About St. Alphonsus · Maurice, Louisiana
St. Alphonsus Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish located in the small town of Maurice, Louisiana (Vermilion Parish), within the Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana. The parish was canonically erected in January 1893 by Archbishop Francis Janssens of New Orleans and remains the spiritual heart of the village — its historic chapel, 'La Chapelle à Maurice,' stands on a ten-acre site donated by the founding donor Maurice Villien. Today the parish is one of the larger Cajun-Catholic communities in the Vermilion River basin, serving multiple weekend Masses in English, a daily adoration chapel, parish school of religion (K–6), the 'FIVEONE9' youth ministry (grades 7–12), RCIA, and a cemetery ministry. The current pastor, Rev. Paul Bienvenu, also serves the mission parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in nearby Leroy.
- Established
- 1893
- Patron
- St. Alphonsus Mary de Liguori (born 1696 near Naples, Italy; died 1787; canonized 1839; founder of the Redemptorist Order; Doctor of the Church and 'Patron of Prayer')
- Rector
- Rev. Paul Bienvenu
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana
Why belong here
St. Alphonsus is the historic Catholic heart of Maurice, a small Cajun town where four generations of Vermilion Parish families have worshipped since 1893 — belonging here means joining a faith community with deep local roots, a recently remodeled (1969) sanctuary seating 600, and an unusually active devotional life. Daily Eucharistic Adoration (chapel open 6 a.m.–6 p.m. with First-Friday vigil hours), an eight-Mass weekly schedule, RCIA, parish school of religion for grades 1–6, the 'FIVEONE9' youth ministry for grades 7–12, and the NEXT adult ministry give parishioners of every age a place to serve and be formed. The parish also partners with the mission church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Leroy, and its historic Villien-donated cemetery remains an active part of parish life.
Mass times at St. Alphonsus
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 pm – 4:00 pm
- 30 minutes prior to all weekend Masses (per parish website)
Adoration times
- Adoration Chapel: Open Daily 6:00 am – 6:00 pm
- First Friday Vigil (Thursday before First Friday): 5:00 am – 8:00 pm
- First Friday Exposition: 6:00 am – 4:00 pm
Parish History
St. Alphonsus is one of the oldest parishes in Vermilion Parish, erected in January 1893 by Archbishop Francis Janssens of New Orleans from portions of the Abbeville and Lafayette parishes. The full four-chapter parish history is published on the parish website at stalphonsus-maurice.com (History Chapter 1 through Chapter 4), and a Louisiana Historical Marker stands on Maurice Avenue in front of the church describing the original 'La Chapelle à Maurice' and the 1889 Villien land donation. Chapter 1 covers 1893–1899 and the founding under Fathers LeQuillene and Grimaud; Chapter 2 covers 1899–1916 under Father Rochard; Chapter 3 covers 1916–1967, including the construction of the 1918 third church and the remodeling under Father Veekmans; Chapter 4 covers 1967 to the present, including the 1969 church, Msgr. Landry's tenure, Father Leonards, Father Breaux, and Father Bienvenu.
- Chapter 1 (1893–1899): LeQuillene, Grimaud, the 1889 land donation, 1893 first Mass
- Chapter 2 (1899–1916): Father Rochard, Archbishop Chapelle era
- Chapter 3 (1916–1967): Father Gruel, WWI-era church (architect William G. Harold), Father Veekmans' 1951 remodeling
- Chapter 4 (1967–present): Father Dubuc's new church, Msgr. Landry, Fr. Leonards, Fr. Breaux, Fr. Bienvenu
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
St. Alphonsus runs a full graded parish school of religion program, with separate coordinators for elementary (Grades 1–5) and middle-school (Grades 6–8) levels, plus a dedicated high-school youth ministry called 'FIVEONE9.' FIVEONE9 (519) supports the parents' role in forming teens in the faith, meets outside Sunday Mass, and prepares 8th-grade students for the sacrament of Confirmation. An adult ministry called NEXT complements the youth track. RCIA is offered for unbaptized adults and those seeking full communion with the Catholic Church. Registration fees are $40 per student and a copy of each child's baptism and birth certificates is required; the parish uses GroupMe for 519 communication.
