About Our Lady of Perpetual Help · Delray Beach, Florida
Our Lady of Perpetual Help is a Roman Catholic mission church in Delray Beach, Florida, and the first Haitian Catholic church in the United States, inaugurated in December 1987 to serve the growing Haitian community in southern Palm Beach County. It belongs to the Diocese of Palm Beach and is entrusted to the Scalabrinian Fathers (Missionaries of St. Charles Borromeo), a congregation that specializes in pastoral care of migrants and refugees. Most Masses are celebrated in Haitian Creole, and the parish is known for its vibrant liturgical life, more than 20 ministries and apostolic groups, and a strong tradition of community service anchored in Haitian devotional and cultural heritage.
- Established
- 1987
- Patron
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Notre Dame du Perpétuel Secours)
- Rector
- Rev. Roland Desormeaux, C.S. (Scalabrinian)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Palm Beach
Why belong here
Our Lady of Perpetual Help is the spiritual home of one of the largest Haitian Catholic communities in the country, where worship in Haitian Creole is celebrated with extraordinary devotion, music, and warmth. With more than 20 active ministries — including God's Seekers youth group, the Corale Notre Dame choir, Action Fraternelle, Eucharistic Ministers, the Magnificat prayer group, the Charismatic group, and regional associations like Gonaïves, Léogâne, Bainet and Thomazeau — the parish offers a meaningful way to belong, grow in faith, and serve neighbors across south Palm Beach County.
Mass times at Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday 7:30 AM – 8:00 AM (First Friday of the month)
Adoration times
- Friday 7:00 AM – 7:30 PM (First Friday of the month)
History of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Our Lady of Perpetual Help traces its beginnings to the late 1970s, when a vibrant Haitian community began to take root in southern Palm Beach County. By the late 1980s, thousands of Haitian natives had made Delray Beach their home, yet they had no Catholic church of their own. Father Thomas Wensky — later Archbishop of Miami — learned Haitian Creole and traveled extensively to minister to the faithful. In 1986 he invited the Scalabrini Fathers to send a priest, and Father Roland Desormeaux, C.S., arrived in 1987. Bishop Thomas V. Daily appointed him administrator of the newly created mission, and in December 1987 Our Lady of Perpetual Help was inaugurated as the first Catholic church in the United States exclusively devoted to the Haitian community — originally as a mission of St. Vincent Ferrer Parish in Delray Beach.
- Late 1970s — Haitian community begins settling in southern Palm Beach County
- 1986 — Father Thomas Wensky invites the Scalabrini Fathers to send a priest
- 1987 — Father Roland Desormeaux, C.S., arrives in the Palm Beaches
- December 1987 — Church inaugurated as the first Haitian Catholic church in the U.S.
- Originally a mission of St. Vincent Ferrer Parish under Father John Skehan
- 2024 — 37th anniversary celebrated at Fête de Notre Dame du Perpétuel Secours
Our Pastor — Father Roland Desormeaux, C.S.
Father Roland Desormeaux is a dedicated and compassionate Haitian Scalabrinian priest who has served the Haitian Catholic community in Delray Beach continuously since 1987. His unwavering commitment to his faith and his people has made him a beloved figure in both the church and the broader community. Over nearly four decades he has built Our Lady of Perpetual Help into a thriving parish with more than 20 ministries and a vibrant liturgical life rooted in the spiritual, cultural, and devotional traditions of the Haitian people. The diocesan pastoral visit in 2024 praised his 'devoted and fruitful ministry' and the joyful, faith-filled community he has shaped.
- Member of the Scalabrini Fathers (Missionaries of St. Charles Borromeo)
- Appointed administrator by Bishop Thomas V. Daily in 1987
- Has served as pastor/administrator continuously for nearly four decades
Parochial Vicar
Father Bernard Patrick, C.S., currently serves as parochial vicar alongside Father Desormeaux. A fellow Scalabrinian, he assists in the pastoral care of the parish.
Faith Formation & Youth
The parish places a strong emphasis on the formation and accompaniment of its young people. God's Seekers, the youth ministry founded in 1997, has been a shining beacon of faith and community for more than two decades, fostering spiritual growth and camaraderie among the youth of the church. At the 2024 pastoral visit the group was serving more than 19 young people, two of whom were preparing to attend World Youth Day in South Korea.
- God Seekers Youth Group (founded 1997)
- More than 19 active youth members (as of 2024)
- World Youth Day participation
Music & Liturgy
Liturgical music is a celebrated part of parish life. The Corale Notre Dame — a beautifully trained choir of more than 25 members — greatly enriches the mission's liturgical celebrations, which are conducted primarily in Haitian Creole and reflect the rich devotional and cultural traditions of the Haitian people.
- Corale Notre Dame choir (25+ members)
- Liturgical celebrations primarily in Haitian Creole
Outreach & Charity
Our Lady of Perpetual Help is home to more than 20 ministries and apostolic groups all actively engaged in prayer, evangelization, service, and charitable outreach. Action Fraternelle (Fraternal Action) promotes sacred Scripture study, assistance to the homebound, and missionary outreach. The parish also has a Health Ministry addressing mental and physical wellbeing needs within the community. The mission continues to look toward the future, with current development priorities including the construction of a new parish hall, installation of projection screens in the church, and programs addressing mental health needs.
- Action Fraternelle (Fraternal Action)
- Health Ministry
- Pastoral care of the homebound
- Future development: new parish hall, projection screens, mental health programs
Community Life & Regional Associations
A distinctive feature of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is its roster of regional associations that foster solidarity among Haitians according to their regions of origin. Groups such as Gonaïves, Léogâne, Bainet, Thomazeau, Port-de-Paix, and Union des Amis de Saint-Marc help members maintain ties to their home communities in Haiti. Alongside these, the Men's Club brings together fathers and other men of the community to support one another and the mission's many ministries, while the Magnificat group promotes prayer, fasting, visitation of the sick, and assistance to those in need.
- Gonaïves Association
- Léogâne Association
- Bainet Association
- Thomazeau Association
- Port-de-Paix Group
- Union des Amis de Saint-Marc
- Men's Club
- Magnificat (prayer, fasting, sick visitation)
- Komite Accueil (Welcome Committee)
- Charismatic Group
- Dévouées Mamans (Devoted Mothers)
- Cœur-Unis Fraternité
- Frères Réunis
- AFC
Service at the Altar
Servers and Eucharistic Ministers play a vital liturgical role at the mission, assisted by the Konsey Pastoral (Pastoral Council), which guides the parish's spiritual and communal life.
- Altar Servers
- Ministres Eucharistiques (Eucharistic Ministers)
- Konsey Pastoral (Pastoral Council)
Contact & Visit
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Mission is located at 510 SW 8th Avenue, Delray Beach, FL 33444, in the Diocese of Palm Beach. The parish office can be reached by phone at (561) 276-4880 (fax 561-276-7036) or by email at [email protected] / [email protected]. Visitors are warmly welcomed at Mass in Haitian Creole throughout the week.
- Address: 510 SW 8th Ave, Delray Beach, FL 33444
- Phone: (561) 276-4880
- Fax: (561) 276-7036
- Email: [email protected]
- Parish Office Email: [email protected]
- Diocese: Diocese of Palm Beach
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John Skehanpre-1987
Pastor of St. Vincent Ferrer Parish in Delray Beach, who oversaw the Haitian mission in its earliest stage.
- Rev. Roland Desormeaux, C.S.1987–present
Appointed administrator by Bishop Thomas V. Daily in 1987; Scalabrinian missionary who has served continuously for nearly four decades.