About Our Lady Help of Christians · Jennings, Louisiana
Our Lady Help of Christians is a Roman Catholic parish serving the Jennings, Louisiana community in Jefferson Davis Parish, in the Diocese of Lake Charles. Located at 710 State Street in North Jennings, the parish was canonically established on December 7, 1891, by Archbishop Francis Janssens of New Orleans, and today ministers to more than a thousand registered families. Worship is offered in English throughout the week, with an active Saturday vigil, three Sunday Masses, weekday morning and noon Masses, and a long-standing tradition of Catholic education through Our Lady Immaculate Catholic School.
- Established
- 1891
- Patron
- Our Lady Help of Christians (Mary, Help of Christians)
- Rector
- Very Reverend Keith Pellerin, V.F.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lake Charles
Why belong here
Our Lady Help of Christians is a long-established North Jennings parish with a clear mission to 'proclaim the Word of God in an environment of love and understanding' and to support a wide range of parish ministries staffed by both professionals and volunteers. Families find here a full sacramental life — three Sunday Masses, daily Mass six days a week, multiple weekly confession times — plus Catholic education through Our Lady Immaculate Catholic School, faith formation (CCD, Confirmation, and High School PREP), a Youth Group, and a Liturgical Coordinator supporting parish worship. It is a parish that welcomes active participation, prayer, and the use of one's God-given talents in service to the community.
Mass times at Our Lady Help of Christians
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM (or by appointment)
- Sunday: 8:15 AM – 8:45 AM
- Sunday: 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
- Tuesday: 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM
- Thursday: 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM
About Our Lady Help of Christians
Our Lady Help of Christians is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Lake Charles serving North Jennings and the surrounding Jefferson Davis Parish. According to the parish's own statement of mission, the parish 'professes faith in Jesus Christ' and seeks to 'provide a parish setting in which the family of faith may be nourished by Word and Sacrament,' proclaiming the Word of God in 'an environment of love and understanding.' Parish life is supported by both professional staff and volunteers, and the parish invites parishioners to share their 'prayers,' 'God-given talents' and 'enthusiastic participation in worship and ministry' to keep the community vibrant.
History of the Parish
Catholic settlers began arriving in Jennings in the mid-1880s and were initially served from Immaculate Conception Parish in Lake Charles. Under Father E. J. Fallon, a small wooden chapel was built in 1889 at Madison and South Main Streets. After Archbishop Francis Janssens's visit in 1890, the archbishop formally erected Our Lady Help of Christians as a parish on December 7, 1891, appointing the Rev. Cornelius van de Ven as founding pastor.
Building the Present Church (1907–1916)
Father Joseph Peeters, pastor from 1892 to 1917, designed the present church with his brother Louis on the model of Notre Dame in Paris. Parishioners and Black laborers molded concrete blocks on site over nine years of construction. The building was dedicated by Archbishop James Hubert Blenk on February 29, 1916, with interior finishing continuing through 1919.
Catholic Schools in the Parish
Father Peeters founded St. Henry Academy in 1906, inviting the Marianites of Holy Cross from New Orleans to teach. It closed during World War I. In 1958, under Msgr. Charles Marin, Our Lady Help of Christians School opened on a 10-acre Roberts Avenue site, staffed by the Teresian Sisters housed in a new convent. The school merged with Immaculate Conception School in 1969 and continues today as Our Lady Immaculate Catholic School.
- St. Henry Academy (1906–c.1918)
- Our Lady Help of Christians School (opened Sept. 2, 1958)
- Our Lady Immaculate Catholic School (consolidated 1969, current)
Daughter Parishes Founded from OLHC
As Jennings grew, Our Lady Help of Christians gave rise to three additional Catholic parishes: St. Lawrence in Hathaway (later relocated to Raymond in 1951), Immaculate Conception in South Jennings (1956), and Our Lady of Perpetual Help (1961). After these foundations, OLHC assumed its present boundaries and largely its present physical plant.
Parish Staff
The parish is served by clergy and a broad lay staff including school, faith formation, liturgy, youth, and administrative roles.
- Very Rev. Keith Pellerin, V.F. — Pastor
- Rev. Charles McMillin — Pastor (per directory snapshot)
- Rev. Jeff Starkovich — Assistant Pastor (per directory snapshot)
- Nicole Reed — Our Lady Immaculate School Principal
- Bernadine Trahan — Parish Secretary
- Debbie Hylton — Bookkeeper
- Flo McNally — CCD Coordinator
- Angie Comeaux — Confirmation Coordinator & High School PREP
- Erin Fontenot — Youth Group Director
- Anna Claire Daughenbaugh — Liturgical Coordinator
- Jimmy and Mona Richard — Housekeeping & Maintenance
Ministries and Faith Formation
Beyond the celebration of the sacraments, the parish runs an active program of religious education and youth ministry, supporting about 340 students in faith formation.
- CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) — parish-wide religious education
- Confirmation Preparation
- High School PREP
- Youth Group
- Liturgical coordination
- Parish School: Our Lady Immaculate Catholic School
Visiting and Contact
The parish welcomes visitors at its downtown Jennings campus and is easy to reach by phone or email.
- Address: 710 N. State Street, Jennings, LA 70546 (Mailing: P.O. Box 1170)
- Phone: (337) 824-0168
- Fax: (337) 824-7597
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://olhcjennings.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/olhcjennings
- Directions: From Cary Ave., north on 3rd Street, turn right; church is two blocks ahead
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Cornelius van de Ven1891–1892
Founding pastor; native of the Netherlands; later became the first Bishop of Alexandria.
- Rev. Joseph Peeters1892–1917
Native of Belgium; designed and built the present church in the style of Notre Dame in Paris; built St. Henry Academy in 1906.
- Rev. Louis Espitalier1917–1926
- Rev. George Mollo1926–1929
- Rev. Laurence Fournet1929–1948
- Msgr. A. L. Soulier1948–1956
Oversaw establishment of St. Lawrence Parish (Hathaway, later Raymond) and Immaculate Conception Parish in South Jennings.
- Msgr. Charles Marin1956–1970
Built Our Lady Help of Christians Elementary School on Roberts Avenue and the convent for the Teresian Sisters; oversaw founding of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in 1961.
- Msgr. Ivan Arceneaux1970–1973
- Rev. Fernand Gouaux1973–1976
- Rev. Ronald Groth (and associates)from 1976
Succession continued with Msgr. Vincent, Msgr. Ita, V.G., and Msgr. James Gaddy (by 1999).
- Msgr. James Gaddyby 1999
Pastor at time of the published parish history; oversaw renovation of the church.