About Christ the King · Lake Charles, Louisiana
Christ the King Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Lake Charles located on Gulf Highway in Lake Charles, Louisiana, where Catholic life has been celebrated on that site in some form since 1955. Long known affectionately as 'the little church by the airport,' the community was officially established as a parish on the Feast of Christ the King, November 24, 2002. After the original 1955 chapel was destroyed by Hurricane Laura in 2020, the parish worshiped for years in a double-wide modular building while planning a new church across the road — groundbreaking for which was held in November 2025.
- Established
- 2002
- Patron
- Christ the King
- Rector
- Very Rev. Matthew Cormier, V.F.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lake Charles
Why belong here
Christ the King is a close-knit southwest Louisiana parish with more than a century of Catholic witness on this stretch of Gulf Highway — from the 1925 mission chapel to today's rebuilt community. Visitors can worship at daily and weekend English Masses, join a vibrant Knights of Columbus council, the Ladies Altar Society, or the parish St. Vincent de Paul conference for outreach, walk through the RCIA and family faith-formation programs, or share in weekly Eucharistic Adoration, the Pro-life Rosary, and the Divine Mercy Chaplet. As the parish raises a new church across from its current site, there is a rare opportunity for new families to put down roots in a community that explicitly commits itself to fellowship, support, and service.
Mass times at Christ the King
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:00 p.m. to 3:50 p.m.
- 30 minutes before daily and Sunday Masses
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Thursday: 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. (weekly)
- 40 Hours of Adoration for Vocations (held annually, e.g. November 19–22, 2024)
Parish History
Christ the King's story stretches back to 1925, when a small wooden former Mennonite chapel on Lincoln Road was repurposed as St. Elizabeth Chapel — the first Catholic mission chapel of southwest Louisiana. For twenty years it served as a mission of Immaculate Conception, then of St. Margaret of Scotland, before Mrs. Flavia Reed's 1954 gift of land and money made possible the dedicated Christ the King Chapel on Gulf Highway. The community grew for nearly five decades as a chapel under parish care until, on November 24, 2002 — the Feast of Christ the King — Bishop Edward K. Braxton officially established Christ the King as a parish of the Diocese of Lake Charles.
- 1925: St. Elizabeth Chapel founded as first SWLA mission chapel
- 1945: Care transferred to St. Margaret of Scotland Parish
- 1954: Mrs. Flavia Reed donates 1½ acres and $10,000 for a new chapel
- December 1955: Msgr. Bodin celebrates first Mass in new Christ the King Chapel
- 1959: Care passes to Our Lady Queen of Heaven Parish
- November 24, 2002: Parish officially established; Rev. V. Wayne LeBleu named founding pastor
Hurricane Laura, Rebuilding, and the New Church
In late summer 2020 Hurricanes Laura and Delta devastated southwest Louisiana, and Christ the King's 1955 chapel was destroyed. Worship moved to a double-wide modular building on the 7680 Gulf Highway property, which has served as the temporary church since December 19, 2020. Fr. Matthew Cormier led a 'Prayer Vigil of Thanksgiving' on October 17, 2024 as the ruined structure was torn down, and on November 22, 2025 the parish broke ground for a new church directly across Gulf Highway. The 'Rise and Rebuild' capital campaign ultimately raised over $2 million toward the project, with Bishop Glen John Provost presiding at the groundbreaking.
- Hurricane Laura strikes August 27, 2020; church destroyed
- December 19, 2020: double-wide modular opens as temporary worship space
- October 17, 2024: Prayer Vigil of Thanksgiving as the ruined church is demolished
- November 22, 2025: groundbreaking for new church across the highway
- Capital campaign: 'Rise and Rebuild,' raising over $2 million
Pastoral Staff
Christ the King is led by a small pastoral team of clergy and lay staff who together run worship, formation, and parish operations. Fr. Matthew Cormier serves as the fourth pastor of the parish and as Vicar Forane of the South-Central Deanery. The Director of Religious Education is split between Becky DesOrmeaux (Elementary and First Communion) and Chris Bearb (Jr. High, Sr. High, and Confirmation), with David DesOrmeaux directing the RCIA process for adults.
