About Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic Church · Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi
Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, established in 1847 by Bishop J.J. Chanche, S.S., first Bishop of Natchez. It is the mother church of Hancock County, the third-oldest Catholic parish on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and the fifth-oldest in the state. The parish sits on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico in the Diocese of Biloxi and is led today by Fr. Michael O'Connor, with Deacon Mike Harris assisting. After being severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the parish community rebuilt with the help of thousands of volunteers from across the country.
- Established
- 1847
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Gulf (the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady of the Gulf)
- Rector
- Fr. Michael O'Connor
- Diocese
- Diocese of Biloxi
Why belong here
Our Lady of the Gulf offers a deeply rooted Catholic community on the Mississippi Gulf Coast with daily Mass, a perpetual adoration chapel open 24 hours, weekly confession, and a Catholic elementary school — Holy Trinity — on its grounds. The parish welcomes families of French and Italian heritage alongside newcomers, has stood through fires and three major hurricanes, and is now actively rebuilding its ministries, youth programs (CCD, youth ministry, adult formation) and music program. If you are looking for a historic, resilient parish that takes formation seriously and reaches out beyond its own walls, you belong here.
Mass times at Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 7:30–8:00 AM
- Sunday 10:00–10:30 AM
- Sunday 4:30–5:00 PM
- Wednesday 5:00–5:30 PM
- Saturday 4:00–5:00 PM
- By appointment — call the parish office
Adoration times
- Perpetual Adoration Chapel is open 24 hours; call the parish office for details
Welcome & Parish Identity
Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic Church describes itself as 'a community of disciples who are seeking to glorify God and work for the salvation of souls.' The parish's stated motto is 'established in 1847 for the Glory of God and the Salvation of Souls (Matthew 6:20).' Tucked on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, it has served the Catholic community of Bay St. Louis for more than 170 years. The parish notes that many of its members trace their roots to France and Italy, and that Bay St. Louis still feels like 'a place apart with its Southern charm and slow pace of life; a place where neighbor is neighbor to each other and are often related to each other.'
- Established 1847 — motto: 'for the Glory of God and the Salvation of Souls (Matthew 6:20)'
- Located on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Bay St. Louis
- Welcoming message: 'you belong here'
History of the Parish
Our Lady of the Gulf is the mother church of all Catholic parishes in Hancock County, Mississippi. Founded in 1847 by Bishop J.J. Chanche, S.S. — the first Bishop of Natchez — when Fr. Louis Stanislaus Buteux received the deed for the property where the church and rectory still stand. In 1854 Fr. Buteux established both a boys' school (St. Stanislaus College, Brothers of the Sacred Heart) and a girls' school (St. Joseph's Academy, Sisters of St. Joseph). A devastating 1907 fire destroyed the original church, rectory, school and convent; the cornerstone of the present Romanesque Revival church was laid in 1908 and completed in 1926. The parish's growth spun off daughter parishes in Waveland (1919) and St. Rose de Lima (separated August 28, 1926).
- 1847 — Fr. Louis Stanislaus Buteux receives the deed; Bishop Chanche establishes the parish
- 1854 — St. Stanislaus College (boys) and St. Joseph's Academy (girls) founded
- 1907 — Fire destroys original church and school buildings
- 1908 — Cornerstone of the present church laid
- 1919 — Waveland becomes a separate parish
- 1922 — Fathers of the Divine Word arrive, establish St. Augustine Mission House
- 1926 — Church completed; St. Rose de Lima separated from OLG on August 28
- 1960 — Our Lady of the Gulf School founded under Msgr. Martin Maloney and the Sisters of St. Joseph
- 1967 — St. Joseph's Academy closes after 112 years
- 1969 — Monsignor Gregory J. Johnson becomes pastor; Hurricane Camille hits
- 1971 — Our Lady Academy (girls' high school) founded by Msgr. Johnson; Sisters of Mercy
- 1976 — OLG School becomes the interparochial Bay Catholic Elementary School
Survival Through Storms
The parish community has repeatedly been tested by Gulf hurricanes. The unnamed storm of 1947 remains vivid in the memories of older parishioners. Hurricane Camille struck in August 1969 with winds over 200 miles per hour, severely damaging the wooden rectory. On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina drove 30-foot waves ashore, washing away most of the parish's buildings and belongings. Katrina was the costliest storm in U.S. history (over $81.2 billion) and killed more than 1,836 people. The parish still rises from its ashes thanks to thousands of volunteers from around the country and the world.
- 1947 unnamed hurricane
- Hurricane Camille, August 1969 — 200+ mph winds
- Hurricane Katrina, August 29, 2005 — 30-foot storm surge
Hurricane Katrina & the Angel of Light
Following Katrina, the parish witnessed an outpouring of national support. To thank the thousands of volunteers who came to rebuild the church and the town, Our Lady of the Gulf dedicated an Angel of Light statue in front of the church. It stands as a permanent reminder that 'people came, cared, loved and helped us recover,' and that 'sacrifice and generosity was still part of the American ethos and that when in need, there is always a neighbor around, whether they live around the corner or thousands of miles away.'
