About Immaculate Heart of Mary · Lafayette, Louisiana
Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish located at 818 12th Street in Lafayette, Louisiana, serving the Diocese of Lafayette. The parish is historically significant as one of the earliest African-American Catholic parishes in the American South, founded in 1934 under Bishop Jules Jeanmard to provide a place of ministry for the first four African-American priests ordained in the United States. Continuing the missionary charism of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), the parish offers daily and Sunday Mass, Eucharistic adoration, the Mother of Perpetual Help Novena, Bible study, a faith formation program, youth ministry, and a robust network of parish organizations including the Knights of Peter Claver and its Ladies Auxiliary.
- Established
- 1934
- Patron
- Immaculate Heart of Mary
- Rector
- Fr. Charles Ndumbi, SVD
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana
Why belong here
Immaculate Heart of Mary offers a deeply rooted community with a remarkable Catholic heritage as one of the earliest African-American parishes in the South, served continuously by the Society of the Divine Word. Parishioners can worship at multiple daily Masses, spend time in Wednesday Holy Hour Adoration, pray the Mother of Perpetual Help Novena each Tuesday, and grow in faith through weekly Bible study. The parish runs an active faith formation program (CCD) for children, a youth ministry directed by Bridgette Mouton, a Young Adult Ministry (YAM), and a wide array of service and fraternal organizations — including the historic Knights of Peter Claver Council #76, the Ladies Auxiliary, Junior Knights, and Junior Daughters — that welcome members of all ages into the life of the parish.
Mass times at Immaculate Heart of Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:15 pm – 3:45 pm
- By appointment (call the parish office at 337-235-4618)
Adoration times
- Holy Hour Adoration: Wednesday 5:00 pm
History of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish
Immaculate Heart of Mary was born from Bishop Jules Jeanmard's bold decision to accept four African-American Divine Word Missionaries — Fathers Anthony Bourges, Maurice Rousseve, Vincent Smith, and Francis Wade — ordained at Bay St. Louis, Mississippi on May 23, 1934. Fr. Herman Palzelt, SVD, director of Holy Rosary Institute, had already laid the groundwork by building a rectory, school, and a California mission-style church, supported by donations from Mother Katharine Drexel, the de St. Aubin family, the Board of Black Missions, the SVD, and the Knights of St. Peter Claver. The first Mass was offered on December 23, 1934, and the solemn dedication took place February 10, 1935. Within five years the parish had grown to more than 2,300 souls, and in 1944 Fr. Bourges purchased adjoining property that was renovated to house five Sisters of the Holy Family, making Immaculate Heart of Mary the first southern parish to have all African-American residents in both its rectory and convent.
- Founded 1934; solemn dedication February 10, 1935
- Four founding pastors: Fr. Anthony Bourges, Fr. Maurice Rousseve, Fr. Vincent Smith, Fr. Francis Wade (SVD)
- First Mass: December 23, 1934 (Fourth Sunday of Advent)
- 1,767 parishioners by November 1935; 2,300+ within five years
- 1944: Convent for five Sisters of the Holy Family dedicated — first such parish in the South
Pastoral Staff & Parish Office
The parish is staffed by two Divine Word Missionary priests and one permanent deacon, supported by parish secretaries, a bookkeeper, a director of religious education, a youth director, and coordinators for marriage preparation and other ministries. The parish office is open Monday–Thursday 8:00 am–5:00 pm (closed for lunch 12:00 noon–1:00 pm) and Friday 8:00 am–12:00 noon.
- Pastor: Fr. Charles Ndumbi, SVD
- Associate Pastor: Fr. Obuya Benard Ong'au, SVD
- Permanent Deacon: Deacon Michael Morrison
- Parish Secretary: Jeannette Granger
- Parish Secretary: Stephanie Carmouche
- Bookkeeper: Johanna Malbrough
- Director of Religious Education: Lana Pierre
- Marriage Preparation: Deacon Michael and Elizabeth Morrison
- Youth Director: Bridgette Mouton
Faith Formation, Youth & Young Adults
Faith formation for children is provided through the parish CCD program under Director of Religious Education Lana Pierre. Bridgette Mouton directs parish youth ministry, and a Young Adult Ministry (YAM) welcomes older teens and young adults into parish life. The RCIA program, led by Deacon Mike Morrison, prepares adults for full initiation into the Catholic Church.
