About Holy Family · Port Allen, Louisiana
Holy Family Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Port Allen, Louisiana, serving the west bank of the Mississippi River in the Diocese of Baton Rouge. The parish provides a full weekly schedule of Masses (eight Masses per week, including a Saturday vigil and two Sunday Masses), weekly Confessions, and Eucharistic Adoration four days a week. As a parish-and-school community, Holy Family pursues a strong tradition of faith and family while offering sacramental services, Catholic education, faith formation, Vacation Bible School, and outreach to the social needs of the surrounding community.
- Established
- 1925
- Patron
- Holy Family (Jesus, Mary, and Joseph)
- Rector
- Rev. Gerard R. Martin
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge
Why belong here
Holy Family offers a strikingly full Catholic life for a parish of its size: eight Masses a week (including a Saturday vigil at 4 PM and Sunday Masses at 8 AM and 10:30 AM), daily weekday Masses, Saturday Confessions from 3:00 to 3:45 PM, and Eucharistic Adoration four days a week (Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, Thursday and Friday mornings). The parish grounds also house Holy Family School (in operation since 1949), a Religious Education program, a Vacation Bible School each summer, RCIA, and a bulletin that lists ministries such as Baptism preparation, rosary groups, family nights, and school grandparent Masses. For Catholics on the west bank of the Mississippi River, it is the long-established, sacramental heart of Port Allen.
Mass times at Holy Family
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
- Or any day by appointment — please call the Church Office at (225) 383-1838 to schedule
Adoration times
- Tuesday: 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM
- Wednesday: 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM
- Thursday: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Friday: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
About Holy Family Parish
Holy Family Parish is a community of dedicated Catholic Christians with a mission to spread and strengthen the Kingdom of God among all people. The parish follows a strong tradition of faith and family, provides sacramental and liturgical services, offers a comprehensive Catholic education program, and ministers to the social needs of the community through evangelization. Located on the west bank of the Mississippi River in Port Allen, the parish is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge.
History
The parish has roots stretching to 1876, when Sts. Peter and Paul Parish was established in Lobdell under Father E.M. Lossouarn. The Port Allen mission began in 1892 as St. Michael Chapel, was reorganized multiple times between Lobdell, Grosse Tete, and St. Joseph in Baton Rouge, and on August 3, 1920 was established by Archbishop Shaw as its own parish (Sts. Peter and Paul) under Father Lucien Caillouet. In 1925 the chapel was renamed Holy Family Parish, a new church was dedicated on November 29, 1928, and the current church was dedicated in December 1976. The Lobdell chapel ceased to exist after the levee was moved in 1932.
- 1876: Sts. Peter and Paul Parish founded in Lobdell (Father E.M. Lossouarn)
- 1892: St. Michael Chapel established in Port Allen as a mission
- May 1904: Parish seat moves to Grosse Tete under Father Francis Badeaux
- 1910: Port Allen and Lobdell missions return to Grosse Tete
- 1915: Missions transferred back to St. Joseph in Baton Rouge
- August 3, 1920: Archbishop Shaw creates the separate Sts. Peter and Paul Parish; Father Lucien Caillouet named first pastor
- 1925: Port Allen chapel renamed Holy Family Parish
- November 29, 1928: New Holy Family church dedicated
- 1932: Lobdell chapel ceases after levee move
- September 5, 1949: Holy Family School opens under Father Domsdorf
- December 1976: Current Holy Family church dedicated
Clergy & Staff
Holy Family is led by a pastor who also serves the wider diocese as Defender of the Bond in the Diocesan Tribunal, and is supported by an assisting deacon and a lay staff for faith formation, office administration, the bulletin, and RCIA.
- Rev. Gerard R. Martin — Pastor (also Defender of the Bond, Diocesan Tribunal)
- Deacon Minos J. Ponville, Jr. — Deacon Assistant
- Deacon Patrick Broussard (listed as assisting with Confession)
- Jennifer LeJeune — Director of Religious Education
- Thelma Rizan — RCIA Director
- Lea Wroten — Office Manager
- Karen Ardoin — Bookkeeper/Secretary (per bulletin)
- Michelle Cagle — Bulletin Editor
- Alise Ashford — School Principal
- Leigh LeBlanc — Pre-K3 Director (per bulletin)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Holy Family runs a Parish School of Religion (PSR) on Sundays and a full RCIA process for adults, with Thelma Rizan as RCIA Director and Jennifer LeJeune as Director of Religious Education. First Reconciliation is prepared during the school year, and Baptisms are preceded by a required Baptismal Seminar held in Marian Hall.
- PSR (Sunday religious education)
- RCIA for adults
- First Reconciliation preparation
- Baptismal Seminar (Marian Hall)
Holy Family School
Holy Family School opened on September 5, 1949 under the sponsorship of Holy Family Parish, with Father Domsdorf welcoming first principal Sister Mary Bernadette MSC and the Marianite Sisters. Grades were added through the early 1950s, reaching a 1961 building expansion for grades 4–8; later additions included a library (1990), science lab, art studio, computer lab, and music studio. The 2006-07 school year ended Marianite administration, with the first lay principal (Mrs. Nikki Landry) beginning in 2007-08; current principal Alise Ashford oversees a staff that includes an Assistant Principal, Guidance Counselor, Development Director, Religion Coordinator, resource and specials teachers, and full-time aides.
- Opened September 5, 1949 (Father Domsdorf, pastor)
- 146 students in grades K–3 at opening; tuition $4.00/month
- Pre-K3 through 8th grade
- Formerly staffed by the Marianites of Holy Cross
- Address: 335 N. Jefferson Avenue, Port Allen, LA 70767
- Phone: (225) 344-4100; Fax: (225) 344-1928
Vacation Bible School
Each year Holy Family Church hosts a week-long Vacation Bible School to provide a fun, engaging, Bible-centered experience for the youth of the parish. VBS 2025 was scheduled for June 23-27, 2025, 8:30 AM to 12:00 Noon, for children in kindergarten through 6th grade, with volunteer roles ranging from group leaders to music and mission leaders.
Parish Life, Devotions & Outreach
Beyond the Mass schedule, Holy Family sustains a busy calendar of devotions and community events: a rosary said in the Chapel, a Tuesday Novena following the 5:00 PM Mass, Coffee & Prayer mornings in Marian Hall, Baptismal Seminars, Spiritual Relaxation Sessions, Parish Advisory Board meetings, HFS Family Nights, school grandparent Masses, and parish-hall fundraisers such as the HFS Athletic Spaghetti Dinner.
Visiting & Contact
Parishioners and visitors are welcome at 319 N. Jefferson Avenue, Port Allen, LA 70767. The parish office can be reached at (225) 383-1838 or [email protected], and the website's 'Get Directions' link provides a map to the church.
- Address: 319 N. Jefferson Avenue, Port Allen, LA 70767
- Phone: (225) 383-1838
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://holyfamilychurchpa.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father E.M. Lossouarn1876-
First pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Lobdell, from which Holy Family descends.
- Father Francis BadeauxMay 1904-
Pastor at Lobdell who moved the parish seat to Grosse Tete.
- Father Lucien Caillouet1920-
First pastor of the new Sts. Peter and Paul Parish established August 3, 1920 by Archbishop Shaw; St. Michael Chapel in Port Allen was its mission.
- Father Domsdorf1949-
Welcomed the first principal (Sister Mary Bernadette MSC) and Marianite Sisters at the opening of Holy Family School on September 5, 1949.
- Reverend David E. Allen
Listed as Pastor on parish bulletin (c. October timeframe).