- Grades 1–5: Ashley Zaunbrecher (Coordinator, 337-893-4810)
- Grades 6–8: Deacon Jules Breaux
- FIVEONE9 (Grades 7–12): Dr. Michael Norris
- NEXT adult ministry
- RCIA — held in the Life Center/RCIA room
- Confirmation preparation in 8th grade
Baptism, Marriage & Sacramental Preparation
Baptisms are celebrated by appointment, with required preparation classes held every two months (January, March, May, July, September, November) immediately following the 11:00 am Mass in the Life Center's RCIA room. Expectant parents are encouraged to register early in pregnancy and to attend a session at least two weeks in advance. Deacon Jules Breaux coordinates Baptism Preparation. Couples preparing for marriage should contact the parish office; families new to the parish or transferring from another parish are asked to provide baptism certificates and, for Confirmation transfers, a permission letter.
- Baptism classes: every two months (Jan 18, Mar 15, May 17, Jul 19, Sep 20, Nov 15 listed on 2025 calendar)
- Entrance to class: RCIA Door (side of Life Center, near the oak tree)
- Baptism prep applies to St. Alphonsus and OLPH Leroy parishioners
- Marriage and Anointing of the Sick: by appointment through the parish office
Clergy, Deacons & Staff
The parish is led by Rev. Paul Bienvenu, pastor since July 3, who simultaneously pastors the mission parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Leroy. He is assisted by three permanent deacons — Deacon Byron Soley, Deacon Joe Hebert, and Deacon Jules Breaux — plus Dr. Michael Norris (deacon and FIVEONE9/NEXT coordinator). The parish school of religion is staffed by Ashley Zaunbrecher (Director of Religious Education, Grades 1–5) and the parish office is run by Stephanie Picard and Janet Bares, secretaries and bookkeepers. Fr. Paul has publicly thanked parishioners for their sacrificial stewardship, especially through difficult seasons.
- Rev. Paul Bienvenu — Pastor
- Deacon Byron Soley
- Deacon Joe Hebert
- Deacon Jules Breaux — Baptism Prep & Grades 6–8
- Dr. Michael Norris — fiveone9 & NEXT
- Ashley Zaunbrecher — DRE (Grades 1–5)
- Stephanie Picard — Secretary/Bookkeeper
- Janet Bares — Secretary/Bookkeeper
Parish Mission: Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Leroy
Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLPH) in Leroy, a neighboring community, was carved out of St. Alphonsus (Maurice), Abbeville, and Kaplan on September 5, 1922, and has been served from St. Alphonsus for many decades. Its first pastor, Rev. Gommer Eugene Joseph Maurice Veekmans — later pastor of St. Alphonsus himself — was a noted artist who personally decorated the Leroy church and rectory. Today OLPH shares its pastor (Rev. Paul Bienvenu), its deacons, and its religious-education programs with St. Alphonsus; it offers its own Saturday Vigil at 6:00 pm and a Sunday Mass at 9:00 am. Baptism classes are jointly scheduled and parishioners from both communities are welcomed into the parish school of religion and FIVEONE9.
- Founded Sept 5, 1922
- First pastor: Rev. Gommer Veekmans
- Address: 12995 LA Hwy 699 (Leroy), Maurice, LA 70555
- Phone: (337) 893-0610
- Saturday Vigil: 6:00 pm; Sunday: 9:00 am
Sacred Art, Architecture & the Historic Cemetery
St. Alphonsus is unusually rich in sacred art, much of it the work of pastor Gommer Veekmans and the current pastor, Fr. Paul Bienvenu. Inside the present (1969) church, the sanctuary crucifix was donated in memory of WWII casualty Dallas L. Comeaux, and the statue of St. Alphonsus was given in memory of Joseph Dewey Broussard. The parish grounds also retain the 1951 church hall — the building nearest the cemetery that today serves as the School of Religion — and the historic cemetery on the original ten-acre Villien donation. A Louisiana historical marker on Maurice Avenue (US 167) describes the 1889 donation and the original 'La Chapelle à Maurice.' Father Bienvenu's personal collection of French-modernist works (including a Georges Rouault print titled 'The Condemned Man Was Led Away') has been exhibited at the Acadiana Center for the Arts.
