CHURCH POINT, La. — Charlene Marie Richard, also known as the Little Cajun Saint, was only 12 years old when she passed, but Acadiana will never let her be forgotten.
She passed away from acute lymphatic leukemia, but during Charlene's last days, she prayed for the benefit of others.
Even after death, people travel from all over to visit Charlene's grave, asking for her intercession to God and believing that she can help bring miracles.
"When I had found out I had a brain tumor and—stage one brain tumor—a friend of mind had introduced me to Charlene Richard," said Amanda Smith, at attendee at the canonization and believer in the Little Cajun Saint. "And she kept me close to my faith. Even when I had time that I was steering away from my faith, she was the one that pushed and converted my faith back to me."
Charlene has been a beacon of hope and light for many over the years.
"You can't imagine how much Charlene Richard—her prayers, her intercession to God—can change your life, just not your heart. She heals your heart and your soul, and it's just, like, the hardest days, she's there," Smith said.
On the morning of Jan. 13, what would have been Charlene's 76th birthday, the Diocese of Lafayette led the closing session to the cause of beatification and canonization of Charlene Marie Richard, which was a lengthy process.
"We've talked to witnesses. We've researched documents. We've brought together, you know, all sorts of research to, basically, a 1,964-page document that's been triplicated, authenticated, sealed and boxed and now will go to Rome for them to do their phase," said Father Taylor Reynolds, the Episcopal delegate for Charlene. "Most of the saints have gone through this process, whether it's Mother Teresa, John Paul II, so it's very humbling that, first of all, in our own area there's someone up for that. Two, the fact that, okay, you know, to see and talk to people who knew this person and, you know, you can almost feel that holiness, as well."
Now that the local process is complete, it is passed on to Rome, where it will be verified, re-evaluated and handed on to the pope.
"Just pray for us. Pray for this cause because, you know, like I said, at this point, it's in Rome's hands, pretty much, and so we just pray for the Lord to bring this about. You know, we say 'The Lord who has begun all good things, He brings into completion,' so the Lord who has begun this, we pray He also bring it to completion," Father Reynolds said.
Several members of Charlene's family attended the ceremony, including her older brother.
"We grew up together. I was 14 and she was 12 when she passed away, so I have a lot of memories of her," said John Dale Richard, Charlene's brother. "I always said she was the most extraordinary ordinary person I knew because Charlene loved everybody."
John Dale reflects on the magnitude of this event, seeing his sister being honored in this way.
"It's a beautiful thing. It's awesome. It's also humbling because the people of this community, we all are on in the same, and we weren't any better or any worse than any of the other families, but God chose ours, but I realize now that He chose a member of this huge family in this community, and now she belongs to everybody," John Dale said. "As I said, she belongs to everyone, and most of all, just like us, she belongs to God."
Charlene's family, St. Edward's Catholic Church and all those who believe in the Little Cajun Saint encourage you to give her a visit.
