About Little Flower of Jesus · Monroe, Louisiana
Little Flower of Jesus Catholic Church is a historically Black Catholic parish in Monroe, Louisiana, founded in 1940 under the patronage of St. Thérèse of Lisieux ("The Little Flower of Jesus"). From its first Mass in a small frame church on 18th Street, the parish grew into a thriving Franciscan mission with a school that once served more than 550 students in grades K–12. Today the parish is part of the Diocese of Shreveport (Eastern Deanery), served by the Franciscan friars (Order of Friars Minor – OFM) and staffed by a devoted team of lay ministers, and continues its ministry through Sunday Mass, weekday worship with Eucharistic Adoration, religious education for K–12 students, and the Little Flower Academy Early Childhood Development Center.
- Established
- 1940
- Patron
- St. Thérèse of Lisieux (the "Little Flower of Jesus")
- Rector
- Fr. Adrian Fischer, OFM
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Shreveport (Eastern Deanery)
Why belong here
Little Flower of Jesus is a small, warm Franciscan parish with deep roots in Monroe's Black Catholic community and more than 80 years of history. Worship here is joyful and musical, with a weekly schedule that includes Wednesday Mass with Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction, Saturday Vigil, and Sunday Mass, plus a full Religious Education program for K–12 students and a thriving Little Flower Academy Early Childhood Development Center. The parish is led by Fr. Adrian Fischer, OFM – himself a son of the parish's lineage of Franciscan friars – together with Deacon Verdine Williams and dedicated lay ministers, and is strengthened by the Knights of Peter Claver, KPC Ladies Auxiliary Court #160, a Pastoral Council, and a parish choir, making it a true spiritual home for anyone seeking a close-knit Catholic community in northeast Louisiana.
Mass times at Little Flower of Jesus
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:15 PM
Adoration times
- Wednesday 5:00 PM (Benediction after 4 PM Mass)
Our History
From its first Mass on Feb. 11, 1940 in a small frame church on 18th Street, Little Flower of Jesus has grown into one of the most historically significant Black Catholic parishes in northeast Louisiana. The parish and its school were shepherded by the Franciscan Friars (OFM) and the Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, withstood a 1942 fire and a 1944 tornado, and built its present campus on South 16th Street in the late 1950s. Bishop Charles P. Greco dedicated the current church in September 1965; the high school division later closed in 1968 and the grade school in 1998, but the preschool continued as the Little Flower Academy Early Childhood Development Center.
- Feb 11, 1940 – First Mass celebrated by Fr. Anselm Reckamp, OFM in a frame church on 18th St.
- Sept 29, 1941 – Four Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help open Little Flower School with 110 students.
- Summer 1945 – Fr. Clement Martin, OFM begins a nine-year pastorate; high school division opens.
- Sept 1958 – Sisters' Convent completed on the new 16th Street campus.
- Sept 1965 – Bishop Charles P. Greco dedicates the present church.
- 1968 – High school division closed amid school integration.
- 1998 – Grade school closes; preschool continues as LFA Early Childhood Development Center.
- Nov 2003 – Fr. Adrian Fischer, OFM assigned as Pastor.
Worship Schedule
Public Masses are celebrated on Wednesday afternoons, Saturday evening, and Sunday morning. After the Wednesday afternoon Mass, the parish gathers for Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction. The Saturday Vigil is preceded by the Sacrament of Reconciliation at 3:15 PM.
- Wednesday – 4:00 PM Mass followed by Adoration and Benediction
- Saturday Vigil – 4:00 PM
- Sunday – 9:00 AM
- Reconciliation – Saturday 3:15 PM
- Language: English
Parish Staff and Pastoral Team
Little Flower of Jesus is pastored by the Order of Friars Minor and supported by an active staff and council leadership. The parish's own deacon, Rev. Mr. Verdine Williams, was ordained for the Diocese of Shreveport in 2005 and assigned back to his home parish.
- Fr. Adrian Fischer, OFM – Pastor
- Rev. Mr. Verdine Williams – Deacon
- Marilyn Faulkner – Secretary/Bookkeeper
- Deborah S. Marshall – Daycare Director (LFA Early Childhood Development Center)
- Dorothy Donaldson – Choir Director
- Gwendolyn F. Elliott – Webmaster
- Ricky Melancon – Pastoral Council President
- Charles Scott – Finance Council President
- Religious Education Director (parish-appointed)
Religious Education and Youth Faith Formation
Religious Education classes for K–12 students are held on Sundays from 10:15 AM – 11:30 AM, beginning in late September and running through the beginning of May. The program uses classrooms in the Little Flower Church Center (the former convent converted in 1996) and is overseen by a parish-appointed Religious Education Director.
