About Our Lady of Perpetual Help · Jennings, Louisiana
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Jennings, Louisiana, located in Jefferson Davis (Jeff Davis) Parish within the Diocese of Lake Charles. The parish serves roughly 125 registered families and is pastored by Reverend Jude Fernando, TOR (a Franciscan friar of the Third Order Regular). It offers Saturday Vigil Mass, two Sunday Masses, and weekday evening Masses Tuesday through Friday, along with a beloved Thursday Novena Mass to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Eucharistic Exposition on Fridays, and a Legion of Mary, St. Vincent de Paul Society, and active music ministry among its lay groups.
- Established
- 1961
- Patron
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help
- Rector
- Reverend Jude Fernando, TOR
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lake Charles
Why belong here
Our Lady of Perpetual Help is a close-knit Catholic family in Jennings, with about 125 registered households served by a devoted Franciscan pastor, Reverend Jude Fernando, TOR. The parish is rich in living devotional life — a weekly Thursday Novena Mass to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Friday Eucharistic Exposition, a daily Rosary, Lenten Stations of the Cross, and a Saturday Vigil and two Sunday Masses — together with active lay groups such as the Knights and Ladies of Peter Claver, Legion of Mary, St. Vincent de Paul Society, and a parish music ministry. It is a parish where, in the words of its longtime members, 'We have come this far by faith.'
Mass times at Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Weekdays — one hour before each weekday Mass (Tuesday through Friday, approximately 4:30 p.m.)
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Exposition — every Friday at 4:30 p.m. (before the 5:30 p.m. Mass)
Parish History
Our Lady of Perpetual Help grew out of a 1930s mission chapel in south Jennings that served the local Black Catholic community under Our Lady Help of Christians Parish. After passing through the care of the Holy Ghost Fathers and then the Welsh-based Josephites, the chapel was rebuilt (ground broken March 8, 1958; dedicated November 26, 1958) and in 1961 was canonically erected as a parish by Bishop Maurice Schexnayder of Lafayette, with the Rev. George Betzenhauser, SSJ, as founding pastor. Successive Josephite pastors were followed in 1983 by Franciscans (OFM Conv.), who built a parish hall, educational center, weekday chapel, office, and a St. Francis Grotto. In 1995 diocesan priests assumed pastoral care, and the parish has remained a vibrant devotional community of about 125 families.
- Mission chapel for Jennings's Black Catholic community (1930s)
- Ground broken for new chapel — March 8, 1958; dedicated November 26, 1958
- Canonically established as a parish — 1961 by Bishop Maurice Schexnayder
- Josephite era (Society of St. Joseph), 1941–1983
- Franciscan era (Order of Friars Minor Conventual), 1983–1995
- Diocesan era began 1995 under Rev. Albert Borel
Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently led by Reverend Jude Fernando, TOR — a Franciscan friar of the Third Order Regular — whose diocesan contact is [email protected]. The 2024–2025 Diocese of Lake Charles directory lists Ella-Dartez Williams as Coordinator of Religious Education and Safe Environment Coordinator.
- Pastor: Rev. Jude Fernando, TOR
- Coordinator of Religious Education & Safe Environment: Ella-Dartez Williams
- St. Vincent de Paul Society contact: Carolyn Barker
- Legion of Mary contact: Carol Celestine
Sacrament of Penance
Confessions are heard on weekdays one hour before each Mass (Tuesday through Friday), which works out to approximately 4:30 p.m. on those days.
- Tuesday — one hour before Mass (~4:30 p.m.)
- Wednesday — one hour before Mass (~4:30 p.m.)
- Thursday — one hour before Mass (~4:30 p.m.)
- Friday — one hour before Mass (~4:30 p.m.)
Devotions
Our Lady of Perpetual Help maintains a strong devotional life anchored by the Marian novena for which the parish is named, weekly Eucharistic Exposition on Fridays, a daily Rosary before weekday Mass, and Lenten Stations of the Cross.
- Rosary — weekdays at 5:00 p.m.
- Eucharistic Exposition — every Friday at 4:30 p.m.
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help Novena Mass — Thursdays at 5:00 p.m. (with St. Peregrine Novena)
- Stations of the Cross — Fridays in Lent at 5:00 p.m.
Parish Ministries & Organizations
The parish is well known for the dedication of its lay faithful. Two flagship lay organizations — the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Council and Court 132 of the Knights and Ladies of Peter Claver — sponsor many parish projects. Other active groups include the Legion of Mary, St. Vincent de Paul Society, and a music ministry. The parish also runs faith formation and Safe Environment programs.
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help Council
- Knights and Ladies of Peter Claver — Court 132
- Legion of Mary (contact: Carol Celestine)
- St. Vincent de Paul Society (contact: Carolyn Barker)
- Music ministry
- Religious Education / Faith Formation
- Safe Environment program
Sacraments
The parish prepares parishioners for and celebrates the sacraments of Baptism, Marriage, and Reconciliation. Baptisms and marriages are scheduled by appointment through the parish office.
- Baptism — by appointment
- Marriage — by appointment
- Penance (Confession) — weekdays one hour before Mass
Parish Life & Festival
Beyond its liturgical and devotional life, Our Lady of Perpetual Help hosts an annual barbecue festival, a longstanding tradition that brings the parish and surrounding Jeff Davis Parish community together each year.
- Annual parish barbecue (festival)
Office Information & Location
The parish office is at 920 South Broadway Street, with a mailing address of P.O. Box 1331, Jennings, LA 70546. Office hours, per the 2024–2025 diocesan directory, are Monday and Wednesday 10:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Thursday 10:00 a.m. to noon; the office is closed Tuesday and Friday. The parish is in the East Deanery of the Diocese of Lake Charles, in Jefferson Davis (Jeff Davis) Parish.
- Address — 920 South Broadway Street, P.O. Box 1331, Jennings, LA 70546
- Office — 337-824-3182; Fax — 337-824-3186
- Email — [email protected]
- Office hours — Mon & Wed 10 a.m.–noon and 1–4 p.m.; Thu 10 a.m.–noon; closed Tue & Fri
- Civil Parish — Jefferson Davis
- Diocesan deanery — East Deanery
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. George Betzenhauser, SSJ1961
Founding pastor; had previously launched a fund drive to build the mission school as pastor of Welsh.
- Rev. Leo J. Farrell, SSJ1963
Josephite pastor.
- Rev. Charles Tobin, SSJ1964
Josephite pastor.
- Rev. John A. McShane, SSJ1967
Josephite pastor.
- Rev. Thomas J. Monahan, SSJ1967
Josephite pastor.
- Rev. Eugene McKenna, SSJ1971
Josephite pastor.
- Rev. Francis H. Fallon, SSJ1971
Josephite pastor.
- Rev. George Betzenhauser, SSJ1979
Returned for a second term as pastor.
- Rev. Reginald Kellogg, OFM Conv.1983
First Franciscan pastor; the Order took charge after the Josephites relinquished the parish.
- Rev. Kenneth Bartsch, OFM Conv.1988
Franciscan pastor; oversaw addition of parish hall, educational center, weekday chapel, and St. Francis Grotto.
- Rev. Albert Borel1995
First diocesan pastor after the Franciscans also gave up the parish due to the priest shortage.
- Rev. Peter Nkedife1996–
Administrator since August 1996; native of Nigeria, ordained 1976 (University of Lagos; Urban University, Rome). Known for celebrating an extra Tuesday Mass for the sick/shut-ins and a weekly Mass in a parishioner's home.