About Annunciation · Bogalusa, Louisiana
Annunciation Parish is a Catholic parish in Bogalusa, Louisiana, belonging to the Archdiocese of New Orleans and serving the families of Washington Parish and the surrounding area. The parish church, completed in 1927 in cruciform style, was designed by New Orleans architect Rathorne DeBuys — the same architect who laid out the planned mill town of Bogalusa. Today the parish, under the leadership of Father Angel Diaz, celebrates Mass in English and Spanish, runs Annunciation Catholic School (founded 1939), hosts weekly Eucharistic Adoration, and supports an active Knights of Columbus Council 1819 and a Respect Life ministry. The parish's Latin motto "Deus Providebit" (God Provides) reflects a community that takes seriously both its worship and its outreach to those in need.
- Established
- 1907
- Patron
- The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Father Angel Diaz
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of New Orleans (Metropolitan Archdiocese of New Orleans)
Why belong here
Annunciation is a bilingual parish where Catholics of every background can worship together — Saturday Vigil and two Sunday morning Masses are in English, and a 5:00 p.m. Sunday Mass is celebrated in Spanish. Families who join find a full sacramental life: daily Mass, a Communion Service, Saturday and Sunday confessions in both languages, and weekly Eucharistic Adoration that parishioners describe as the spiritual center of their week. The parish also hosts an active Faith Formation program (with daytime and evening sessions, RCIA, and a partnership with Franciscan University's catechist training), a Respect Life ministry, a parish library (St. Benedict's Library), a Bible study, a Holy Face Hour devotion, the Knights of Columbus Council 1819, and Annunciation Catholic School — the only Catholic school in Washington Parish — which is currently expanding to include 8th grade and, eventually, a full high school.
Mass times at Annunciation
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 – 4:00 PM (or by appointment)
- Sunday 8:00 – 8:20 AM (English)
- Sunday 4:30 – 5:00 PM (Spanish)
Adoration times
- Thursday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- 2nd Thursday of the month extended to 9:00 PM with Respect Life Rosary at 6:00 PM
- Holy Hour of the Holy Face of Jesus: Tuesday 6:00 – 7:00 PM in the Church (monthly)
About Annunciation Parish
Annunciation Parish is the Catholic faith community of Bogalusa, Washington Parish, Louisiana, a member parish of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. The community worships under the patronage of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (feast day March 25) and lives by the motto "Deus Providebit" — God Provides. Father Angel Diaz serves as pastor; the parish also lists Deacon Ed Kelley on its staff. Mass is celebrated in English and Spanish, with weekday and weekend schedules, sacramental Confession twice on Sundays, weekly Eucharistic Adoration and a calendar of devotions that runs through the year.
- Patron: Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Motto: Deus Providebit
- Pastor: Fr. Angel Diaz
- Deacon: Ed Kelley
- Diocese: Archdiocese of New Orleans
History
Catholic life in Bogalusa began as a mission in 1907, ten years after the Great Southern Lumber Company had selected the site for what would become the world's largest sawmill. The mission was formally made a parish in 1917, and the present church was completed in 1927. Architect Rathorne DeBuys — the Tulane-trained planner who drew up the city of Bogalusa — designed the church in cruciform style, the same plan he used for City Hall in 1918. The parish school, founded in 1939 by Father Placide Dobyns, grew alongside the parish and today is the only Catholic school in Washington Parish.
- Founded as a mission in 1907
- Became a parish in 1917
- Present church dedicated 1927
- Architect: Rathorne DeBuys (cruciform plan)
- Parish school founded September 1939 by Father Placide Dobyns
Architecture
The 1927 church is built in cruciform style. Its architect, Rathorne DeBuys, is the same Tulane-trained architect who designed the planned lumber town of Bogalusa for the Great Southern Lumber Company and who drew up the dedicated 1918 City Hall — both cruciform, both built within a decade of one another. The school building visible today was constructed in 1956 under Father Hubert Bordenave, with Bordenave Hall added in 1980 and the Mary Paduda Early Education Center dedicated in 1996.
