• Congrès to end on sweet note de resistance
• Cajun roots celebrated in southern Louisiana
• Guilbeaux pray, play
• Catching the Cajun Flavor
• Simon family took route through France to reach Louisiana
• Melancons gather in Opelousas
• St. Martinville hosts Congres activities 
• Acadian festivities unite scholars 

Like many other family reunions during Congrès Mondial Acadiens, the World Acadian Congress, the Guilbeau family - not to mention the Guilbeaux family -began its reunion with a Mass.

The Rev. Aubrey Guilbeau of Jennings celebrated the Mass at St. Peter Catholic Church in Carencro, along with the Rev. Guy Lemoine. Guilbeau is the regular pastor of St. Margaret Church in Lake Charles. 

"Most of the people descended from Acadians are Catholic," Guilbeau said.
"To work, to play and to pray: Cajuns are strong in all three."
 

Brad Kemp/The Advertiser Andre Guilbeau, 5, left, of Lafayette, plays guitar while  Christian Guilbeau, 6, of Abita Springs, waits his turn to  strum a tune Saturday during the Guilbeau family reunion.

Guilbeau said the Congrès reunions seem to be prodding people to think about their faith and the faith of their ancestors. Acadian people in Nova Scotia during the 18th century were persecuted for both their French heritage and their adherence to Roman Catholicism. In Louisiana, they could practice their faith freely, Guilbeau said. That history is apparently compelling to many of today's Catholics. "I see more young people becoming interested in their Catholic faith and seeing what was so important about it to their ancestors," Guilbeau said. After the Mass, about 600 Guilbeau family members gathered at the George Dupuis Recreation Center. The day's activities included live bands, a raffle and storytelling.

The next family reunion is being planned to occur in Texas, Guilbeau said.
To attend Saturday's festivities, Guilbeaus came from across the country, includes states such as Washington, Massachusetts, Indiana, Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania and California.