About Sacred Heart of Jesus · Lake Charles, Louisiana
Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church is a historic Black Catholic parish located at 1102 Mill Street in Lake Charles, Louisiana, serving the Diocese of Lake Charles. Founded on October 5, 1919, by Bishop Jules B. Jeanmard and entrusted to the Holy Ghost Fathers (Spiritans), the parish grew out of late-19th-century catechetical work begun at Immaculate Conception Parish for Black Catholic families. The parish is distinguished as the seedbed of two U.S. bishops — the Most Rev. Harold Perry, SVD (the first Black Catholic bishop in the United States in the 20th century) and the Most Rev. Leonard Olivier, SVD — and is closely tied to Saint Katharine Drexel, whose donations funded the church and whose Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament staffed its school. Current pastor is Rev. Joby Mathew, HGN (Heralds of Good News), installed September 3, 2022.
- Established
- 1919
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Joby Mathew, HGN
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lake Charles
Why belong here
Sacred Heart of Jesus offers a deeply rooted Catholic community with more than a century of faith, education and service in Lake Charles. Worshippers find a full schedule of weekend and daily Masses, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, a Tuesday Our Lady of Perpetual Help and St. Jude Novena, and a robust Religious Education program and RCIA team. The parish is tied to one of southwest Louisiana's oldest Catholic schools — Sacred Heart of Jesus/Blessed Katharine Drexel School — and a constellation of lay organizations (Knights of Peter Claver, Ladies of Peter Claver, Altar and Rosary Society, St. Joseph Society, Usher Boards) that make it easy to get involved, serve others and belong.
Mass times at Sacred Heart of Jesus
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 30 minutes before each weekend Mass (Saturday 4:30 p.m. and Sunday 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.)
Adoration times
- First Friday Adoration – 9:00 a.m.
- Thursday Adoration – 9:00 a.m. to noon (except the week of First Friday)
About Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish
Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church is a historic Black Catholic parish at 1102 Mill Street in Lake Charles, Louisiana, in the Diocese of Lake Charles. Founded October 5, 1919, by Bishop Jules B. Jeanmard and entrusted to the Holy Ghost Fathers, it grew from late-19th-century catechetical work at Immaculate Conception Parish for Black Catholic families. The parish is the spiritual home of Bishop Harold Perry, SVD (the first Black Catholic bishop in 20th-century America) and Bishop Leonard Olivier, SVD, and remains closely tied to Saint Katharine Drexel's legacy through its school.
- Established October 5, 1919
- Diocese of Lake Charles
- Current pastor: Rev. Joby Mathew, HGN (installed Sept. 3, 2022)
- 1102 Mill Street, Lake Charles, LA 70601
Parish History
The roots of Sacred Heart reach back to 1890, when Rev. Arthur Drossaerts began Sunday religious-education classes for Black Catholic children at Immaculate Conception Parish. His successor, Rev. Hubert Cramers, hired Eleanor Figaro as a full-time teacher in 1908. A school (the 'little red schoolhouse') was built at Louisiana Avenue and Pine Street in 1910. The parish itself was formally established in 1919 with Rev. Anthony J. Hackett, CSSp, as its first pastor; the church was built with $3,000 from Saint Katharine Drexel and $1,000 from the Holy Ghost Fathers. The present, larger church was dedicated in 1941, a gymnasium was added in 1950, and six mausoleums now complete the physical plant.
- 1890 – catechetical classes begin at Immaculate Conception for Black families
- 1908 – Eleanor Figaro arrives as first full-time teacher
- 1910 – 'little red schoolhouse' opens at Louisiana Ave. and Pine St.
