About Immaculate Conception · New Orleans, Louisiana
Immaculate Conception Jesuit Church (locally known as "Jesuit Church") is a Roman Catholic parish in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, at 130 Baronne Street. Founded in 1851 by Jesuits from the Province of Lyons, France, it is staffed and served by the Society of Jesus as part of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. The present church, completed in 1930, is a near-replica of the original 1857 church designed by Fr. John Cambiaso, S.J., and is renowned for its stunning Moorish Revival architecture accented with Byzantine and Gothic elements. The parish seeks to sustain a Christian community that welcomes downtown residents, workers, visitors, and those in need, in the Ignatian spiritual tradition.
- Established
- 1851
- Patron
- Immaculate Conception (the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Fr. Anthony McGinn, S.J.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of New Orleans
Why belong here
Immaculate Conception Jesuit Church offers a downtown parish steeped in 170-plus years of Ignatian tradition, where Sunday and daily Masses are celebrated in one of the most architecturally stunning churches in the American South. Parishioners can grow in faith through RCIA, the Parish School of Religion, the Rosary Society, and a full program of liturgical and music ministries, while serving the wider community through the Ministry to the Poor, the Giving Tree, the Racial Harmony Committee, and partnership with Jesuit-sponsored outreach like the Harry Tompson Center, Good Shepherd Nativity School, and Café Reconcile. It is a place built for those who live and work downtown, those who pass through, and those who need a hand — all welcomed into a community inspired by the Gospel and the spirituality of St. Ignatius.
Mass times at Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 7:00 PM to 7:30 PM
- Monday–Friday: 11:00 AM to 11:50 AM
- Saturday: 3:15 PM to 3:50 PM
Adoration times
- Sunday: 7:00 PM to 7:30 PM (no Sunday adoration during summer months)
- 1st Friday: 8:00 AM to 11:45 AM
History of Immaculate Conception Jesuit Church
The Jesuits first came to Louisiana in 1720 as emissaries of King Louis XV, and by 1725 held a contract to serve the Indigenous peoples of the territory. Bienville himself gave them the upriver tract known as the 'Jesuit Plantation' — today's Central Business District, including the present church site. After the order's suppression and 1814 restoration, eight Jesuits arrived in New Orleans in 1837 at the request of Bishop Anthony Blanc to educate Louisiana's young men. The College of the Immaculate Conception was legally founded in 1847, the church itself in 1851, and the first Mass was offered on August 15, 1857 in Fr. John Cambiaso's Moorish design. In 1928, after the Pere Marquette Building construction fatally undermined the foundation, the church was dismantled brick by brick and rebuilt on the same spot — consecrated March 2, 1930 by Archbishop Shaw with the altar, organ, and pews of the older church carefully reused.
- 1720 – Jesuit arrives in Louisiana as emissary of King Louis XV
- 1725 – Jesuits contract with the Company of the West to care for Indigenous peoples
- 1837 – Eight Jesuits arrive in New Orleans at Bishop Blanc's request
- 1847 – College of the Immaculate Conception founded
- 1851 – Immaculate Conception parish established; land purchased for $22,000
- 1857 – First Mass celebrated in Fr. Cambiaso's original church (August 15)
- 1925–28 – Foundation damaged by Pere Marquette Building construction
- 1928 – Original church dismantled brick by brick
- 1929 – Cornerstone laid May 16
- 1930 – New church dedicated March 2 by Archbishop Shaw
Architecture
The present church is a near-duplicate of Fr. John Cambiaso's original 1850s design, built in a Neo-Venetian Gothic style with Moorish Revival, Byzantine Revival, and Gothic Revival elements. Cambiaso, a Jesuit from the Province of Lyons who had lived in Spain, chose the Moorish style to reflect an era when Muslims, Christians, and Jews coexisted in Spain — making the church itself a statement of interfaith respect. The interior features a gold-plated Lyon-made altar, the gilded 'Mary's Niche' holding a solid-marble statue of the Blessed Virgin flanked by four saint statues, cast-iron pews with Moorish tracery, fine bronze Moorish-Byzantine chandeliers, and stained-glass windows depicting Jesuit saints that are considered among the finest in America. Five devotional statues were sealed into the foundation piles at the 1929 reconstruction.
- Neo-Venetian Gothic with Moorish, Byzantine, and Gothic Revival elements
- Designed by Fr. John Cambiaso, S.J.
- 24-karat gold-plated altar handmade in Lyon, France
- 'Mary's Niche' with marble Blessed Virgin statue and four saint statues
- Cast-iron pews with Moorish tracery
- Fine bronze Moorish/Byzantine chandeliers
- Stained-glass windows of Jesuit saints
- Enormous nave height compared with other New Orleans churches
The Pilcher / Cotton Centennial Organ
Housed inside the church are remnants of the 1884 World Cotton Centennial (Louisiana Cotton Exposition) organ, originally built by Pilcher — the largest pipe organ Pilcher ever manufactured. Famously, when first played inside the exposition hall it caused the collapse of the main tent. The instrument had major renovations and additions by M.P. Moller before being given to the Jesuit Fathers; during the 1928–30 reconstruction it was moved across the street to the Fairmont Hotel. After being reinstalled in the new church it was supplemented in time by a smaller second organ and ultimately replaced by a digital organ by Phoenix, though the historic Pilcher remnants remain.
