About Our Mother of Mercy · Rayne, Louisiana
The Shrine of Our Mother of Mercy is a historic Roman Catholic church in Rayne, Louisiana, in the civil parish of Acadia, founded in 1924 and continuously served by the Josephite Fathers and Brothers (Society of St. Joseph). Originally established as a mission of St. Theresa Catholic Church in Crowley for the African American Catholic community of southwest Louisiana, it became an independent parish in September 1924 under its first pastor, Father Alexis St. Onge. With school and convent funded by Saint Katharine Drexel and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, the Shrine has long been a center of faith, education, and racial justice in the region and is now officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Established
- 1924
- Patron
- Our Mother of Mercy (Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Edward J. Chiffriller, SSJ
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana
Why belong here
Belongers and visitors come to the Shrine of Our Mother of Mercy to worship in one of Louisiana's oldest historically Black Catholic parishes — founded in 1924 and continuously served by the Josephite Fathers and Brothers — and to participate in a living tradition of Black Catholic faith in Acadiana. The parish offers daily and Sunday Mass, communal Anointing of the Sick, Stations of the Cross, Bible study, youth and adult retreats, RCIA/CCD religious education (housed in the Saint Katharine Drexel Center, the former convent), a Lenten fish fry, and a wide range of lay ministries and small groups; and as a National Register of Historic Places site, it offers a tangible pilgrimage to a place of deep historical and spiritual significance.
Mass times at Our Mother of Mercy
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Before and after each Mass
- By appointment (contact Father Ed at 225-571-8233)
History of the Shrine
Our Mother of Mercy began in 1924 as a mission of St. Theresa Catholic Church in Crowley, Louisiana, established under the Josephite Fathers for the African American Catholic community of Rayne, and became an independent parish that September under its first pastor, Father Alexis St. Onge. The church building was made possible by a substantial donation from an anonymous northern benefactor, and the school that opened the same year was built with lumber salvaged from the 1922 St. Joseph's Hall, an elementary school opened for Black Catholics by Father Lerschen. The Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, founded by Mother (now Saint) Katharine Drexel, supported the school and paid the teachers' salaries.
- Founded September 1924
- Originally known as St. Louis' Catholic Church
- First pastor: Father Alexis St. Onge, SSJ
- Out-mission at Church Point became a separate parish in 1941
National Register of Historic Places
The Shrine of Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church, along with its school and convent, has been officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The designation recognizes the historical, cultural, and spiritual significance of the parish and the generations who built, worshipped, and served within its walls. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the church on Saturday, January 24, 2026, with Most Reverend J. Douglas Deshotel, Bishop of the Diocese of Lafayette, Mayor Chuck Robichaux, the Rayne Historic Preservation Commission, and State National Register personnel in attendance, followed by a reception and guided tours of the historic structures.
- Property: church, school, and convent (600 W. Jefferson Davis Avenue, Rayne, LA)
- Public ribbon-cutting: January 24, 2026
- City of Rayne's third National Register listing
Saint Katharine Drexel Center
The parish's former convent — one of the area's oldest — was formally dedicated as the Saint Katharine Drexel Center by the Rayne Historic Preservation Commission on Drexel's feast day during Women's History Month. It is named for Saint Katharine Drexel, foundress of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, who dedicated her life to serving Native American and African American communities and helped build the original Our Mother of Mercy school in 1924. The center today hosts CCD/religious education classes, the Friday Lenten fish fry for the congregation and community, and a weekly Bible study, and serves as a gathering place for parish and neighborhood life.
- Dedicated in honor of Saint Katharine Drexel
- Hosts CCD / Religious Education
- Wednesday Bible Study at 5:00 PM
- Friday Lenten fish fry
Parish School (Historical)
Our Mother of Mercy School was in existence before a separate church existed for Black Catholics in Rayne, and was staffed by lay teachers trained by the Blessed Sacrament Sisters at Xavier University in New Orleans. By 1948 it was directly under the guidance of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, with enrollment of 190 students. The school served as a center of spiritual and educational uplift for the surrounding community, with pastors and teachers visiting the one- and two-room 'garage-like shacks' of parishioners to recruit students.
