About Mary, Mother of Jesus · Woodworth, Louisiana
Mary, Mother of Jesus Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Woodworth, Louisiana, established in 2008 and serving the southern portion of Rapides Parish in the Diocese of Alexandria. Located along Highway 165 South, the parish is led by Father Paul M. LaPalme, KHS, and its stated mission is 'To live, love, forgive, and serve the needs of others in the example of Jesus Christ.' The parish explicitly welcomes everyone regardless of their current Church status, family situation, age, background, or race, and offers a full sacramental life, faith formation for children and adults, and a varied group of lay ministries.
- Established
- 2008
- Patron
- Mary, Mother of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Paul M. LaPalme, KHS
- Diocese
- Diocese of Alexandria (Louisiana)
Why belong here
Mary, Mother of Jesus is a welcoming, family-sized parish where every visitor is explicitly invited and respected regardless of background or Church status. Father Paul M. LaPalme and a small staff and lay leadership offer a complete sacramental life — three Sunday Masses plus a Saturday Vigil and weekday Masses — together with OCIA for adults, faith formation for children and youth, a music ministry, and an unusually rich set of lay ministries (Pro Life, Bereavement, Prayer Shawl, Ladies' Rosary, Second Sunday Breakfast). It is the kind of parish where people know one another by name and where prayer, hospitality, and service to the broader community of Woodworth are part of the everyday rhythm.
Mass times at Mary, Mother of Jesus
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 30 minutes before every weekend Mass (approximately 15 minutes)
About Mary, Mother of Jesus Parish
Mary, Mother of Jesus Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Woodworth, Louisiana, established in 2008 and belonging to the Diocese of Alexandria. Its stated mission is 'To live, love, forgive, and serve the needs of others in the example of Jesus Christ,' and the parish publicly proclaims that all are welcome regardless of their current status in the Church, family situation, age, background, or race. The parish is served by Father Paul M. LaPalme, KHS, and a small, committed lay and professional staff, and offers a full sacramental and devotional life along Highway 165 South.
- Founded: 2008
- Diocese: Alexandria
- Pastor: Rev. Paul M. LaPalme, KHS
- Mission: To live, love, forgive, and serve the needs of others in the example of Jesus Christ
- Address: 9323 Highway 165 South, Woodworth, LA 71485
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by its pastor and supported by a small staff handling liturgy, faith formation, and administration, along with lay coordinators for the sacraments of initiation.
- Rev. Paul M. LaPalme, KHS — Pastor
- Cindy Campbell — Secretary / Bookkeeper and Safe Environment
- Katie Upton — Director of Religious Education and Youth Ministries
- Dr. Mary DeVille, PhD — Organist / Director of Music and Adult Faith Formation; also oversees Lectors
- Angela Hawthorne — Cantor
- Collene Van Mol — First Penance / First Eucharist
- Colleen Lohman — First Penance / First Eucharist
- Brad Gadel — Confirmation Preparation
- Linda Kelly — First Penance / First Eucharist (older listing)
- Jody and Jackie Byrd — OCIA (older listing)
Sacraments
Mary, Mother of Jesus celebrates the full sacramental life of the Catholic Church, with forms and contact information for each sacrament published on the parish website. Couples preparing for marriage are asked to contact the pastor at least six months in advance, and the parish participates in the diocesan Wedding Anniversary Mass with a Papal Blessing for significant anniversaries.
- Baptism — celebrated during any weekend Mass or Sunday afternoon; contact the church office (forms available on the website)
- Reconciliation — 30 minutes before every weekend Mass
- First Penance / First Eucharist — parish-based preparation
- Confirmation — parish-based preparation
- Holy Matrimony — contact the pastor at least six months in advance
- Anointing of the Sick — contact the parish office
- OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation for Adults
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at Mary, Mother of Jesus is coordinated by the Director of Religious Education, Mrs. Katie Upton, and serves children, youth, and adults. Children and youth programs include ongoing Religious Education (with online registration), preparation for First Penance, First Eucharist, and Confirmation, the Children's Liturgy of the Word, and an annual Vacation Bible School. For adults, Dr. Mary DeVille serves as Director of Adult Faith Formation, and the parish offers the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) for those seeking full initiation into the Catholic Church.