- Very Rev. Matthew Cormier, V.F. — Pastor & Vicar Forane
- Shane Swire — Office Manager, Bulletin Editor, Bookkeeper
- Becky DesOrmeaux — Elementary / First Communion DRE/CRE
- Chris Bearb — Jr. High / Sr. High / Confirmation DRE/CRE
- Dana Palazotto — Custodial / Housekeeper
- David DesOrmeaux — RCIA Director
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious education at Christ the King is organized to walk parishioners from childhood through adult initiation. Becky DesOrmeaux coordinates the Elementary and First Communion program, Chris Bearb coordinates Jr. High, Sr. High, and Confirmation preparation, and David DesOrmeaux directs the parish's RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) program for those entering the Catholic Church. Adult formation offerings and A.C.T.S. retreats round out the formation life of the parish.
- Elementary / First Communion (Becky DesOrmeaux)
- Jr. High / Sr. High / Confirmation (Chris Bearb)
- RCIA — Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (David DesOrmeaux)
- Adult Formation
- A.C.T.S. Retreats
Parish Organizations & Ministries
Christ the King's parish organizations reflect its small-parish, big-heart character. The Knights of Columbus council was chartered shortly after the parish was established in 2002 and meets on the third Thursday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at Golden Corral, cooking gumbo for the parish's Feast Day and supporting seminarians and youth. The Ladies Altar Society, active even before the parish was formally founded, hosts receptions for First Communion, Confirmation, the Easter Vigil and RCIA, and meets on the second Monday of each month (September–May). The Décor team prepares the worship space through Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter, and a parish St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP) conference offers assistance with food, utilities, and rent.
- Knights of Columbus — meets 3rd Thursday, 6:00 p.m. at Golden Corral
- Ladies Altar Society — meets 2nd Monday, 5:30 p.m. (Sept–May)
- Décor & Planning
- St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP) — food, utilities, rental assistance
- Catholic Relief Services (Fair Trade Sales)
- Liturgical Ministry
Mission & Parish Identity
Christ the King states its mission plainly: 'We are called as one family in the Body of Christ to spread the Word of God through Fellowship, Support, and Service to all. Under the Guidance of the Holy Spirit, we are committed to living a Christian Life, with Catholic Values and Beliefs to bring all to Christ through our Celebration of the Eucharist.' The parish frames its outreach around Jesus's command to 'love our neighbor as ourselves' and sees support of one another and the surrounding community as integral to its mission as the Church.
Visit, Contact & Location
Christ the King Catholic Church is located at 7680 Gulf Highway, Lake Charles, LA 70607, on the same road as the Lake Charles Regional Airport — hence the parish's longtime nickname 'the little church by the airport.' The parish office can be reached at 337-478-0213 (fax 337-478-0793) and by email at [email protected]. While the new church is under construction across the highway, all Masses, Confessions, and parish business currently take place on the original property in the modular building.
- Address: 7680 Gulf Highway, Lake Charles, LA 70607
- Phone: 337-478-0213
- Fax: 337-478-0793
- Office email: [email protected]
- Pastor email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.ctkcatholic.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. V. Wayne LeBleu2002–2014
Founding pastor of the parish when it was established as a juridical person on the Feast of Christ the King, November 24, 2002; returned to attend the November 2025 groundbreaking for the new church.
- Very Rev. Anthony Fontenot2014–2020
Installed July 2014 as second pastor and first Vicar Forane of the newly established South Deanery; served six years.
- Very Rev. Rojo A. Palatty Koonathan, H.G.N.2020–2024
Installed July 2020; Vicar Forane of the newly established South-Central Deanery; shepherded the parish through Hurricanes Laura and Delta; reassigned within the Diocese of Lake Charles in summer 2024.
- Very Rev. Matthew Cormier, V.F.2024–present
Fourth pastor of Christ the King, installed July 1, 2024; currently serves also as Vicar Forane of the South-Central (Central) Deanery; leading the Rise and Rebuild campaign.