Vermilion Catholic seniors serving as pallbearers carry the coffin down the steps of St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church following the mass for the seven unclaimed bodies. The seven pallbearers (clockwise around the coffin) are Ross Dartez, Wyatt Gunter, Alex Broussard, Hudson Hebert, Bryce Lege, Jackson Trahan and Ben Constantin.
Vermilion Catholic senior Kate Rabalais carries flowers to the tomb.
Fr. Alexander Albert offers a blessing at the tomb following the mass for the seven unclaimed bodies.
Students and members of the Vermilion Catholic community gathered at the old Catholic cemetery for the burial of seven unclaimed bodies. Since 2019, Vermilion Catholic seniors classes have helped bury 65 unclaimed bodies.
Member of Vermilion Catholic’s Class of 2025, seventh year of the holding a Mass of Christian burial for unclaimed bodies.
VC seniors help provide Mass of Christian burial for seven unclaimed bodies; 65 since 2019
As you approach the front doors of Vermilion Catholic, you will see a two-part school motto displayed above both doors. Upon entering the school building, the first part reads, “Enter to Learn Christ,” as you leave the building, the second part reads, “Leave to Serve Christ.”
This motto is something the school strives to instill in all of our students on a daily basis.
Beginning with the Class of 2019, the senior classes embraced this motto. Mimicking the project of St. John’s Cathedral in Lafayette, the seniors started fundraising to bury the unclaimed in Vermilion Parish. As a result, they raised enough money to provide a final resting place for these cremated remains.
Reba Broussard, a teacher at VC, who has helped organize the effort through the years has called this, “A Corporal Work of Mercy.”
To date, students have been able to help bury 65 cremated remains. Last Thursday, the senior class of 2025 was able to honor seven unclaimed and were able to give them a proper Christian burial.
Fr. Alexander Albert celebrated a mass of Christian burials for this year’s remains during a weekly school mass on Thursday, March 20, at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church. Burial followed immediately in the Old Catholic Cemetery behind the church.
Students and school officials thanked Reba Broussard for initiating and continuing this corporal work of mercy with our senior class.
Broussard thanked Vermilion Parish Coroner Dr. Myriam Hutchinson and her staff, as well as Vincent Funeral Home’s Dwayne Solis and Cade Landry, both of whom helped with the preparation.
“This solemn event is also made possible by cooperation,” Broussard said.
Students of St. Francis Catholic School of Iota made a special donation. They donated the proceeds from the Pro Life March they held. Charlotte McCrory, her daughter, Myra Broussard, and granddaughter Camille took part in a special presentation of that donation.