- 1919 – Parish established by Bishop Jeanmard; Fr. Hackett, CSSp, first pastor
- 1941 – Present-day church dedicated by Bishop Jeanmard
- 1950 – Gymnasium added
- 1989 – Holy Ghost Fathers return parish to diocese; SVD takes over
- 1999 – SVD returns parish to diocese
- 2020 – Severe damage from Hurricanes Laura and Delta
- 2025 – FEMA obligates $4.8M toward repair and demolition
Two Bishops from One Parish
Sacred Heart of Jesus has the rare distinction of producing two U.S. Catholic bishops. The Most Rev. Harold Perry, SVD, was installed in 1966 as Auxiliary Bishop of New Orleans — the first Black Catholic bishop in the United States in the 20th century. The Most Rev. Leonard Olivier, SVD, was named Auxiliary Bishop of Washington, D.C., in 1988. Both were Lake Charles natives and Sacred Heart School alumni. In 1989 the parish honored both men: the former convent was renamed the Bishop Leonard Olivier Catechetical Center, and Sacred Heart Gym became the Bishop Harold Perry Community Center.
- Bishop Harold Perry, SVD — Auxiliary Bishop of New Orleans, 1966; first Black Catholic bishop in 20th-century U.S.
- Bishop Leonard Olivier, SVD — Auxiliary Bishop of Washington, D.C., 1988
- Bishop Olivier Catechetical Center (former convent)
- Bishop Harold Perry Community Center (gym)
Sacred Heart / Blessed Katharine Drexel School
The parish school — today called Sacred Heart of Jesus/Blessed Katharine Drexel School — serves pre-kindergarten through eighth grade and is the second oldest Catholic school in the Diocese of Lake Charles. Its origins reach to 1908, when Eleanor Figaro arrived to teach in Green's Hall on Enterprise Boulevard; in 1910 the 'little red schoolhouse' was built at Louisiana Avenue and Pine Street, and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament arrived in May 1922 to staff the school. Saint Katharine Drexel personally contributed to its buildings and visited the campus multiple times — the only Catholic saint known to have walked its halls. In 2010 the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation honored the school with a Preservation Honor Award.
- Founded 1908 — first private, parochial school for African Americans in Lake Charles
- Pre-K through 8th grade
- Staffed since 1922 by the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament (founded by St. Katharine Drexel)
- 2010 Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation Honor Award
Saint Katharine Drexel's Legacy
Saint Katharine Drexel — Philadelphia heiress who gave up her fortune to found the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament and was canonized by Pope John Paul II on October 1, 2000 — was a direct benefactress of Sacred Heart. She gave $3,000 toward the original church building, financed the convent and additional classrooms, and provided ongoing support for African-American and Native-American Catholic education across the United States, including Xavier University in New Orleans.
- $3,000 donation to the original church
- Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament staffed the school from 1922
- Multiple personal visits to the parish campus
- Canonized October 1, 2000
Devotions
Devotions are a visible part of parish life at Sacred Heart, with a weekly novena and two weekly Eucharistic adoration opportunities.
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help and St. Jude Novena — Tuesday 9:00 a.m.
- First Friday Adoration — 9:00 a.m.
- Thursday Adoration — 9:00 a.m. to noon (except the week of First Friday)
Parish Ministries & Lay Organizations
A range of lay organizations and commissions carry out the parish's mission across religious education, social outreach, evangelization and liturgical life. The parish commissions guide Religious Education, Social Justice & Community Services, Evangelization, and Worship and Spiritual Life.
- Religious Education Program
- RCIA team
- Knights of Peter Claver, Sacred Heart Council (founded 1920)
- Ladies of Peter Claver, St. Rita Court 31 (founded 1930)
- Altar and Rosary Society (founded early 1920s)
- St. Joseph Society
- Usher Boards
- Commission on Religious Education
- Commission on Social Justice & Community Services
- Commission on Evangelization
- Commission on Worship and Spiritual Life
Sacred Heart Cemetery & Mausoleums
The parish maintains six mausoleums on its grounds. The Sacred Heart Cemetery is located at 2646 Opelousas Street in Lake Charles and serves as a burial site for many local families.
- Six mausoleums on the parish grounds
- Sacred Heart Cemetery, 2646 Opelousas Street, Lake Charles
Hurricane Recovery & Rebuilding
Sacred Heart of Jesus was severely damaged by Hurricanes Laura (August 2020) and Delta (October 2020). Approximately $1.3 million of diocesan funds were expended on early recovery before federal assistance was secured. In January 2025, FEMA obligated $4,844,146.76 toward repair of various structures and the demolition of those destroyed, with the reimbursement set at a 90 percent federal cost-share under Section 406 of the Robert T. Stafford Act. The diocese is working with architect Randy Goodloe on phased budgets, and the parish continues to fundraise and rebuild in faith.
