Charlene Richard- The Little Cajun Saint

In a post earlier, I pointed out Louisiana Catholic blogger From the Reclaimer mentioned Charlene Richard. She gave a good into to this little girl that has now gone to meet her Lord some 48 years ago. If you noticed From the Reclaimor credits Richard's intercession for helping her over come Colon Cancer so well in 2001. Over the past weekend many remember her on the anniversary of her death.

Charlene Richard has quite a devotion in Louisiana and elsewhere. I would like it to grow if it is God's will . We never know if Rome will see fit to raise her "offically" to Sainthood. Only time will tell. However the local Diocese of Lafayette nor any other Church authority has discouraged the devotion in the least little bit to my knowledge. Hopefully we can spread this devotion more in state and throughtout the world.

This is a nice post from last year that goes in detail about her life and the cause for her Sainthood. Also notice that there is CHARLENE RICHARD MISSION HOUSE in Thailand that takes care of Catholic and Buddhist children in Thailand. It would be great to get the word out on that more.

No doubt Louisiana has produced many native born Louisiana Saints. We have quite a few that have strong Louisiana Connections that have been "officailly recognized". TO my knowledge however Louisiana does not have a Louisiana native born Saint that is a part of calender or recognized and lifted up for the world. Perhaps one day Charlene Richard will be the first.

Charlene, when you were only twelve years old, you showed heroic faith, hope,
and love; dying of leukemia, you joined yourself to Jesus on His Cross and
offered your intense pain for others. You thereby echoed St. Paul’s words to his
people in Colossians 1, 24: “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and
in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf
of His Body, the Church.

Charlene, I believe you are with God. Please ask our Heavenly Father, His only
Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit to grant me the following favor:
(mention favor sought)

Charlene, thank you for helping me. May Jesus Christ always be praised. May Mary, Jesus’ Ever-Virgin Mother, always be called blessed.
Amen


Prayer for Beatification

Our Father in Heaven, moved by the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ,
Your Son and our Savior, we lift up our hearts to You and ask that, if it be Your
will, You grant our request. May Your servant and native of Louisiana,
Charlene Marie Richard, be raised to sainthood by the Holy Father, Successor
of the Apostle St. Peter, and visible head of Jesus’ Church on earth.

We trust this prayer to You through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin
Mary, the Mother of Jesus, under her title by which she is known as the
Patroness of Louisiana: The Immaculate Conception.

Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory Be…

(For private devotion only)