About Our Lady of Lourdes · Winnfield, Louisiana
Our Lady of Lourdes is a Roman Catholic parish in Winnfield, Louisiana, established in 1988 and part of the Diocese of Alexandria. The parish worships at 772 Country Club Road and is staffed by Rev. Louis Sklar as pastor, along with Deacon Lee Moreau and a team of lay directors for music, religious education, and youth ministry. The parish also serves as the home of a Hispanic ministry, offering a weekly Saturday evening Mass in Spanish, and it operates St. William Chapel in Olla, Louisiana as a mission church. It is a small but active rural parish marked by strong Eucharistic devotion, including weekly Holy Hours of adoration and traditional Lenten Stations of the Cross.
- Established
- 1988
- Patron
- Our Lady of Lourdes
- Rector
- Rev. Louis Sklar
- Diocese
- Diocese of Alexandria (Louisiana)
Why belong here
Our Lady of Lourdes is a welcoming, bilingual rural parish where the Eucharist, Eucharistic adoration, and family catechesis are at the center of parish life. Worshippers can attend Mass in English most days of the week and a Saturday evening Mass in Spanish, with regular First Saturday Masses, Holy Hours of adoration, Lenten Stations of the Cross, and a vibrant religious education and youth program led by named directors. As the mother parish of St. William Chapel in nearby Olla, it serves Catholics across Winn Parish with strong pastoral care from Father Louis Sklar and Deacon Lee Moreau.
Mass times at Our Lady of Lourdes
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 30 minutes before all Masses
- During Holy Hours
- Any time as scheduled (by appointment)
Adoration times
- Wednesday Holy Hour 5:00 pm
- Saturday Holy Hour 6:00 pm
About Our Lady of Lourdes
Our Lady of Lourdes is a Roman Catholic parish in Winnfield, Louisiana, established in 1988 and entrusted to the Diocese of Alexandria. The parish sits on Country Club Road on the south side of town near the Winn Parish Fairgrounds, west of LA-34, and serves Catholic families across Winn Parish. The community is bilingual, with regular Mass celebrated in English on most days and a weekly Saturday Vigil Mass in Spanish for the Hispanic community.
- Established 1988
- Diocese of Alexandria
- Address: 772 Country Club Road, Winnfield, LA 71483
- Mailing: PO Box 1412, Winnfield, LA 71483-1412
Clergy and Staff
The parish is led by Father Louis Sklar as pastor, with Deacon Lee Moreau assisting at Mass and preaching. The parish also has a named Music Director, Religious Education Director, and Youth Director who coordinate the parish's liturgical and catechetical life. Staff assignments are published by the Diocese of Alexandria.
- Rev. Louis Sklar — Pastor
- Deacon Lee Moreau — Deacon
- Katherine Daughtry — Music Director
- Laure Derr — Religious Education Director
- Vickie Weeks — Youth Director
Pastoral Succession
Bishop Robert Marshall appointed Father Louis Sklar as Pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes, Winnfield, and its mission St. William Chapel, Olla, effective July 1, 2023. Father Sklar had previously served as Pastor of St. Peter Church, Bordelonville and St. Michael Church, Rexmere. He succeeded Father Wade DeCoste, who had earlier served the Winnfield parish and who, in 2020, was recognized when the parish's Quiz Bowl team swept the diocesan competition.
- Rev. Wade DeCoste — pastor prior to July 2023
- Rev. Louis Sklar — appointed July 1, 2023; still serving
Devotions
The parish keeps several traditional Catholic devotions on its calendar, including a monthly First Saturday Mass, Lenten Stations of the Cross each Friday, and an annual May Crowning of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
- First Saturday Mass — 8:00 am
- Stations of the Cross — Fridays 5:30 pm during Lent
- May Crowning — annual Marian celebration
Religious Education and Youth
Faith formation for children and youth is coordinated by Religious Education Director Laure Derr and Youth Director Vickie Weeks. The parish prepares children annually for First Communion and Confirmation, the latter typically celebrated by the Bishop of Alexandria during his visitation. Our Lady of Lourdes has also fielded a competitive team for the Diocesan Catechetical Quiz Bowl, taking first and second place at the 2020 competition coached by Tracy Kelley with assistance from Laure Derr, Maria Guerrero, and Christin Page.
- Religious Education (catechism classes)
- First Communion preparation (annual)
- Confirmation preparation (annual, with Bishop Marshall)
- Youth Ministry
- Diocesan Catechetical Quiz Bowl team
Music and Liturgy
Liturgical music is led by Music Director Katherine Daughtry. The parish publishes weekly homilies online from Father Louis Sklar and Deacon Lee Moreau, providing parishioners and visitors with the readings and reflections from recent Sundays.
- Music Director: Katherine Daughtry
- Weekly homilies posted online (Father Louis and Deacon Lee)
Hispanic / Spanish-Language Ministry
Our Lady of Lourdes maintains a Spanish-language Mass every Saturday evening at 7:00 pm for the growing Hispanic Catholic community in and around Winnfield, reflecting the bilingual character of the parish within the Diocese of Alexandria.
- Spanish Mass: Saturday 7:00 pm
Mission: St. William Chapel, Olla
The parish shepherds St. William Chapel in Olla, Louisiana as a mission church, providing Sunday Mass and Holy Day services to Catholics in the smaller Olla community. St. William is located at 4580 Main St., Olla, with a mailing address of P.O. Box 1232, Olla, LA 71465.
- St. William Chapel — 4580 Main St., Olla, LA
- Sunday Mass: 8:00 am
- Holy Days: Vigil Mass 6:00 pm the evening before
- Confession: 30 minutes before Masses
Parish Life and Anniversaries
Beyond the sacraments, Our Lady of Lourdes celebrates milestones with the wider diocese. In May 2025 Bishop Marshall confirmed sixteen youth and adult disciples at the parish; the parish also marked First Communion Sunday, an annual May Crowning of the Blessed Mother, and a Senior Sunday honoring graduates of Holy Savior Menard High School with Father Louis Sklar and Deacon Lee Moreau.
- Confirmation with Bishop Marshall (2023, 2025)
- First Communion class
- May Crowning
- Holy Savior Menard Senior Sunday
Visiting and Contact
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office at (318) 628-2561. Office hours are published by the diocese as Monday through Thursday mornings (Mon/Wed/Fri 8:00 am to 12:00 pm). The parish is located on the south side of Winnfield, west of LA-34 at the Winn Parish Fairgrounds.
- Phone: 318-628-2561
- Office Hours: Mon/Wed/Fri 8:00 am – 12:00 pm
- Location: West of LA-34 at Winn Parish Fairgrounds
- Mailing: PO Box 1412, Winnfield, LA 71483-1412
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Wade DeCostePrior to July 2023
Former pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes, Winnfield; presided over Diocesan Quiz Bowl team awards in 2020.
- Rev. Louis Sklar2023–present
Appointed Pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes, Winnfield and St. William Chapel, Olla by Bishop Robert Marshall effective July 1, 2023.