- Faith Formation (CCD) — Lana Pierre
- Youth Ministry — Bridgette Mouton
- Young Adult Ministry (YAM) — Michaela Mallery, Tomeka Livings, and Adoria Hankton
- RCIA — Deacon Mike Morrison
Knights of Peter Claver & Fraternal Organizations
Continuing a tradition that helped build the parish itself in the 1930s, Immaculate Heart of Mary hosts Council #76 of the Knights of Peter Claver — the largest historically African-American Catholic lay organization in the United States — together with the Ladies Auxiliary, Junior Knights (ages 7–18), and Junior Daughters. These groups render service to God and His Church, aid the sick and disabled, and promote fellowship among members.
- KPC Senior Council #76 — John Benjamin
- KPC Ladies Council #76 — Sandy Mouton
- KPC Junior Knights (First Communion required) — Joanforth Bernerd
- KPC Junior Daughters — Pamela Harkless
- Holy Family Sisters' Association — Betty Boudreaux
Liturgical & Pastoral Ministries
Volunteer ministries serve the parish at every level of the liturgy and beyond — from the altar to the hospital bedside and the homebound. Choir, lectors, and Eucharistic ministers support worship, while bereavement, homebound, and nursing-home ministries extend the parish's care into the wider community.
- Lectors — Pamela Harkless
- Altar Servers — Dorothy Nezey
- Altar Ladies — Delores Noel
- Eucharistic Ministers — Adoria Hankton
- Choir (Youth/People's) — Carl Francis
- Choir (Adult/Inspirational) — Lloyd Richard
- Liturgy Committee — Mary Elaire
- Ushers — Cedric Chaisson
- Bereavement/Hospital — Carita Walker
- Homebound Ministry
- Nursing Home Ministry — Glen Rochon
- Charismatic Prayer — Deacon Morrison
Outreach, Evangelization & Parish Life
The parish supports evangelization efforts and offers practical support for funerals, weddings, and sacramental certificates. The Decor Committee prepares the church for liturgical seasons, and the Finance Committee stewards parish resources. Mary Kennedy coordinates Evangelization outreach.
- Evangelization — Mary Kennedy
- Decor Committee — Mildred Taylor
- Finance Committee — Kim Ledet
- Marriage Services — Donna Senegal
- Parish Pastoral Council — TBD
Parish Services, Cemetery & Facilities
In addition to spiritual ministries, the parish operates practical services for members and the wider community. Mass Intentions can be requested for deceased loved ones; certificates for Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, and Marriage are available on request. The parish maintains a cemetery with a mausoleum, and its Parish Center (cafeteria and gymnasium) is available for rental.
- Mass Intentions — request at the parish office
- Sacramental Certificates (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage)
- Immaculate Heart of Mary Credit Union (founded 1942) — Carol Gaines and Shirley Auzenne, 337-593-0591
- Funeral Planning Assistance — call 337-235-4618
- Cemetery Plot / Mausoleum — contact the parish office
- Parish Center Rental (cafeteria and gymnasium) — contact the Rectory
- Offertory Envelopes — request from the parish office
Contact & Location
Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church is located at 818 12th Street in Lafayette, Louisiana. The mailing address is P.O. Box 2398, Lafayette, LA 70502. The parish office can be reached by phone at 337-235-4618 or by fax at 337-362-0277, and the office email is [email protected].
- Address: 818 12th Street, Lafayette, LA 70501
- Mailing: P.O. Box 2398, Lafayette, LA 70502
- Phone: (337) 235-4618
- Fax: (337) 362-0277
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.ihmchurchlafayette.com/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Anthony Bourges, SVD1934–
One of the four Divine Word Missionaries who founded the parish; led the 1944 purchase of the property that became the Sisters of the Holy Family convent.
- Fr. Herman Palzelt, SVD1934–1935
Director of Holy Rosary Institute; built the rectory, school, and California mission-style church before the founding priests arrived; delayed the solemn dedication to February 10, 1935 (his 25th priestly anniversary).
- Fr. Charles Ndumbi, SVD
Current pastor.