ABBEVILLE, La. (KLFY) — Groundbreaking ceremonies will take place this weekend for the first new church to be built in the Diocese of Lafayette in the last 40 years. The church is named in honor of St. Andrew Dung-Lac, a Vietnamese priest, martyr, and saint.

St. Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions Parish will primarily serve the needs of Acadiana’s growing Vietnamese community and will become the 122nd church parish in the Diocese. 

The ceremonies will take place this Sunday, August 15, 2021 beginning at noon. Bishop Douglas Deshotel will celebrate Mass at noon in the Vietnamese Community Center in Abbeville, located on LaFitte Road off the LA 14 Bypass. He will be joined by concelebrant Fr. James Nguyen, the founding pastor of the new parish.

Following the Mass, those in attendance will walk to land adjacent to the Community Center where the new church is to be built for groundbreaking ceremonies. A reception will follow and all are invited to attend.

Bishop Deshotel said, “St. Andrew Dung-lac will be established as a personal, non-territorial parish. A personal parish is established to meet the needs of a particular group in a diocese. The Vietnamese community is a vibrant and growing ethnic group in Acadiana, and their Catholic faith is intimately connected to the Vietnamese culture.”