About Immaculate Conception · Franklin, Louisiana
Immaculate Conception Mission is a small Roman Catholic mission chapel located in the rural community of Verdunville (Franklin), St. Mary Parish, Louisiana. It is a dependent mission of St. Jules Catholic Church in Franklin and is part of the Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana, in the heart of south Louisiana's deeply Cajun-Catholic bayou country. Today the historic chapel hosts a Sunday Mass at 9:00 AM and a Wednesday Mass at 4:30 PM, serving the faithful of the rural Verdunville community while relying on the clustered pastoral staff of St. Jules Parish.
- Established
- 1853
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (Immaculate Conception)
- Rector
- Father Trey Nelson (administrator/pastor of parent parish St. Jules, which oversees this mission)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana
Why belong here
Immaculate Conception Mission offers a small, intimate place of prayer in the heart of rural St. Mary Parish — the kind of historic Cajun-Catholic chapel where generations of one community have received every sacrament. Visitors who come for the 9:00 AM Sunday Mass or the Wednesday 4:30 PM Mass find a deeply devotional atmosphere enriched by the Lady's Altar Society's rosary in May and October, the Stations of the Cross each Friday in Lent, and the annual May Crowning of the Blessed Mother. Because the chapel belongs to the St. Jules cluster under the Diocese of Lafayette, parishioners benefit from the wider sacramental and formation life of the parent parish while preserving the simple, historic character that makes this little chapel such a cherished landmark of the Canal / Verdunville community.
Mass times at Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
History of Immaculate Conception Chapel
The chapel was founded through the 1853 land donation of Arthur Morgan Foley at the urging of Archbishop Antoine Blanc of New Orleans. A chapel was built on the Canal site in 1858 and was served by traveling priests until the arrival of the first resident pastor, Father Leo Jarysch, on June 26, 1920. The community has lovingly maintained the chapel for more than 170 years through hurricanes, clustering, and even threats of closure. The most recent 150-year celebration gathered oral histories from the oldest resident parishioners, including Lester Falterman, who shared memories of serving as an altar boy under Father Leo, singing in the Latin choir, and his 47-year devotion of biking daily to the chapel to recite the rosary and ring the Angelus bells.
- Land donated February 23, 1853, by Arthur Morgan Foley
- Chapel built 1858 in the Bayou Lafourche / 'Canal' section
- First resident pastor: Father Leo Jarysch (1920)
- 150th anniversary celebration documented community oral history
Immaculate Conception Church Resident Priests
A nearly complete succession of priests has served Immaculate Conception since before 1920. Before the first resident pastor, Father Anglais said Masses at the chapel. Father Leo Jarysch was followed in the 1920s–30s by Father Habeb and assisted by Fathers Gubler and Hughes from Pierre Part; Father John Adams served during World War II; Father Cyprien Foret arrived in 1953; Monsignor Paul Landsman served the longest tenure, around thirty years; Father Victor Messina modernized the chapel in the early 1980s; and the clustering era brought Fathers Laird, Burns, Trey Nelson (1997–present), and Associate Pastor Father Howard Adkins (2007–present).
- Fr. Leo Jarysch – 1920–1925
- Fr. Ignatius Gottfried – 1921 (filling in)
- Fr. Habeb – 1925–1930 (from Syria)
- Fr. Gubler & Fr. Hughes – Pierre Part, traveled by boat to fill in
- Fr. John Adams – 1942–1950
- Fr. Cyprien Foret – 1953–1959
- Msgr. Paul Landsman – 1950–1980 (longest tenure)
- Fr. Victor Messina – 1980–1984 (with Fr. Gregg Dompor assisting)
- Fr. Kenneth Laird – until 1986
- Fr. Gerald Burns – 1986
- Fr. Trey Nelson – 1997–present
- Fr. Howard Adkins – 2007–present (Associate Pastor)
Devotions & Annual Observances
Through the Lady's Altar Society, the chapel hosts a robust devotional life rooted in the Cajun-Catholic tradition. During May and October, the rosary is led each weekday morning in the chapel as a tribute to the Blessed Mother. On Friday afternoons during Lent, the Way of the Cross is prayed. In May, the Society hosts the annual Crowning of the Blessed Mother. These devotions are organized entirely by the Lady's Altar Society on its own initiative, independent of clustered parish schedules.
- Daily morning rosary in May and October (Lady's Altar Society)
- Way of the Cross each Friday afternoon during Lent
- Annual May Crowning of the Blessed Mother
Lady's Altar Society
The Lady's Altar Society is the historic lay organization that has kept the Immaculate Conception Chapel alive for generations. It remains active, holding monthly meetings, organizing the annual devotions to the Blessed Mother, maintaining a bereavement committee for families in time of grief, and lovingly caring for the chapel as a place of reverence and grace. It is the backbone of the chapel's community life.
