Come, Lord Jesus celebrates 42nd anniversary, 36 years in Basile

Submitted article by Becky Leger
The annual Come Lord Jesus! Anniversary Mass was held May 31 at Basile’s St. Augustine Catholic Church.
The Rev. Connely Bertrand, founder of the CLJ program, was the celebrant. Rev. David Hebert of St. Augustine and Deacon Robbie Leger of St. Joseph in Iota, assisted.
The first reading was proclaimed by Lisa Ortego and Responsorial Psalm was read by Cherilyn Bult. The offertory was presented by Annette Sattler, Versie Shilow, and Eltra Jordan. Testimonies were given by Susan Ardoin and JoAnn Sonnier Dupre.
CLJ prayer groups from the following parishes were present: St. Anthony of Padua, St. Thomas More, St. Mathilda, Eunice, St. Edward, Richard, Annunciation, Duralde, St. Joseph and St. Jules Mission, Evangeline, St. Augustine, Basile and St. Joseph, Iota.
Currently there are thousands of memebers who meet weekly for an unparalleled style of Bible study. Come Lord Jesus! has extended through dioceses of Louisiana and in many other states. It has also reached territories beyond the U.S., all by a method of evangelization encouraged by Reverend Conley Bertrand. This program is so powerful that several groups which started in the early seventies are still meeting weekly.
The program started with one prayer group in 1974. The first Basile group to organize was founded in 1980.
There are two Come Lord Jesus groups in Basile. One meets at Leola Johnson’s home on Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. and the other one meets on Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. at the Assumption Hall.