About Our Lady of Seven Dolors · Welsh, Louisiana
Our Lady of Seven Dolors is a historic Catholic parish in the small Southwest Louisiana town of Welsh (Jefferson Davis Parish), situated in the rice-and-crawfish country of the Lake Charles Diocese. Canonically established in 1904 by Archbishop Placide Louis Chapelle of New Orleans to serve a growing Cajun Catholic population, the parish has grown from a mission chapel visited monthly by Jennings priests into a vibrant multi-community congregation that also oversees St. Joseph Church in Welsh and the St. Peter Claver Mission in Iowa. The present church, consecrated in 1951, anchors a campus that includes the Daigle Center (rebuilt in 1996), a parish school legacy, and an active liturgical and devotional life centered on Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, confession, and a Catholic heritage rooted in Southwest Louisiana's Acadian culture.
- Established
- 1904
- Patron
- Our Lady of Seven Dolors (Our Lady of Sorrows)
- Rector
- Reverend Prabhakar Kowtiki, M.O.C.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lake Charles (Most Reverend Glen John Provost, Bishop)
Why belong here
Our Lady of Seven Dolors offers a deeply rooted Catholic community in the heart of Southwest Louisiana's Acadian country, with four Sunday Masses (three on Sunday plus a Saturday Vigil), a weekday Mass every day except Monday and Saturday, and a full hour of Eucharistic Adoration every Friday before Mass. Confession is available before every Mass, and the parish's long tradition of lay ministries, religious education (through the Daigle Center), and family-friendly events like the Cajun Food and Fun Festival and the Autumn Dinner & Auction make it a warm spiritual home for families in Welsh, Elton, Roanoke, Iowa, and the surrounding Jefferson Davis Parish communities. Newcomers quickly find a stable, multigenerational parish family serving this rural stretch between Lake Charles and Jennings.
Mass times at Our Lady of Seven Dolors
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 40 minutes before all Masses (per the Diocese of Lake Charles parish page)
Adoration times
- Friday 4:00 p.m. – 5:15 p.m., preceding the 5:30 p.m. Mass
- A Chapel of Perpetual Adoration was established during the pastorate of Rev. Joseph McGrath
Parish History
Our Lady of Seven Dolors Parish was canonically established in 1904 by the Most Reverend Placide Louis Chapelle, Archbishop of New Orleans, after local Catholics had grown too numerous to remain a mission of Jennings' Our Lady Help of Christians. The first pastor, Father Francis Cools, oversaw a sprawling multi-town parish of more than ten communities. Through twelve pastors over more than a century, the congregation has kept deep roots in Southwest Louisiana's Acadian culture while continuously expanding its facilities — most notably with the 1951 church that still anchors the parish and the Daigle Center for religious education, rebuilt in 1996.
- Founded 1904 by Archbishop Placide Louis Chapelle of New Orleans
- Current (1951) church consecrated by Bishop Maurice Schexnayder of Lafayette on November 21, 1951
- Monsignor Jules O. Daigle: pastor 1930–1974, longest pastorate in SW Louisiana Catholic history
- Monsignor James Gaddy: pastor 1977, founder of the modern parish school of lay ministries and the Daigle Center
- Pastoral assignments announced by Bishop Glen John Provost of Lake Charles (current diocesan ordinary)
- Patronal feast: September 15 — the Feast of Our Lady of Seven Dolors / Our Lady of Sorrows
Clergy & Pastoral Staff
Since July 1, 2025 the parish has been served by Rev. Prabhakar Kowtiki, M.O.C., a member of the Missionaries of Compassion, who is also pastor of St. Joseph Church in Welsh and the mission of St. Peter Claver, Iowa. The parish retains a strong tradition of long pastorates — most famously Monsignor Jules O. Daigle's 43 years (1930–1974) — and includes Monsignor James Gaddy (1977–1983) among its living clergy legacy (Father Gaddy is listed among diocesan priests as retired).
- Pastor: Rev. Prabhakar Kowtiki, M.O.C. (effective July 1, 2025)
- Also serves St. Joseph, Welsh, and St. Peter Claver Mission, Iowa
- Diocese: Lake Charles, Bishop Glen John Provost
- Phone: 337-734-3446
- Email: [email protected]
Religious Education & Faith Formation
Religious education for the youth of the parish has been a continuous commitment since the 1950s. The Eucharistic Ministers of St. Dominic staffed the program from 1952 until their departure in 1974, after which a full-time director of religious education was hired. Today the parish's 'Le Centre de Père Daigle' (rebuilt and rededicated in 1996 by Bishop Jude Speyrer after a 1993 fire) houses faith-formation ministries and a Stelly conference room honoring the family who donated land for the former St. Mary Mission Chapel in Roanoke. Adult faith education has been an ongoing focus, especially during the pastorate of Father Herbert May.