- 1884 Louisiana Cotton Exposition / World Cotton Centennial organ
- Built by Pilcher — largest the firm ever made
- Caused the collapse of the main exposition tent when first played
- Major renovations by M.P. Moller
- Housed in the Fairmont Hotel during the 1928–30 church reconstruction
- Now supplemented by a Phoenix digital organ
Sacraments
Immaculate Conception offers the full sacramental life of a Catholic parish. The Baptismal Preparation Team facilitates seminars for parents and sponsors and assists the priest with baptism details. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) accompanies adults seeking to become Catholic — candidates meet weekly as a group on Sunday evenings, directed by Fr. Anthony McGinn, S.J. (ext. 243). The parish maintains a detailed Reconciliation page and a step-by-step 'Confession Process & Requirements' guide. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion also bring the Eucharist to the homebound and hospitalized through the Homebound Ministers ministry.
- Baptism — Baptismal Preparation Team
- Reconciliation — daily and weekend schedule; process guide on the website
- Eucharist — daily Mass, Sunday Mass, and homebound visits
- RCIA — Sunday evenings; contact Fr. Anthony McGinn, S.J., ext. 243
- Anointing / Visitation — Homebound Ministers
Faith Formation Ministries
Faith-information ministries at the parish include formation for children, adults, and prospective Catholics, supported by named lay and clergy leaders.
- Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) — Fr. Anthony McGinn, S.J.
- Parish School of Religion Faculty — Veronica Davis, parish assistant
- Baptismal Preparation Team
- Vocation Promotion Team — Donald McKay
- Rosary Society — Cathy Espenan
Liturgical Ministries
The parish depends on dozens of volunteers who serve at weekday and Sunday liturgies. By delegation of the Archbishop, laypeople serve as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and Lectors, scheduled in advance. Adults and children serve as Altar Servers; Hospitality Ministers serve as greeters and ushers; the Music Ministry accompanies Mass with the church's historic and digital organs.
- Altar Servers — Deb Ordoyne
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and Lectors
- Hospitality Ministers — John Barker, Joe Taranto
- Music Ministry (organ and choir)
Christian Service and Outreach
Immaculate Conception has a long tradition of direct service to those in need, both through its own programs and through the wider network of Jesuit-sponsored works in New Orleans. The parish's own Ministry to the Poor provides direct financial assistance for food, rent, or utilities; volunteers conduct telephone intake and home visits, primarily in the Central Business District and the Lower Garden District, and assemble Thanksgiving food baskets. Bereavement Ministers support grieving families. The Giving Tree Committee coordinates annual gift-giving for Good Shepherd School and the Harry Tompson Center.
- Ministry to the Poor — Madeline Engel
- Bereavement Ministers
- Giving Tree Committee — Cathy Espenan
- Homebound Ministers
- St. Joseph Altar — annual celebration near St. Joseph's Day
Jesuit Outreach Partners
Through the parish, parishioners can support three major Jesuit-sponsored ministries for the wider New Orleans community. Good Shepherd Nativity School, opened in 2001 as part of the vision of the late Fr. Harry Tompson, S.J., provides a tuition-free Catholic education to at-risk children living below the poverty line in a year-round academic program. The Harry Tompson Center, begun in 1999, is the parish's first outreach effort and offers the homeless a place to shower, do laundry, obtain toiletries, use the restroom, make phone calls, and access legal and medical care. Reconcile New Orleans / Café Reconcile, co-founded in 2000 by the late Fr. Harry Tompson, S.J., Tim Falcon, and Craig Cuccia, has graduated over 1,000 at-risk youth ages 16–22 through culinary training and mentoring.
- Good Shepherd Nativity School (est. 2001) — tuition-free Catholic education for at-risk children
- Harry Tompson Center (begun 1999) — homeless services at St. Joseph Rebuild Center
- Café Reconcile / Reconcile New Orleans (launched 2000) — youth culinary training; 1,000+ graduates
- All co-sponsored by the Jesuits, the Vincentians, and the Presentation Sisters
Community Life
Parish community life centers on shared Sunday hospitality and ongoing formation. The Coffee and Donuts Team prepares weekly hospitality after each Sunday morning Mass, and the Racial Harmony Committee assists the parish in nurturing a diverse and respectful community. Docents lead guided tours of the church on Saturday afternoons, allowing visitors and parishioners to experience the architecture and history in depth.
- Coffee and Donuts Team — John Barker
- Racial Harmony Committee
- Docents (Saturday afternoon guided church tours) — Lynne Combe
- Pastoral Council
Administration and Finance
The Pastor is advised on financial matters by a Finance Council (appointed members) and supported by a Pastoral Council that helps plan and implement ministries and events. The St. Matthew Guild counts collections and prepares bank deposits, while Rectory Assistants provide administrative, household, and plant-upkeep functions. The parish office is open 9 AM–4 PM (504-529-1477).
- Pastor — Fr. Anthony McGinn, S.J.
- Finance Council
- Pastoral Council
- St. Matthew Guild — John Combe
- Rectory Assistants — Julie Vanderbrook
Safety and Reporting
The parish website prominently carries resources for survivors of abuse by members of the Catholic clergy or the Society of Jesus. Survivors may contact law enforcement and the Coordinator of Pastoral Support and Outreach for the Jesuits (James Appelbaum, 314-915-7168, [email protected]) or the Archdiocese of New Orleans Office of Victim's Assistance — Joey Pistorius, (504) 861-6253, [email protected]. A link to the Archdiocese's Office of Child and Youth Protection / Safe Environment is also provided.
- Jesuit outreach coordinator: James Appelbaum, 314-915-7168
- Archdiocese Victim's Assistance: Joey Pistorius, (504) 861-6253, [email protected]
- Office of Child and Youth Protection (Safe Environment) link on the website
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. John Cambiaso, S.J.1850s
Designer and builder of the original 1857 church; Jesuit from the Province of Lyons, born in Lyons to a noble family, educated at the Jesuit College there. Came to New Orleans as official representative of the Superior for the Province of Lyons.