The
Charlene Richard
Foundation
Honoring the life, faith, and intercession
of the “Little Cajun Saint.”
The
Charlene
Richard
Foundation
Honoring the life, faith, and intercession of the “Little Cajun Saint.”
— A young girl of deep faith —
Who Was Charlene Richard?
Charlene Richard, the second-oldest of ten children, grew up in a devout Cajun Catholic family and was known as a bright, ordinary, and kind girl. In 1959, after reading about St. Thérèse of Lisieux, she expressed a desire to become a saint. Soon after, she reported seeing a dark figure in her backyard and became unusually unsettled, prompting her family to seek medical advice. At just twelve years old, she was diagnosed with acute lymphatic leukemia and hospitalized at Our Lady of Lourdes in Lafayette, Louisiana.
At her family’s request, Father Joseph Brennan, a newly ordained priest, told Charlene of her approaching death. He later recalled being surprised that she already understood the meaning of redemptive suffering. Despite her painful illness, she remained peaceful, cheerful, and prayerful, offering her suffering to God. Both Father Brennan and Sister Theresita Crowley witnessed her deep faith and later testified that those she prayed for experienced healing or conversion…
— Articles & Stories —
Learn More About Charlene
Why Catholic Families Pray To This Little Girl From Louisiana For Miracles
Learning from the Little Cajun Saint
The Little Cajun Saint: A Louisiana girl’s journey to sainthood
— No Longer Strangers Podcast —
Episode 3: Her Name is Charlene
A special episode featuring a discussion about the “Little Cajun Saint”, an interview with her brother John Dale, and a powerful testimony of intercession and conversion from a new friend of Charlene, Leslie Durham.
