Historic Louisiana black church destroyed by arsonist celebrates upcoming reopening: 'God turned it into good'
A historic African American church in Louisiana that was one of three churches destroyed in a series of arson attacks in 2019 has been rebuilt and is set to reopen.
The rebuilding of Greater Union Baptist Church of St. Landry Parish is almost complete, with an official reopening tentatively scheduled for this month, reported the Lafayette-based News 15.
Greater Union Baptist Pastor Patrick Lavergne told News 15 that while the destruction of the old building was “heartbreaking,” the opening of the sanctuary represents “a new beginning.”
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“It's a new beginning, not with our faith, but we have a bigger facility, and we have a lot more options in this new facility than we had in the old facility. As is stated, what the devil meant for evil, God turned it into good,” Lavergne said.
From late March to early April of 2019, Greater Union Baptist, St. Mary’s Baptist Church of Port Barre and Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church of Opelousas were attacked by an arsonist.
Holden Matthews, the son of a sheriff’s deputy who had, in the past, expressed both racist and satanic sentiments online and offline, was arrested and charged with the attacks.
Matthews was indicted on both federal and state hate crimes charges, being found guilty. At present, the now 27-year-old Matthews is serving a 25-year sentence in federal prison.
Prominent public figures, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former New Orleans Saints tight end Benjamin Watson, encouraged people to donate to the rebuilding of the churches.
By June 2019, approximately $2.6 million had been raised to help benefit the congregations’ rebuilding efforts, surpassing an original online fundraising goal of $800,000.
In November 2019, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette joined the effort and donated approximately $50,000 to the three churches to help with their rebuilding.
“Evil brings opportunities for good and this is a good way to do that,” said Bishop J. Douglas Deshotel of the Lafayette Diocese, as quoted by The Acadiana Advocate.
In a speech given at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church shortly after the arson attacks, then-Vice President Mike Pence commended the congregation for their response, including their decision to forgive Matthews.
“And to think of churches burning one day after another, and how people might have responded, and to see the way people, here in these churches and this community and across Louisiana responded is an inspiration to the nation,” Pence said.
“I’m deeply inspired, as people are all across this country, by the courage and the resilience of these communities of faith, these families of faith, but also by the generous support of the people of Louisiana and people all across the country.”