- Monthly membership meetings
- Organizes rosary, May Crowning, and Lenten devotions
- Bereavement committee for families
- Long-term care and maintenance of the historic chapel
Hurricane Andrew (1992) & Rebuilding
In the summer of 1992, Hurricane Andrew's winds blew the roof off the Immaculate Conception Chapel and destroyed the altar and pulpit. Rumors circulated that the little chapel might be lost; parishioners rallied with letters and advocacy, and the church was spared. Contractors rebuilt the storm damage; a new altar was built by Henry Blanchard, Jr. in thanksgiving for his son Henry III's recovery from a severe car accident, and the pulpit was rebuilt and donated by Mr. Gaston Waguespack. The rebuilt chapel stands today as 'a wonderful piece of history' for future generations.
- Hurricane Andrew blew off the roof and destroyed the altar and pulpit
- Parishioners rallied to prevent the chapel's closure
- New altar built by Henry Blanchard, Jr. in thanksgiving for his son's recovery
- Pulpit rebuilt and donated by Mr. Gaston Waguespack
Clustering & Pastoral Care
Immaculate Conception Mission is served as part of a clustered pastoral arrangement that originally grouped it with the parishes of Napoleonville and Plattenville. Clustering was introduced under Father Kenneth Laird and continued with Father Trey Nelson and Father Howard Adkins. Because the chapel is no longer included in the regular clustered Mass schedule, daily sacramental care and coordination is handled through the parent parish, St. Jules Catholic Church, Franklin.
- Cluster grouping: Immaculate Conception (Canal/Verdunville), Napoleonville, and Plattenville
- Clustering introduced in the era of Father Kenneth Laird
- Current pastor: Father Trey Nelson (1997–present)
- Associate Pastor: Father Howard Adkins (since 2007)
Community & Visiting
Immaculate Conception Mission is a beloved landmark of the rural Verdunville (Canal) community, where parishioners have traditionally received every sacrament — baptism, first Communion, confirmation, marriage — at the little chapel. It remains a place of reverence and grace for those who seek its blessings, and it continues to anchor the historic Catholic identity of the Canal neighborhood within the wider Diocese of Lafayette.
- Located at 980 Verdunville Road, Verdunville, Louisiana (rural St. Mary Parish)
- Parishioners historically received all sacraments at the chapel
- Surrounded by a community cemetery blessed each All Saints Day
Contact & Parent Parish
Immaculate Conception Mission is administered through St. Jules Catholic Church, which shares the chapel's phone line and email address. All pastoral inquiries and sacramental coordination are handled through the St. Jules parish office.
- Parent parish: St. Jules Catholic Church, 601 Magnolia Street, Franklin, LA 70538
- Phone: (337) 828-1714
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://stjules-icm.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father AnglaisPrior to 1920
Said Masses at the chapel before the first resident priest was assigned.
- Father Leo Jarysch1920–1925
First resident pastor, appointed by Archbishop Shaw on June 26, 1920; celebrated first High Mass at the chapel.
- Father Ignatius Gottfried1921
Filled in for Father Leo, believed during Father Leo's visit to his homeland in Poland.
- Father Habeb1925–1930
A Syrian priest who stayed at the chapel with two relatives, Lily and Loly.
- Father Gubler
Resided in Pierre Part; traveled by boat to fill in for the Canal when needed.
- Father Hughes
Resided in Pierre Part; traveled by boat to fill in for the Canal when needed.
- Father John Adams1942–1950
Originally from New Orleans; lived in Pierre Part and alternated Masses between the Canal and Pierre Part.
- Louis Blanchard (lay caretaker)1945–1953
Lay caretaker who lived in the rectory during and after Father Adams's tenure.
- Father Cyprien Foret1953–1959
Mr. Blanchard moved out of the rectory when he arrived; died May 20, 1960.
- Monsignor Paul Landsman1950–1980
Longest-serving priest (~30 years); lived in Napoleonville while serving the Canal; in 1976 replaced roof and windows and added aluminum siding.
- Father Victor Messina1980–1984
Replaced cypress pews with cushioned pews, replaced tile with vinyl/carpet, painted interior and Stations of the Cross, added cry room and religious article area.
- Father Gregg Dompor
Assisted Father Messina.
- Father Kenneth LairdUntil 1986
First priest assigned during the era of parish clustering with Napoleonville and Plattenville; introduced the controversial new model.
- Father Gerald Burns1986
Sent by the bishop to replace Father Laird.
- Father Trey Nelson1997–present
Welcomed in 1997; brought new youth programs; pastor of the cluster / parent parish St. Jules overseeing this mission.
- Father Howard Adkins2007–present
Associate pastor; arrival made the three-parish clustering schedule more manageable.