About Mater Dolorosa · Plaucheville, Louisiana
Mater Dolorosa Catholic Church is a historic Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana parish of the Diocese of Alexandria, serving the small Catholic community of Plaucheville and surrounding rural Avoyelles since 1879. The parish is closely tied to St. Joseph School, the longest continuously operating parish school in the diocese (founded 1899), and is known regionally for its Perpetual Reparative Adoration Chapel, weekly prayer meetings, and a monthly overnight First Friday–First Saturday Communion of Reparation Vigil that draws families consecrated to the Two Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
- Established
- 1879
- Patron
- Our Lady of Sorrows (Mater Dolorosa / Notre Dame des Sept Doleurs)
- Rector
- Rev. Martin Laird
- Diocese
- Diocese of Alexandria (Louisiana)
Why belong here
Mater Dolorosa offers the rare combination of a small-town Louisiana Catholic community with a deep devotional life: daily Mass Tuesday through Saturday, a Perpetual Reparative Adoration Chapel running four days a week, weekday Eucharistic Adoration during the school year, the monthly overnight First Friday–First Saturday Communion of Reparation Vigil with the Alliance of the Two Hearts, and a parish school (St. Joseph, Pre-K through 12) that has served Avoyelles families continuously since 1899. Families looking for traditional Catholic faith, Eucharistic devotion, and a tight-knit rural parish where their children can be educated from Pre-K through high school will find a long-established home here.
Mass times at Mater Dolorosa
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:45 PM – 4:15 PM
- Sunday: 8:15 AM – 8:45 AM (also reported 8:15–8:50 by diocese)
- By request
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration: every Wednesday during the school year, 8:00 AM – 2:45 PM
- Perpetual Reparative Adoration: Monday morning through Thursday night in the Adoration Chapel
About Mater Dolorosa Catholic Church
Mater Dolorosa Catholic Church is the historic Catholic parish of Plaucheville, Louisiana, in the rural Avoyelles deanery of the Diocese of Alexandria. Established in 1879 and named for Our Lady of Seven Sorrows (Mater Dolorosa), it serves a small but deeply devoted Catholic community centered on Highway 107 South. The parish is paired with St. Joseph School (Pre-K through 12), making it a center of both liturgical and educational life in the area. Mater Dolorosa also currently hosts the Sunday Mass for the nearby Immaculate Conception mission in Dupont while repairs are completed there.
History of the Parish
The parish traces its origins to an 1872 mission chapel on Bayou Choupique, built by Fr. Paul Simon from Moreauville and dedicated to the Assumption. Bishop Martin consecrated a bell for the chapel in 1873, and the church was moved to Couvillionville in 1874. In 1876 Fr. Dicharry, diocesan administrator, renamed the chapel 'Notre Dame des Sept Doleurs' — Mater Dolorosa. The church was relocated again to Plaucheville in 1878–1879 and Fr. Julien Gallop was appointed its first pastor. A second church was completed in 1898, and in 1899 Fr. J. B. Limague founded St. Joseph's School with the Sisters of Divine Providence.
Church Buildings and Architecture
The third (1924) church, built under Fr. Francis Van Haver with its carved Gothic high altar, survived the devastating 1927 Avoyelles flood. The present brick church was erected in 1964 under Msgr. Marcel Anderson, who incorporated the high altar and statues from the previous structure to maintain visual continuity with the parish's Catholic heritage. Msgr. Anderson also oversaw construction of a new rectory before his 1986 retirement. A perpetual adoration chapel was added to the rear of the church in 2000 by Fr. Craig Scott.
Knights of Columbus Council #2142
Fr. Francis Van Haver was instrumental in establishing the local Knights of Columbus Council in Plaucheville, formally organized on June 4, 1920, with J. A. Dufour as the first Grand Knight. The council remains an active fraternal and parish presence.
First Friday – First Saturday Communion of Reparation Vigil
Each month, families consecrated to the Two Hearts of Jesus and Mary gather at the church with their parish priest for an overnight vigil that begins at 7:00 PM Friday with the Rosary and Confessions. The vigil continues with First Friday Mass at 8:00 PM, Adoration, the Nine Offices of the Sacred Heart (composed by St. Claude de la Colombiere), additional Rosaries, and concludes with First Saturday Mass after midnight — fulfilling the Church-approved First Friday and First Saturday devotions together as a single reparation offering.
- Begins: 7:00 PM Friday (Rosary and Confessions)
- First Friday Mass: 8:00 PM
- Adoration and Nine Offices of the Sacred Heart
- Ends: First Saturday Mass at 12:00 AM (midnight)
- No 8:00 AM Mass on First Saturdays
Other Devotions and Prayer Life
Beyond the monthly reparation vigil, Mater Dolorosa maintains a steady weekly devotional rhythm rooted in traditional Catholic practice.