- Religious Education (Pre-K through high school)
- First Penance / First Eucharist preparation
- Confirmation preparation
- Children's Liturgy of the Word
- Vacation Bible School (annual)
- Adult Faith Formation
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults)
Music & Liturgy
The parish's music ministry is led by Dr. Mary DeVille, who serves as Organist and Director of Music and also oversees Adult Faith Formation and the Lector ministry. Angela Hawthorne serves as Cantor. Together they support the sung liturgy at the parish's multiple weekend and weekday Masses.
- Organist / Director of Music: Dr. Mary DeVille, PhD
- Cantor: Angela Hawthorne
- Lector ministry coordinated by Dr. Mary DeVille
Parish Ministries & Organizations
A hallmark of Mary, Mother of Jesus is its active lay ministry life. Groups meet in the Church, the parish hall, and members' homes to pray, serve, and support one another and the wider community of Woodworth and central Louisiana. The parish also maintains both a Pastoral Council and a Finance Council, with named trustees, to guide its spiritual and temporal life.
- Pro Life Committee — meets third Monday of each month at 5:00 p.m.
- Second Sunday Breakfast — after the 8:00 a.m. Mass, September–June
- Bereavement Committee
- Ladies' Rosary Ministry — every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m.
- Prayer Shawl Ministry
- Pastoral Council
- Finance Council
- Parish Trustees: Bernard Patty and Gary Delaney
Devotions & Prayer Life
Beyond the regular Mass and confession schedule, the parish maintains a quiet but steady devotional life. The Ladies' Rosary Ministry gathers in the Church every Tuesday morning, Divine Mercy devotions are held after the 10:30 a.m. Mass on Divine Mercy Sunday, and the parish prays the Stations of the Cross on Fridays at 6:00 p.m. during Lent.
- Ladies' Rosary — Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m.
- Divine Mercy devotions — after 10:30 a.m. Mass on Divine Mercy Sunday
- Stations of the Cross — Fridays at 6:00 p.m. during Lent
Outreach & Charity
Several of the parish's ministries have an explicit outreach dimension, reaching beyond the parish walls into the local community of central Louisiana.
- Pro Life Committee supports a local crisis pregnancy center, nursing homes, and hospices
- Bereavement Committee provides a luncheon after a parishioner's funeral
- Prayer Shawl Ministry extends comfort to those in need, including from neighboring parishes
- Annual Diocesan Appeal participation
Giving & Parish Life
The parish offers Electronic Giving through its website and runs two annual fundraising efforts: the MMJ Capital Campaign (parish goal of $1,000,000, with 124 pledging families) and the Annual Diocesan Appeal of the Diocese of Alexandria (parish goal of $22,506 in 2025). Parishioners and newcomers are encouraged to register online at www.mmjchurch.org so the parish office can better serve their sacramental and pastoral needs.
- Electronic Giving via the parish website
- MMJ Capital Campaign
- Annual Diocesan Appeal (Diocese of Alexandria)
- Online parish registration
Office, Location & Contact
The parish office is open Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and can be reached by phone at (318) 487-9894 or by fax at (318) 445-0436. The mailing address is P.O. Box 408, Woodworth, LA 71485, and the physical address is 9323 Highway 165 South, Woodworth, LA 71485. A 'Directions to Our Parish' link is provided on the parish website.
- Phone: (318) 487-9894
- Fax: (318) 445-0436
- Office Hours: Monday–Thursday, 8:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
- Address: 9323 Highway 165 South, Woodworth, LA 71485
- Mailing: P.O. Box 408, Woodworth, LA 71485
- Website: www.mmjchurch.org