- Cruciform plan, dedicated 1927
- Same architect as City Hall (Rathorne DeBuys)
- Present school building 1956
- Bordenave Hall 1980
- Mary Paduda Early Education Center 1996
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith Formation at Annunciation meets on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month at 1:00 PM in Dobyns Center for adults who want to grow in their faith during the day. The parish has partnered with the Archdiocese of New Orleans and Franciscan University of Steubenville to offer free workshops (called Franciscan at Home) covering catechist training, RCIA leader formation, mentor formation and young-adult formation. The parish also runs RCIA for adults preparing to enter the Catholic Church, sponsors an evening Scripture Study (Jim Valenti), and staffs a Welcome Desk for visitors.
- Daytime Faith Formation – 1st & 3rd Wednesdays, 1 PM, Dobyns Center
- Evening Bible Study
- RCIA
- Franciscan-at-Home training
Annunciation Catholic School
Annunciation Catholic School, founded in September 1939 under Father Placide Dobyns, is the only Catholic school in Washington Parish. It originally met in the old Annunciation church building; the present school was built by Father Hubert Bordenave in 1956, with Bordenave Hall added in 1980 and the Mary Paduda Early Education Center dedicated in 1996. Religious-order staffing over the decades included the Benedictine Sisters of San Antonio (opening in 1939), the School Sisters of Notre Dame (1948–1982) and the Teresian Sisters (through 2006). Today the school serves roughly 75–100 students in PK3 through 7th grade at 511 Avenue C, is accredited by Cognia, and is approved by both the State of Louisiana and the Archdiocese of New Orleans. In 2025 the parish announced that 8th grade will be restored in 2026–2027, with a full Catholic high school to follow by the end of the decade — the first Catholic high school in Bogalusa's history.
- Founded September 1939 by Father Placide Dobyns
- Current building 1956; Bordenave Hall 1980
- Mary Paduda Early Education Center 1996
- Address: 511 Avenue C, Bogalusa, LA 70427
- Phone: (985) 735-6643
- Principal: Tabetha Ezell
- Pastor-administrator: Father Angel Diaz
- Accredited by Cognia; approved by State of LA and Archdiocese of N.O.
- Restoring 8th grade (2026–2027); planning full high school by 2029
Parish Life, Outreach and Community
Outside the sanctuary, Annunciation is supported by an active Knights of Columbus Council 1819 — which in June 2023 blessed and dedicated a statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe on the parish grounds — and a Respect Life Committee that runs the parish prayer-intentions basket, the monthly Respect Life Rosary and the Angel Tree Christmas gift drive. The parish operates St. Benedict's Library, a Lenten Retreat (in 2025 led by Sisters Mary Clare Wax and Charista Maria Lottinger of the Missionaries of our Mother of the Eucharist), and welcomes Hispanic parishioners through a bilingual sacramental schedule and ongoing Spanish-language ministry. The parish motto 'Deus Providebit' (God Provides) is meant to capture a community that takes seriously both worship and service to neighbors in need.
- Knights of Columbus Council 1819
- Respect Life Committee and Angel Tree
- St. Benedict's Library
- Hispanic ministry / Spanish Mass
- Lenten Retreat
Visit, Contact and Location
Annunciation Parish is located at 517 Avenue B, Bogalusa, Louisiana 70427. The parish office can be reached by phone at (985) 732-4280 and by email at [email protected]. The current pastor is Father Angel Diaz. The adjacent school, Annunciation Catholic School, is located at 511 Avenue C and can be reached at (985) 735-6643. The parish's website is http://annunciationbogalusa.com/, which publishes the Mass schedule, news, ministry information and seasonal announcements.
- Address: 517 Avenue B, Bogalusa, LA 70427
- Phone: (985) 732-4280
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: annunciationbogalusa.com
- Facebook page linked from footer of website