About Blessed Sacrament Chapel (Tridentine Mass) · Gibson, Louisiana
Blessed Sacrament Chapel, often called the Latin Mass Chapel, is a Traditional Latin Mass (Tridentine Mass) community located in Gibson, Louisiana, on the bayou in Lafourche Parish. Sanctioned and approved by the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, it is the only chapel in the diocese dedicated exclusively to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, with every Mass celebrated entirely in Latin. Originally established in the early 1900s as St. Patrick's Parish, the building became a mission in the 1980s, ceased operations, and was revitalized in 2001 by its chaplain, Rev. Van Constant, who gradually transitioned it to the Traditional Latin Mass by Easter 2010. It serves Catholics from across the Houma-Thibodaux Diocese and beyond who seek a more reverent, contemplative liturgical experience.
- Established
- 2001
- Rector
- Rev. Van Constant
- Diocese
- Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux
Why belong here
Blessed Sacrament Chapel exists for Catholics who hunger for the reverence, silence, and continuity of the Traditional Latin Mass — a form of worship celebrated for over 500 years. It is the only chapel in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux dedicated exclusively to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, and it serves a growing community that includes a striking number of young adults in their twenties and thirties, alongside longtime faithful from across south Louisiana and beyond. Visitors are welcomed warmly at the Sunday coffee hour with doughnuts and pastries after both the 8:00 AM low Mass and 10:00 AM high Mass, and there is a steady rhythm of devotions including First Friday and First Saturday Eucharistic Adoration, Exposition, and Benediction.
Mass times at Blessed Sacrament Chapel (Tridentine Mass)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Before and after every Mass
Adoration times
- First Friday Devotions: with Exposition and Benediction, beginning 6:00 AM
- First Saturday Devotions: with Exposition and Benediction, beginning 6:00 AM
About Blessed Sacrament Chapel
Blessed Sacrament Chapel (often referred to locally as the Latin Mass Chapel) is a chapel of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux located at 138 Carroll Street in Gibson, Louisiana. The Diocese officially sanctions and approves the chapel for the purpose of offering the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, and every Mass here is celebrated in Latin. It serves as a spiritual home for Catholics across south Louisiana and beyond who are drawn to the Traditional Latin Mass — sometimes called the Tridentine Mass — a form of the Roman liturgy that predates the Second Vatican Council reforms of the 1960s.
- Sanctioned by the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux
- All Masses offered in Latin (Extraordinary Form / Traditional Latin Mass)
- Located in Gibson, Lafourche Parish, Louisiana
History of the Chapel
The building has roots stretching back to the early 1900s, when it was established as St. Patrick's Parish to serve the small bayou community of Gibson. By the 1980s it had been reduced to a mission, and eventually it ceased regular operations, leaving the church unused. In 2001, Rev. Van Constant, a priest of the diocese, proposed to the bishop that the dormant building be rededicated as a chapel for more reverent worship. He was appointed chaplain and, over the course of several years, introduced traditional liturgical practices one by one: the altar rail, the paten, and ad orientem orientation. By Easter of 2010 the chapel had fully transitioned to the Traditional Latin Mass for every service, becoming what Fr. Constant described as a place to satisfy the deep spiritual hunger of Catholics seeking a more reverent form of worship.
- Early 1900s: established as St. Patrick's Parish
- 1980s: became a mission of the diocese
- Late 20th century: ceased regular operations
- Around 2001: revitalized as a chapel by Fr. Van Constant, appointed chaplain
- By Easter 2010: fully transitioned to the Traditional Latin Mass at every service
The Traditional Latin Mass (TLM)
The TLM, also known as the Tridentine Mass or the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, is the form of the Roman liturgy used for over 500 years before the reforms of Vatican II. It is celebrated entirely in Latin, with the priest facing ad orientem (east, with his back to the congregation), an emphasis on silence and reverence, and the understanding of the priest as taking on a mediatory role between God and the people. Blessed Sacrament Chapel is the only church in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux that celebrates this form exclusively; every other parish in the diocese celebrates the Novus Ordo Mass in the vernacular.
- Celebrated entirely in Latin
- Priest faces ad orientem
- Focus on silence and reverence
- Sung responses and traditional chant
Parish Staff
The chapel is served by a single chaplain, the priest who has led its revival and transition to the Latin Mass since 2001.
- Chaplain: Rev. Van Constant
Community Life and Fellowship
Although worship itself is marked by deep silence and reverence, the chapel community gathers warmly after Sunday Masses for a coffee hour with doughnuts and pastries. Newcomers are encouraged to attend — it is the easiest way to meet the regulars and to learn the rhythm of the parish. Fr. Constant often notes that the quiet in the chapel is not coldness but a deliberate focus on Christ and the Eucharist, and that visitors should not be put off if attendees appear reserved during Mass but welcoming afterwards. The chapel is also noted for an unusually young congregation, with a median age in the early 30s — a fact Fr. Constant attributes to a deep spiritual hunger among young Catholics for reverence, tradition, and stability.
- Sunday coffee hour after the 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM Masses
- Doughnuts and pastries provided
- Median age of attendees in the early 30s
- Draws Catholics from across the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux and beyond
Visiting the Chapel
Blessed Sacrament Chapel is right at the entrance bridge of Gibson, Louisiana, on Carroll Street — easy to find for anyone traveling the bayou road. Visitors are encouraged to come observe and absorb the experience of the Traditional Latin Mass without pressure. Those new to the TLM may find it helpful simply to follow along quietly; the silence and reverence are intentional, and the priest leads the Mass with traditional chant. After Sunday Mass, the coffee hour is the perfect introduction to the community.
- Located at 138 Carroll St, Gibson, LA 70356
- Mailing address: PO Box 587, Gibson, LA 70356
- Phone: (985) 575-3551
- Visitors always welcome
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Van Constant2001–present
Appointed chaplain of the chapel around 2001 by the bishop of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux; gradually transitioned the chapel to the Traditional Latin Mass, completing the change by Easter 2010.