- Weekly Prayer Meeting: Mondays at 6:30 PM in the Church
- Weekday Rosary: 12:00 noon
- Divine Mercy Sunday: 3:00 PM
- Stations of the Cross: Fridays at 5:30 PM during Lent
- Home Enthronements to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (contact parish office)
Alliance of the Two Hearts / Alliance of the Holy Family International (AHFI)
Formed in 1990, the Alliance of the Holy Family International promotes the Alliance of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary as a way of life built on four pillars summarized by the acronym CARE: Confession, Adoration, Rosary, and the Eucharist. Mater Dolorosa hosts one of the movement's active monthly Communion of Reparation Vigils, including the Home Enthronement rite by which families consecrate their homes to Jesus as King and Mary as Queen.
- CARE pillars: Confession, Adoration, Rosary, Eucharist
- Home Enthronement rite (~1 hour; arranged through the parish office)
- Monthly First Friday–First Saturday Vigil in church
- Nine Offices of the Sacred Heart (St. Claude de la Colombiere)
St. Joseph School
St. Joseph School is the parish school of Mater Dolorosa, founded in 1899 by Fr. J. B. Limagne as a branch of St. Joseph's School of Marksville and staffed originally by the Sisters of Divine Providence. It is one of the oldest continuously operating parish schools in the Diocese of Alexandria. Marianites of Holy Cross, along with the Brothers of the Holy Eucharist, served as a religious presence at the school for many years. The school marked its 100th anniversary in 1999 under Fr. Stephen Scott Chemino and its 120th anniversary recently, continuing to serve Avoyelles families today.
- Grades: Pre-K3 through 12th
- Address: 3406 Hwy 107 South, Plaucheville, LA 71362
- Mailing: P.O. Box 59, Plaucheville, LA 71362-0059
- Phone: (318) 922-3401
- Fax: (318) 922-3776
- Website: www.sjsplaucheville.org
- Principal: Rhiannon Moreau
- Assistant Principal: Clay Russell
- Secretary: Christie Leonards
- President: Blaine Dauzat
Parish Ministries and Organizations
Mater Dolorosa supports a range of parish and fraternal organizations that animate the liturgical, devotional, and community life of the parish.
- Altar Society (President: Samantha Dupuy)
- Knights of Columbus Council #2142
- Alliance of the Two Hearts (AHFI) — Communion of Reparation
- Home Enthronement teams
- First Friday–First Saturday Vigil ministry
- Adoration Chapel ministry (Monday morning – Thursday night)
Visiting, Office Hours, and Contact
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office during published hours or by appointment for sacraments, Mass intentions, school inquiries, or scheduling a Home Enthronement.
- Office hours: Tuesday–Friday, 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM (closed for lunch 12:00–1:00 PM)
- Office closed Mondays
- Phone: (318) 922-3131
- Fax: (318) 922-3664
- Email: [email protected]
- Pastor email: [email protected]
- Website: www.materdolorosaplaucheville.com
Related: Immaculate Conception Church (Dupont)
Immaculate Conception Church in Dupont, also established within the Avoyelles deanery and pastored from Mater Dolorosa, currently shares in the liturgical life of the parish while its own building is undergoing repairs. Its Sunday Mass is celebrated at Mater Dolorosa at 11:00 AM, and parishioners are welcome to share in Mater Dolorosa's devotional life in the meantime.
- Sunday Mass at Mater Dolorosa: 11:00 AM
- Pastored by Rev. Martin Laird with Rev. Paul Kunnumpuram, M.S.F.S.
- Secretary: Cynthia Dixon
- Office temporarily operated from Mater Dolorosa
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Paul Simon1872
Pastor of Moreauville church who began construction of the small mission chapel on Bayou Choupique dedicated to the Assumption.
- Fr. Dicharry1876
Diocesan administrator who signed the decree renaming the chapel 'Notre Dame des Sept Doleurs' (Mater Dolorosa).
- Fr. Julien Gallop1878–1879
First pastor appointed when the church was moved to Plaucheville.
- Fr. J. B. Limagne1899
Established a branch of St. Joseph's School of Marksville in Plaucheville and invited the Sisters of Divine Providence to staff it.
- Fr. Francis Van Haver1920s
Directed construction of the 1924 church (carved Gothic high altar, survived the 1927 flood); also established Knights of Columbus Council #2142 on June 4, 1920.
- Msgr. Marcel Anderson1964–1986
Oversaw construction of the current brick church (1964) and a new rectory; retired in 1986.
- Fr. Stephen Scott Chemino1999
Led the 100th anniversary celebration of St. Joseph's School in 1999.
- Fr. Craig Scott2000
Added the perpetual adoration chapel to the rear of the church.