Louisiana (or anywhere) as he was Baptized? What more could the AZUSA movement had been?  One can only imagine! 

   Good news!  The Holy Spirit is still moving in a mighty way across Louisiana in these times!  Many new Catholic healing priests, services and evangelization ministries are springing up in response to the Holy Spirit - today!  From Slidell/Pearl River/Lacombe area on the eastern side of Louisiana to Lake Charles/Sulphur on the western side!  You can go to this page of this website and see some of them - shown by event and by website.  Spend some time there and considering becoming involved in some of them. 
                                         Come, Holy Spirit! 

   Long-overdue, what William was being moved to do more than a hundred years ago may be now flowing in and outward from Louisiana!  A "new" AZUSA-type experience (Louisiana-style) is alive and well and growing!   
                                              Praise God! 

   Want to discuss this further, contact me.