About Holy Guardian Angels · Bridge City, Louisiana
Holy Guardian Angels is a Roman Catholic mission church serving the small Westbank community of Bridge City, Louisiana, just across the Huey P. Long Bridge from New Orleans in Jefferson Parish. It operates in tandem with the neighboring parish of Our Lady of Prompt Succor in Westwego, sharing clergy, staff, and a joint parish mission that calls its members 'diverse yet united through Baptism.' Today HGA worships in English and Spanish, reaching a multicultural working-class community on the river. The mission is best known locally as the founding sponsor of the Bridge City Gumbo Festival, which in 1973 earned Bridge City the title 'Gumbo Capital of the World.'
- Patron
- Holy Guardian Angels
- Rector
- Rev. 'Buddy' (OLPS/HGA shared pastoral leadership; full name not confirmed on public sources)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of New Orleans
Why belong here
Holy Guardian Angels welcomes visitors and newcomers into a small, multicultural Catholic family on the Westbank. The mission offers Mass in both English and Spanish each week, plus Saturday confessions, Holy Day liturgies, and shared ministries with sister parish Our Lady of Prompt Succor. Beyond the altar, parishioners come together annually for the famous Bridge City Gumbo Festival — a beloved community fundraiser that has put the little town on the map for half a century. It is a place where families, longtime locals, and bridge-and-tunnel commuters from across the Huey P. Long Bridge find a down-to-earth Catholic home.
Mass times at Holy Guardian Angels
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:00 PM to 3:45 PM
Adoration times
- Thursday: 6:30 PM (Spanish, at OLPS) followed by Adoration
- 1st Friday: 8:00 AM (Adoration and Benediction after 8:00 AM Morning Mass at OLPS)
About Holy Guardian Angels Mission
Holy Guardian Angels Mission is the Catholic faith community serving Bridge City, Louisiana, on the West Bank of Jefferson Parish just west of the Huey P. Long Bridge. The mission is administered in close partnership with Our Lady of Prompt Succor Parish in nearby Westwego, and the two communities share a common mission statement: 'diverse yet united through Baptism and empowered by the Holy Spirit, nourished by Word and Sacrament.' Worship is offered in English and Spanish, reflecting the multicultural character of the Westbank.
- Type: Catholic Mission Church (status since 2008 merger)
- Diocese: Archdiocese of New Orleans
- Shared pastoral leadership with Our Lady of Prompt Succor, Westwego
- Joint parish mission emphasizes charity, justice, and peace
History
Holy Guardian Angels grew out of the West Bank Catholic community whose original mother church was St. Joseph in Gretna. In the late twentieth century the mission was led by Reverend Monsignor J. Anthony Luminais, under whose pastorate the parish's small 1967 fundraiser grew into the Bridge City Gumbo Festival. In 2008, as part of a major archdiocesan restructuring, HGA was formally merged with Our Lady of Prompt Succor Parish; it continues today as a mission church at the same address, sharing clergy and ministries with OLPS.
- Originally under pastoral care of St. Joseph Parish, Gretna
- Msgr. J. Anthony Luminais: key 20th-century pastor
- 1967: Parishioners launch small fair to benefit HGA
- 1973: Governor Edwin Edwards proclaims Bridge City 'The Gumbo Capital of the World'
- 2008: Merged into Our Lady of Prompt Succor Parish; continues as a mission
The Bridge City Gumbo Festival
The Bridge City Gumbo Festival began in 1967 as a small parish fundraiser for Holy Guardian Angels Catholic Church and has since become one of Westbank Louisiana's signature events. Held annually at the foot of the Huey P. Long Bridge, the festival draws thousands with over 2,000 gallons of gumbo — both seafood and chicken-and-sausage — plus jambalaya, red beans and rice, fried seafood, and All-American favorites. Live music on stage spans swamp pop, Latin, and zydeco, and festival royalty 'Miss Creole Gumbo' and 'King Creole Gumbo' travel the state promoting the event. The festival remains parish-sponsored to this day.
- Founded 1967 by HGA parishioners
- Expanded in 1973 under Msgr. J. Anthony Luminais
- Designated 'Gumbo Capital of the World' by Governor Edwin Edwards in 1973
- Over 2,000 gallons of gumbo served annually
- All gumbo cooked by parishioners from home-grown recipes — no caterers
- Carnival rides, Gumbo Cooking Contest, crafts, live Louisiana music
Bilingual & Multicultural Parish Life
Holy Guardian Angels describes itself as 'a multi-cultural community of believers dedicated to worshiping our Lord and serving Him through prayer, sacrifice, and the sacraments.' Spanish-language Mass and devotions are a regular part of parish life, and the parish mission statement emphasizes living the Commandments of God and the teachings of Jesus Christ within a diverse community.
- English and Spanish Masses each week
- Spanish-language Eucharistic Adoration Thursdays
- Shared faith formation and outreach with OLPS
- App-based communication in both languages (OLPS/HGA church app)
Visiting & Contact
Holy Guardian Angels is located at 1701 Bridge City Avenue, Bridge City, Louisiana 70096, on the west side of the Huey P. Long Bridge on Highway 18W. Visitors and returning parishioners are encouraged to call ahead for any changes to the schedule. The main parish phone line for OLPS/HGA is (504) 341-9522; the direct HGA church number is (504) 436-4712.
- Address: 1701 Bridge City Ave., Bridge City, LA 70096
- Direct line: (504) 436-4712
- Main line (OLPS/HGA shared): (504) 341-9522
- Website: olpsw.org/holy-guardian-angels
- On the West Bank of Jefferson Parish, west of the Huey P. Long Bridge
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Reverend Monsignor J. Anthony Luminais
Long-serving pastor who in 1973 grew the parish's small fair into the Bridge City Gumbo Festival, earning the town its 'Gumbo Capital of the World' designation from Governor Edwin Edwards.