About Our Lady of Mercy · Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Our Lady of Mercy is a large Roman Catholic parish in the heart of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, belonging to the Diocese of Baton Rouge. Established in 1947 from a mission church founded in 1943, it operates its own grade school (Our Lady of Mercy School on Marquette Avenue), celebrates multiple daily and Sunday Masses, and is one of the few parishes in the area that maintains Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in a dedicated chapel. The parish describes itself as 'a family of faith united in prayer, love and Catholic Tradition,' with a central Baton Rouge location that draws both parishioners and visitors for worship and fellowship.
- Established
- 1947
- Patron
- Our Lady of Mercy (Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Cleo J. Milano, S.T.L.
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge
Why belong here
Our Lady of Mercy is one of the largest diocesan communities in the Baton Rouge area, with a full slate of Sunday and daily Masses, ongoing faith formation for children and youth, and a rare gift to the wider Catholic community in the area: Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament available 24 hours a day, seven days a week in its own chapel. Worship is supported by a strong music ministry built around a large Schantz pipe organ, and the parish campus on Marquette Avenue also includes its own grade school (PreK–8) and a wedding and formation staff, making it a true hub of Catholic life in mid-city Baton Rouge.
Mass times at Our Lady of Mercy
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:00–4:00 pm
- Weekdays: 25 minutes before each Mass
Adoration times
- Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the adoration chapel, with the exception of Holy Week closures and emergency weather closures.
History of Our Lady of Mercy Parish
Our Lady of Mercy was established in 1947 from a 1943 mission (the Mother of Mercy Mission) that had been set up in a donated former nightclub near Independence Park. Under its first pastor, Father Louis E. Marionneaux, the congregation moved an Army chapel onto newly purchased land on Marquette Street in 1948, opened an all-lay-staffed elementary school in 1953, and dedicated a second church-school building in 1956 with Archbishop Rummel. The Salesian Sisters (some of whom had arrived from Cuba in 1961) administered the school until 1992. The present sanctuary was dedicated in 1975, and a separate adoration chapel was added in 1995 to support the parish's perpetual adoration program, which began in 1982.
- 1943 — Mother of Mercy Mission founded in a former nightclub near Independence Park
- 1947 — Becomes an independent parish under Father Louis E. Marionneaux
- 1948 — Surplus Army chapel moved to Marquette Street land
- 1953 — Elementary school opens with all-lay faculty
- 1956 — Second church and school dedicated by Archbishop Rummel
- 1961 — Salesian Sisters arrive from Cuba
- 1975 — Present church dedicated (50-ft vaulted ceiling, floating-roof windows)
- 1976 & 1984 — Church struck by lightning
- 1982 — Perpetual Adoration begins
- 1992 — Salesian Sisters conclude their administration of the school
- 1995 — Separate adoration chapel built
Parish Mission & Identity
On its website, Our Lady of Mercy describes itself as 'a family of faith united in prayer, love and Catholic Tradition' that is 'dedicated to spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ through evangelization, education and Christian example.' The parish frames parish life around the three pillars of Stewardship — Prayer, Ministry, and Finance — and explicitly models its communal life on the Blessed Virgin Mary, striving 'to be as faithful as the Blessed Virgin Mary and live our faith by serving God, our fellow brothers and sisters and our community.'
- Stewardship focus on Prayer, Ministry, and Finance
- Evangelization, education, and Christian example
- Modeled on the faithful service of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Clergy, Staff & Leadership
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Cleo J. Milano, S.T.L., with Rev. Joshua B. Zelden serving as Parochial Vicar (while also acting as Vocations Recruiter for the Diocese of Baton Rouge and Chaplain of St. Joseph's Academy). Three permanent deacons assist at the parish: Deacon Kirk W. Duplantis (who also serves as Formation Director), Deacon Richard H. Grant, and Deacon Mark Cloutier. A full lay staff supports parish administration, finances, fundraising, communications, reception, facilities, and maintenance.
- Rev. Cleo J. Milano, S.T.L. — Pastor
- Rev. Joshua B. Zelden — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Kirk W. Duplantis — Permanent Deacon & Formation Director
- Deacon Richard H. Grant — Permanent Deacon
- Deacon Mark Cloutier — Permanent Deacon
- Frank Ardoin — Parish Administrator
- Megan Boucvalt — Fundraising Event Director
- Lisa Cloutier — Receptionist
- Kristen Duplantis — Communication Coordinator
- Fred Gwin — Sacristan
- Lori Mouton — Membership Coordinator
- Alison Nodier — Wedding Coordinator
- Lauren Ritchey — Finance Director
- Michelle Schroeder — Director of Pastoral Services
- Tina Wall — Finance Assistant
- John Oliver — Facilities Director
- Al Mangaoil, Paul Seitz, Ervin Tolliver, Dan Hall — Maintenance
Christian Formation & Education
Faith formation at Our Lady of Mercy is led by Deacon Kirk Duplantis (Formation Director) and staffed by a Director of Family Ministry and a Director of Youth Ministry. Christian Formation covers the full span of parish life, from children's faith formation through teen and adult programs, including sacramental preparation and RCIA.
- Tori LaBelle — Director of Family Ministry
- Michaelyn McGinnis — Director of Youth Ministry
- Deacon Kirk Duplantis — Formation Director (oversight)
- RCIA and sacramental preparation available
Music & Liturgy
Music plays a central role in the liturgy at Our Lady of Mercy. The Music Director and Organist lead the parish's choirs and ensembles from a prominent organ loft adjacent to the altar, anchored by an immense Schantz pipe organ that incorporates pipes from the parish's original 1922 Hillgreen Lane Organ — a direct line between Mercy's earliest worship and today's liturgy.
- Geoff Kannenberg — Music Director
- Louis Wendt — Organist
- Schantz pipe organ incorporating pipes from the 1922 Hillgreen Lane Organ
Our Lady of Mercy School
Our Lady of Mercy School is the parish's own Catholic elementary school, located on the same Marquette Avenue campus as the church. Operated continuously since 1953, it serves students from Pre-K through 8th grade, is co-educational, and is affiliated with the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA). The Salesian Sisters administered the school from 1961 until 1992. The school's principal is Ms. Allyson LaBorde.
- 400 Marquette Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA 70806
- Lower School: (225) 924-1054
- Upper School: (225) 926-4223
- Grades Pre-K through 8 (co-educational)
- Approximately 1,000 students enrolled
- Founded 1953; Salesian Sisters 1961–1992
- Principal: Ms. Allyson LaBorde
- Affiliated with NCEA
Getting Involved & Becoming a Parishioner
The parish welcomes new parishioners and frames participation around its three pillars of Stewardship — Prayer, Ministry, and Finance. A Membership Coordinator (Lori Mouton) helps new families register, and a separate Communication Coordinator handles parish communications and outreach. The parish website points new members to resources for joining 'all phases of Stewardship,' from liturgical ministry to parish societies and fundraising events.
- New parishioner registration through the parish office
- Stewardship tracks: Prayer, Ministry, Finance
- Membership Coordinator: Lori Mouton
- Communication Coordinator: Kristen Duplantis
- Fundraising Events Director: Megan Boucvalt
Contact & Visitor Information
Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church is located at 445 Marquette Avenue in mid-city Baton Rouge and can be reached by phone at (225) 926-1883. Mass times, directions, and contact information are published on the parish website, and the parish maintains an active presence on Facebook.
- Address: 445 Marquette Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA
- Phone: (225) 926-1883
- Website: https://olomchurch.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/olomchurch/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Louis E. Marionneaux1947–
First pastor when the mission became an independent parish.