- Angel of Light statue in front of the church
- Acknowledgement of national and international volunteers
- Katrina recovery page: olgchurch.net/our-katrina-experience
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is currently led by Pastor Fr. Michael O'Connor, assisted by Deacon Mike Harris. Annette E. Encrapera serves as Pastoral Associate and Music Director. Mrs. Kathleen LeBlanc is the Parish Secretary. Shelby Martin is the Director of Youth Ministry, and Alysia Ladner is on staff in youth ministry. Judy Richoux also appears on the staff page.
- Fr. Michael O'Connor — Pastor
- Deacon Mike Harris
- Annette E. Encrapera — Pastoral Associate / Music Director
- Mrs. Kathleen LeBlanc — Parish Secretary
- Shelby Martin — Director of Youth Ministry
- Alysia Ladner — Youth Ministry
- Judy Richoux
Religious Education & Faith Formation
The parish's Religious Education program — historically known as CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) — provides Catholic faith formation for children in secular schools, with classes for Kindergarten through High School. Classes meet Sundays from 9:00 AM to 10:15 AM in the Catholic Life Center, and prepare students for the sacraments of Penance, Eucharist and Confirmation. Tammie LeSage serves as the parish's Director of Religious Education (DRE); Cecilia Escobedo leads Adult Formation.
- CCD classes — Sundays 9:00–10:15 AM in the Catholic Life Center
- Grades: K through High School
- Sacramental prep: Penance, Eucharist, Confirmation
- DRE: Tammie LeSage
- Adult Formation Leader: Cecilia Escobedo
- Call the parish office (228-467-6509) to register
Youth Ministry
The parish employs a Director of Youth Ministry (Shelby Martin) with additional youth ministry staff (Alysia Ladner). Programs are aimed at engaging the parish's young people beyond CCD and sacramental prep.
- Director of Youth Ministry: Shelby Martin
- Alysia Ladner — youth ministry staff
Holy Trinity Elementary School
Holy Trinity Elementary School is located on the parish grounds. It is the direct successor of Bay Catholic Elementary School (formerly Our Lady of the Gulf School, founded in 1960 by Msgr. Martin Maloney and the Sisters of St. Joseph) and St. Clare Elementary School in Waveland. After Hurricane Katrina destroyed St. Clare's facilities and severely damaged Bay Catholic, Bishop Thomas Rodi of Biloxi recommended that the two schools amalgamate. Bay Catholic reopened on October 15, 2005, and on August 10, 2006 the merged school was renamed Holy Trinity Elementary School. The school is the setting for the Friday 8:15 AM school-year Mass.
- Formed August 10, 2006 from the merger of Bay Catholic and St. Clare Elementary
- On the parish grounds; Friday 8:15 AM school Mass held there
- Roots: OLG School (1960), Sisters of St. Joseph, Msgr. Martin Maloney
- Reopened October 15, 2005 after Katrina damage
Music & Liturgical Ministries
Annette E. Encrapera serves as both Music Director and Pastoral Associate, leading the parish's liturgical music program. The parish relies on liturgical volunteers for Mass celebrations, including altar servers, lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, and musicians.
- Music Director: Annette E. Encrapera
- Pastoral Associate: Annette E. Encrapera
Parish Communication & Online Tools
Our Lady of the Gulf uses Flocknote for parish messaging and the parish has a FORMED subscription for Catholic video, audio and study content. To join Flocknote, parishioners go to Flocknote.com, enter the parish zip code, select Our Lady of the Gulf, and register with email and cell phone number. For FORMED, parishioners sign up at formed.org/signup, select the parish, register with name and email, and follow the confirmation link.
- Flocknote — parish email/text communication
- FORMED — Catholic video, audio and study resources
- Official Facebook: facebook.com/ourladyofthegulfchurchbsl
Sacraments at Our Lady of the Gulf
The parish prepares children for the sacraments of Penance (Confession), the Eucharist (Holy Communion) and Confirmation through its CCD program. Reconciliation is offered weekly before Masses and on Saturday afternoons (see confession schedule). Other sacramental needs (Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick) are coordinated by appointment through the parish office.
- Penance — weekly scheduled times plus by appointment
- Eucharist (First Communion) — via CCD
- Confirmation — via CCD
- Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick — by appointment
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Louis Stanislaus Buteux1847–
Received the deed for the current church and rectory property in 1847 and established the parish's first schools in 1854.
- Fr. Gmelchearly 20th century
Welcomed the Fathers of the Divine Word to Bay St. Louis in 1922; oversaw the parish's growth before the fire rebuilding.
- Msgr. Martin Maloneymid-20th century
Founded Our Lady of the Gulf School in 1960 with the Sisters of St. Joseph.
- Monsignor Gregory J. Johnson1969–
Became pastor in 1969; rebuilt after Hurricane Camille, founded Our Lady Academy (girls' high school) in 1971, and built the present rectory.