About Our Lady of the Angels · Waggaman, Louisiana
Our Lady of the Angels is a Catholic parish in Waggaman, Louisiana, situated on River Road along the west bank of Jefferson Parish in the New Orleans metro area. Founded in 1946, it has long served the Catholic families of the Waggaman community as part of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. In a 2024 pastoral planning initiative by Archbishop Gregory Aymond, Our Lady of the Angels was merged with neighboring St. Bonaventure Parish in Avondale to form the new St. John Paul II Parish, effective July 1, 2024, with the 6851 River Road church retained as the primary worship site under Father Vincent Phan.
- Established
- 1946
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Angels (Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of the Angels)
- Rector
- Father Vincent Phan (pastor of merged St. John Paul II Parish since July 1, 2024, which incorporates Our Lady of the Angels)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of New Orleans
Why belong here
Our Lady of the Angels in Waggaman offers a welcoming west-bank Catholic community with a clear weekly schedule of Masses in English, daily weekday Mass in the chapel, Saturday and Sunday confession times, and Eucharistic Adoration before Thursday evening devotions. The parish runs a parish catechetical program (PCL) and OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) under the direction of Elizabeth Carmona, the parish's Director of Faith Formation, giving families and newcomers structured support for the sacraments. Joining the parish means belonging to a small, accessible River Road faith community that has carried the Catholic faith in Waggaman since 1946 and continues its ministry today as the worship site of the new St. John Paul II Parish.
Mass times at Our Lady of the Angels
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:15 PM – 3:45 PM
- Sunday: 9:45 AM – 10:15 AM
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Thursday: 5:30 PM – 6:25 PM (preceding evening devotions)
About Our Lady of the Angels Parish
Our Lady of the Angels is a Catholic parish in the unincorporated community of Waggaman on the west bank of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. Founded in 1946 and part of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, the parish has served local Catholic families for nearly 80 years from its location at 6851 River Road. In 2024, in a process led by Archbishop Gregory Aymond, the parish merged with St. Bonaventure in Avondale to form the new St. John Paul II Parish, with the Waggaman church building preserved as the primary worship site under Father Vincent Phan.
- Founded in 1946
- Part of the Archdiocese of New Orleans
- Merged on July 1, 2024 into St. John Paul II Parish
- Worship site retained at 6851 River Road, Waggaman
History and the 2024 Merger
Our Lady of the Angels was established in 1946 and earned its tax-exempt status from the IRS the same year. For decades it operated as a standalone parish within the Archdiocese of New Orleans, providing Mass, sacraments and faith formation to the families of Waggaman. In fall 2023, Archbishop Aymond announced an archdiocesan-wide pastoral planning initiative intended to match parish resources with contemporary demographic realities; Our Lady of the Angels was identified as one of eleven parishes to be merged. After months of consultation, Archbishop Aymond approved the merger of Our Lady of the Angels with St. Bonaventure in Avondale (founded 1965) to create the new St. John Paul II Parish, effective July 1, 2024, with Father Vincent Phan appointed as pastor and the 6851 River Road church designated as the permanent worship site.
- Founded 1946 (IRS tax exemption granted March 1946)
- Site of worship since founding: 6851 River Road
- Pastoral planning announced fall 2023 by Archbishop Gregory Aymond
- Merged with St. Bonaventure (Avondale) on July 1, 2024
- New name: St. John Paul II Parish; first pastor Father Vincent Phan
Parish Leadership and Staff
Day-to-day parish operations at 6851 River Road are coordinated through the parish office. Father Vincent Phan serves as the pastor of the merged St. John Paul II Parish, which keeps the Waggaman church building as its primary worship site. Jane Daigle is the parish secretary, and Elizabeth Carmona serves as the PCL (Parish Catechetical Program), Faith Formation coordinator, DRE (Director of Religious Education), and OCIA Coordinator. The parish office can be reached at (504) 436-4459 or [email protected].
- Father Vincent Phan — Pastor
- Jane Daigle — Secretary, Parish Office
- Elizabeth Carmona — PCL / Faith Formation / DRE / OCIA Coordinator
Faith Formation and OCIA
Religious education at Our Lady of the Angels is coordinated by Elizabeth Carmona, who serves as PCL (Parish Catechetical Program) coordinator, Director of Religious Education (DRE), and OCIA Coordinator. The parish prepares children and adults for the sacraments through its parish catechetical program and its Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) — the process by which unbaptized adults or those baptized in another Christian tradition enter full communion with the Catholic Church.
- Parish Catechetical Program (PCL)
- Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA)
- Director: Elizabeth Carmona
- Sacramental preparation for Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation
Sacraments
Standard Catholic sacramental preparation is offered through the parish office. Couples seeking marriage are asked to contact the office at least six months before the wedding date, in line with standard archdiocesan practice. Baptisms, First Communion and Confirmation preparation are coordinated through the PCL/OCIA programs. Reconciliation follows the published Saturday and Sunday confession schedule, with additional times available by appointment.
- Baptism
- First Communion
- Confirmation
- Matrimony (six months' notice requested)
- Anointing of the Sick
- Funeral rites
Contact, Address, and Worship Site
The parish office and worship site are at 6851 River Road, Waggaman, LA 70094. The published mailing address is Westwego, LA 70094 (the parish's USPS mailing route). Office hours and sacramental inquiries are handled through Jane Daigle, secretary, at (504) 436-4459, or by email at [email protected]. The website oloacatholicchurch.org continues to host the parish's published Mass schedule and liturgical information.
- Address: 6851 River Road, Waggaman, LA 70094 (mailing: Westwego, LA 70094)
- Phone: (504) 436-4459
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://oloacatholicchurch.org/
- Pastoral jurisdiction: Archdiocese of New Orleans
Parish Identity and Notable Facts
Our Lady of the Angels honors the Blessed Virgin Mary under her title of the Angels, reflecting the patronal devotion that gives the parish its name. It was one of eleven Archdiocese of New Orleans parishes identified for merger in the 2023–2024 pastoral planning cycle, and its 6851 River Road church is now the permanent worship site of the new St. John Paul II Parish. The IRS entity number (72-0866951) links the parish's records back to its 1946 founding.
- Patron: Our Lady of the Angels
- Founded 1946; IRS-recognized tax exemption same year (EIN 72-0866951)
- Merged July 1, 2024 into St. John Paul II Parish
- Worship site kept open at 6851 River Road under Father Vincent Phan