- Opening enrollment (1924): 40 children
- 1928: 120 pupils, 2 lay teachers
- 1938: 256 pupils, 4 lay teachers
- 1948: 190 students, 3 Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament
- 1956: 176 pupils, 4 sisters
- 1960: 180 pupils, 4 teachers (Diocese of Lafayette Annual School Report)
Mass, Sacraments & Devotions
The Shrine of Our Mother of Mercy offers Mass six days a week. Confessions are heard before and after each Mass and by appointment. The parish also celebrates a communal Anointing of the Sick once a month on Saturday at 10:00 AM (registration required), and observes Stations of the Cross during Lent.
- Sunday Mass: 9:30 AM
- Saturday Vigil Mass: 5:00 PM
- Tuesday: 5:30 PM
- Wednesday–Friday: 7:00 AM
- Communal Anointing of the Sick: first Saturday, 10:00 AM
- Confessions: before/after each Mass and by appointment (call 225-571-8233)
Bible Study
Bible Study is held every Wednesday at 5:00 PM in the Convent (now the Saint Katharine Drexel Center). All are welcome.
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious education, including CCD classes and RCIA preparation, is coordinated through the parish and meets at the Saint Katharine Drexel Center. The Director of Religious Education, Ms. Marisha Senegal, oversees formation for children, youth, and adults preparing for the sacraments.
- Children's ministry
- Youth ministry
- Adult small groups
- Retreats and youth ministry coordination
- RCIA and CCD programs
Parish Ministries & Organizations
The Shrine of Our Mother of Mercy offers a wide range of ministries for parishioners of all ages. Historic lay organizations such as the Children of Mary Sodality, the Altar Boys Society, and the parish Choir were organized by Miss Theresa LeBlanc in 1933 and remain part of parish life. Today the parish also supports children's, youth, and adult ministries, retreats, and a Parish Council and Finance Council.
- Children of Mary Sodality
- Altar Boys Society
- Parish Choir
- Parish Council (President: Mr. Jimmy R. Wilson)
- Finance Council (President: Mr. Anthony Derouselle)
Parish Staff & Volunteers
The Shrine is served by the Society of St. Joseph (Josephites), with Father Edward Chiffriller, SSJ, as pastor. A team of lay staff and volunteers coordinates religious education, retreats and youth ministry, and parish operations.
- Pastor: Rev. Edward J. Chiffriller, SSJ
- Director of Religious Education: Ms. Marisha Senegal
- Retreats and Youth Ministry Coordinator: Ms. Marisha Senegal
- Parish Secretary: Ms. DeBorah A. Smith
- Parish Council President: Mr. Jimmy R. Wilson
- Finance Council President: Mr. Anthony Derouselle
About the Pastor — Rev. Edward J. Chiffriller, SSJ
Father Edward J. Chiffriller, SSJ, is a priest of the Society of St. Joseph (Josephites) born April 16, 1947 in Woodside, New York, who completed his early education at St. Sebastian School in Queens and was ordained in 1974. He has devoted his priesthood to serving African American communities and was elected Superior General of the Josephites in 2007, a role he held for four years. He previously served as pastor of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Baton Rouge, where he was active in the diocese's Commission on Racial Harmony Rooted in Jesus Christ. In 2024 he was welcomed into the Diocese of Lafayette at the Shrine of Our Mother of Mercy, concluding his tenure at St. Francis Xavier.
- Ordained 1974
- Superior General of the Josephites, 2007–2011
- Pastoral focus: racial harmony and African American Catholic ministry
- Arrived at Shrine of Our Mother of Mercy, 2024
Visiting & Pilgrimage
Pilgrims and visitors are welcome to worship and tour the Shrine. The historic complex — church, school, and convent — is open for scheduled Masses, the Wednesday Bible Study, monthly Anointing of the Sick, Lenten Stations of the Cross, and the Friday Lenten fish fry at the Saint Katharine Drexel Center. Guided tours and receptions have been hosted by the parish in conjunction with the Rayne Historic Preservation Commission.
- Free public access for scheduled liturgies
- Guided historic tours offered during National Register events
- On-site parking
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Alexis St. Onge, SSJ1924–
First pastor of the newly independent parish, arriving from the Josephite mission to Black Catholics at St. Joseph's diocesan church.