- Damaged by Hurricane Laura (August 2020) and Hurricane Delta (October 2020)
- $1.3M in diocesan funds already expended
- $4,844,146.76 FEMA obligation announced January 24, 2025
- Architect: Randy Goodloe
- Pastor Fr. Joby Mathew: 'a call for us to remain steadfast in faith'
Clergy & Pastoral Staff
The current pastor is Rev. Joby Mathew, HGN, a member of the Heralds of Good News (HGN), ordained February 7, 2009, installed at Sacred Heart on September 3, 2022. He previously served at St. Theodore Catholic Church in Moss Bluff and at Immaculate Heart of Mary in Lake Charles, and worked in the Dioceses of Varanasi and Jhansi in India. Sacred Heart has produced three deacons now serving the diocese: Rev. Mr. Edward Lavine (Vicar for Community Services), Rev. Mr. Harold Nixon, and Rev. Mr. Erroll Deville.
- Rev. Joby Mathew, HGN — Pastor (since 2022)
- Rev. Mr. Edward Lavine — Deacon (parish alumnus)
- Rev. Mr. Harold Nixon — Deacon (parish alumnus)
- Rev. Mr. Erroll Deville — Deacon (parish alumnus)
Getting in Touch
Parishioners and visitors can reach Sacred Heart of Jesus by phone or in person at the Mill Street campus. The parish is also active on Facebook.
- Address: 1102 Mill Street, Lake Charles, LA 70601
- Phone: 337-439-2646
- Fax: 337-439-2650
- Diocese of Lake Charles page: lcdiocese.org/diocesan-parishes/812-sacred-heart-of-jesus-catholic-church-lake-charles
- Facebook: SacredHeartofJesusCatholicChurchLakeCharlesLa
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Anthony J. Hackett, CSSp1919
First pastor; Holy Ghost Father, initially in residence at Immaculate Conception Parish.
- Rev. Charles B. Hannigan, CSSp1929
Holy Ghost Father.
- Rev. William J. Long, CSSp1940
Holy Ghost Father; served during the 1941 dedication of the present church.
- Rev. Anthony J. Hackett, CSSp1945
Returned for a second term.
- Rev. Edward Recktenwald, CSSp1947
Holy Ghost Father.
- Rev. Clement Roach, CSSp1949
Holy Ghost Father.
- Rev. Joseph E. Landry, CSSp1957
Holy Ghost Father.
- Rev. Joseph F. Rengers, CSSp1963
Holy Ghost Father.
- Rev. Herbert Prueher, CSSp1965
Holy Ghost Father.
- Rev. James White, CSSp1966
Holy Ghost Father.
- Rev. Joseph Hackett, CSSp1967
Holy Ghost Father.
- Rev. Edward C. Marley, CSSp1968
Holy Ghost Father.
- Rev. John Walsh, CSSp1972
Holy Ghost Father.
- Rev. Louis Perreault, CSSp1976
Holy Ghost Father; last years of Holy Ghost Fathers' staffing.
- Rev. Michael Carr, CSSp1986
Holy Ghost Father.
- Rev. John LaBauve, SVD1989
Society of the Divine Word took over parish from the Spiritans.
- Rev. Raymond Jones, SVD1993
Succeeded Fr. LaBauve.
- Rev. Henry Mancuso1999
Diocese assumed responsibility after SVD manpower shortage.
- Rev. Monsignor Ronald Groth2010
- Rev. Marcus Johnson2010
Administrator.
- Rev. Timothy Goodly2010
Priest on duty.
- Rev. Clyde Thomas2012
- Rev. Richard Uche Adiukwu2015
Administrator, then Pastor; appointed by Bishop Provost in 2016.
- Rev. Joby Mathew, HGN2022
Current pastor; Heralds of Good News; installed September 3, 2022.