- Grades K–12, Sunday mornings 10:15–11:30 AM
- Program year: late September through early May
- Classrooms located in the Little Flower Church Center
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)
Older children and adults who are not yet Catholic participate in the parish R.C.I.A. process. After beginning to attend Mass regularly, candidates join classes held about once a week beginning in the fall. They enter the Church at the Easter Vigil – through baptism if not previously validly baptized, or through a Profession of Faith in the Catholic Church if already baptized in another Christian denomination.
- Weekly classes beginning each fall
- Easter Vigil reception into full communion
- Profession of Faith for those already validly baptized
Little Flower Academy Early Childhood Development Center
What began as the parish school in 1941 with 110 students served by the Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help still continues today as the Little Flower Academy Early Childhood Development Center. After the grade school closed in 1998, the preschool program for three- and four-year-olds was retained and earned a four-star rating from the State of Louisiana in 2011. The center is directed by parish staff and remains a vital outreach of the parish to families across Monroe.
- Preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds
- Successor to Little Flower Academy (K–12), founded 1941
- Earned a 4-star rating from the State of Louisiana in 2011
- Daycare Director: Mrs. Deborah S. Marshall
Music and Liturgy
Music is central to worship at Little Flower of Jesus. The parish choir, directed by Mrs. Dorothy Donaldson, helps lead the congregation in the warm, demonstrative style of worship that has long characterized the parish. In interviews about his ministry, Pastor Fr. Adrian Fischer, OFM has spoken about the joy and friendliness of worship here – a style rooted in more than 45 years of his own ministry in African American Catholic communities.
- Parish Choir directed by Mrs. Dorothy Donaldson
- Weekly Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction on Wednesdays
- Reconciliation each Saturday before the Vigil Mass
Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies Auxiliary
The Knights of Peter Claver – a Black Catholic fraternal organization – and its Ladies Auxiliary have a long-standing presence in the parish. The parish hosts St. Francis Council #160 (Grand Knight Keith Jackson, Sr.) and Ladies Auxiliary Court #160 (Grand Lady Gina White). These organizations support the parish through fellowship, service, and outreach.
- St. Francis Council #160, Grand Knight Keith Jackson, Sr.
- Ladies Auxiliary Court #160, Grand Lady Gina White
Pastoral Council and Finance Council
Lay leadership at Little Flower of Jesus includes the Parish Pastoral Council, which helps guide the life and mission of the parish, and the Finance Council, which oversees the parish's temporal affairs. Both councils draw from the parish's active lay ministers.
- Pastoral Council President: Ricky Melancon
- Finance Council President: Charles Scott
Visiting and Contact
Parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed at the historic campus on South 16th Street in Monroe. The parish office is open during normal weekday hours and can be reached by phone for inquiries, Mass intentions, sacramental preparation, or to share comments and updates via the website's contact form.
- Address: 600 South 16th Street, Monroe, LA 71201
- Phone: (318) 322-1224
- Website: http://www.littleflowercatholicchurch.org/
- Office Hours (per Diocese of Shreveport listing): Monday–Friday 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Anselm Reckamp, OFM1940
Celebrated the first Mass on Feb. 11, 1940 in the small frame church on 18th Street.
- Fr. Patrick O'Brien, OFM1944
Assigned as Assistant Pastor; also coached basketball at the school.
- Fr. Clement Martin, OFM1945–1954 (approximately, 9-year pastorate)
Began the high school division; student body reached 554 in 1952.
- Fr. Ardwin Hiller, OFM1954–
Began the move to the new campus on 16th Street.
- Fr. John Eaton1990s
Served as both Pastor and Principal.
- Fr. Carroll Mizicko, OFM1994–2002
Arrived June 1994 with Sr. Dolores Sanchez as a Ministry Team to develop a parish vision; completed his ministry July 2002.
- Fr. J Derran Combs, OFM2002–2003
African American friar; appointed Administrator with Bro. Roch Pfeifer, OFM overseeing maintenance.
- Fr. Adrian Fischer, OFMNovember 2003–present
Present Pastor; celebrated 50th anniversary of ordination on June 22, 2025.