- Daigle Center / Le Centre de Père Daigle (faith formation and parish offices)
- Stelly Conference Room (honors the family that donated land for the Roanoke mission chapel)
- Youth center (former convent converted in 1978)
- 22-week adult faith formation courses mentioned in parish history
- 351 students enrolled in religious education as documented in parish history
Ministries & Organizations
The parish nurtures a wide variety of lay ministries, expanded significantly under Msgr. James Gaddy (1977) and Rev. Whitney Miller (1983). Liturgical ministries support four Sunday Masses and daily prayer, while outreach is anchored by parish-wide fundraisers that double as community gatherings — the Cajun Food and Fun Festival (last weekend of April) and the Autumn Dinner and Auction (weekend nearest September 15).
- Lay ministries (liturgical and pastoral)
- Eucharistic Adoration (Friday hour + Chapel of Perpetual Adoration)
- Religious education / youth ministry
- Cajun Food and Fun Festival (last weekend of April)
- Autumn Dinner and Auction (weekend nearest Sept. 15, the parish feast day)
- Sacred music and liturgical arts
Sacraments
Pastoral care for the seven sacraments is central to the parish's identity, in continuity with Msgr. Daigle's ministry — he personally baptized, married, and buried many of Welsh's citizens over four decades. Today the Sacraments of Baptism, Marriage, and Funeral Rites are coordinated through the parish office alongside regular opportunities for Confession and the Eucharist.
- Baptism
- Marriage preparation and celebration
- Confession (40 minutes before every Mass)
- First Communion and Confirmation (via the diocese's parish-based sacramental preparation)
- Anointing of the Sick and Pastoral Care of the dying (Msgr. Daigle's historic pairing with Dr. Claude Martin to visit the sick is part of the parish tradition)
Parish Facilities
The parish campus at 209 North Adams Street includes the 1951 church (renovated in the early 1980s to its present 450-seat contemporary format with new stained glass and a day chapel), the Daigle Center for religious education, the former convent now used as a youth center, and the rectory. A 22-week adult-education meeting space and the Stelly Conference Room are part of the Daigle Center complex.
- Main church (1951; renovated 1980s)
- Day chapel (added during the 1980s renovation)
- Daigle Center / Le Centre de Père Daigle (rebuilt 1996)
- Former convent (youth center since 1978)
- Rectory and parish offices
Notable Faith Stories & Vocations
Over its 120+ year history, the parish has been a fertile ground for Catholic vocations and notable lay service. Claude Martin Jr., a parishioner, made solemn vows with the Order of St. Benedict at Covington in 1951 under the religious name Matthew, was ordained a priest in 1954, and was later elected the first Abbot of the newly-founded Monastery of Christ Crucified in Guatemala, where he served until his death in 1991. Sybil DeRouen entered the Dominican Sisters as Sister Louisa. Bonnie Landry Koehne entered the Sisters of Emmanuel in 1994 and became the first female judge of the Diocesan Matrimonial Tribunal. Over a dozen parishioners have been honored by the diocese or by the Holy See — including former Welsh mayor James P. Martin, a Knight of St. Sylvester.
- Claude Martin Jr. (Brother Matthew), O.S.B. — first Abbot of the Monastery of Christ Crucified, Guatemala
- Sybil DeRouen (Sister Louisa), Dominican Sisters
- Bonnie Landry Koehne — first female judge of the Diocesan Matrimonial Tribunal
- James P. Martin — former mayor of Welsh, Knight of St. Sylvester
- Msgr. Jules O. Daigle — first Catholic clergyman in SW Louisiana to receive the Boy Scouts' Silver Beaver
Visiting & Directions
Our Lady of Seven Dolors is located in the heart of Welsh, Louisiana, in Jefferson Davis Parish, between Lake Charles and Jennings. The church is easy to find and is centrally situated on the west side of North Adams Street between North and South Streets. The campus serves not only Welsh but also nearby communities including Elton, Roanoke, Iowa, Fenton, and Lake Arthur.
- From I-10: take South Adams Street exit and head south
- Church is on the west side of N. Adams Street between N. and S. Streets
- 209 North Adams Street, Welsh, LA 70591
- Mailing address: P.O. Box 515, Welsh, LA
- Pastor also serves St. Joseph, Welsh, and St. Peter Claver Mission, Iowa
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Francis Cools1904
First pastor; parish then included Welsh, Elton, Roanoke, Thornwell, Lowery, Bell City, Lacassine, Fenton, Pine Island, and Raymond.
- Rev. Edward Rombouts1908
- Rev. John Peter Ferret1913
- Rev. August Baudizonne1924
- Rev. Jules O. Daigle1930
Became Monsignor; 43-year pastorate (1930–1974); built the 1951 church, founded St. Joseph (1940), the St. Mary Mission in Roanoke, the convent/school; honored by the Boy Scouts with the Silver Beaver emblem.
- Msgr. Curtis Vidrine1974
- Msgr. Charles Marin1976
- Rev. Frederick O. SwensonJan.–May 1977
- Msgr. James Gaddy1977
Built the Daigle Center (1978), led the early-1980s renovation of the church, and launched the Cajun Food and Fun Festival. Later retired from active ministry.
- Rev. Whitney Miller1983
Revised and created lay ministries; emphasized youth activities.
- Rev. Joseph McGrath1991
Established the Chapel of Perpetual Adoration.
- Rev. Herbert May1994
12th pastor; rebuilt the Daigle Center (1996) after the 1993 fire; organized the annual Autumn Dinner and Auction.