- 1951 church hall (now School of Religion) — nearest the cemetery
- Sanctuary crucifix — memorial to Dallas L. Comeaux
- Statue of St. Alphonsus — memorial to Joseph Dewey Broussard
- Historic cemetery with reserved Villien family plot
- Louisiana Historical Marker on Maurice Avenue (US 167)
Visiting, Office & Contact
The parish office is open Monday–Thursday 8:30 am–4:00 pm (summer hours 8:30 am–12:30 pm), and closed Friday and weekends. The mailing address is P.O. Box 190, Maurice, LA 70555-0190; the street address is 8700 Maurice Avenue, Maurice, LA 70555. The office number is (337) 893-4099 — in an emergency, callers may leave a voicemail and a staff member will be paged to return the call. Visitors are warmly welcomed at any Mass and may spend time in the Adoration Chapel (open 6 am–6 pm daily). Online giving, bulletin subscriptions, and faith-formation registration forms are available through the parish website.
- Address: 8700 Maurice Avenue, Maurice, LA 70555
- Mailing: P.O. Box 190, Maurice, LA 70555-0190
- Phone: (337) 893-4099
- Office hours: Mon–Thu 8:30 am–4 pm; Fri & weekends closed
- Online giving available via parish website
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. C. P. Alphonse LeQuilleneJan 15 – Oct 23, 1893
First rector; named after St. Alphonsus de Liguori; celebrated the parish's first Mass on Jan 15, 1893.
- Rev. Ferdinand GrimaudNov 1893 – 1899
Born Honnet, France, 1855; hero of the Chenière Caminada disaster; completed the church and rectory, established the cemetery; honored with the title Recteur Bénémérite in 1920; returned to France 1920; d. 1946.
- Rev. Augustus Michel RochardAug 1899 – c. 1916
Sent by Archbishop Placide Chapelle; born Maine-et-Loire, France, 1867; ordained Maryland, 1892; reported 3,000 parishioners and 1,100 communicants by 1902.
- Rev. Joseph Larochethrough 1920
Kept the registers; administered the parish during/after WWI.
- Rev. Édouard Brémaudinterwar period
French-born pastor in the 1920s (from parish narrative).
- Rev. Pierre Marie GruelNov 5, 1927 –
Born Pennes, France, 1864; ordained 1888; came to Louisiana 1912; built a new rectory with trustees C. D. Trahan and J. C. Broussard; fostered hour-long post-Mass catechism classes.
- Rev. Charles Reynaud1930s–1940s
Pastor during the WWII era (per parish narrative).
- Rev. Gommer Eugene Joseph Maurice VeekmansMar 26, 1946 – c. 1954
Born Antwerp, Belgium, 1890; ordained Jesuit College there 1915; entered the diocese 1921; sculptor and accomplished artist; completely remodeled the church; secured $12,000 loan in 1951 for new statues of BVM and St. Joseph, baptismal font, and Stations of the Cross; built the 1951 church hall (now School of Religion); Prosynodal Judge 1947.
- Rev. Louis Joseph Napoleon BertrandMar 3, 1954 – Jun 6, 1967
Native of Quebec (b. 1900, ordained Montreal 1931); previously assistant at St. Anthony's, Eunice, and pastor at Duson 1932–1953; began saving for the new church; declared the old structure beyond repair May 31, 1966.
- Rev. Joseph Robert DubucJun 6, 1967 – Apr 3, 1974
Born Quebec 1904, ordained 1939; 'church builder'; constructed the present 600-seat church (cost $146,000); first Mass Jul 26, 1969.
- Msgr. Robert C. LandryMay 1, 1974 – 1988
Native of Abbeville; ordained May 28, 1959; diocesan director of Press and Information, Priests' Senate member, Vice Chancellor–Secretary to Bishop Schexnayder, chaplain of Our Lady of Wisdom at USL, Officialis of the Diocesan Tribunal; served 14 years; d. in Mexico; buried Abbeville.
- Rev. Martin LeonardsAug 1988 – Jul 1, 2002
Native of Rayne, son of Acadia Parish rice farmers; ordained St. John's Cathedral Dec 17, 1966; previous assignments Sacred Heart Broussard, St. Anthony's Eunice, St. John's Mermentau, St. Peter's Gueydan; celebrated silver jubilee in 1991; transferred to St. Theresa, Duson.
- Rev. O. Joseph BreauxJul 1, 2002 – retired (succeeded by Bienvenu)
Native of Opelousas; ordained 1968; previously pastor of St. Theresa's, Duson; served St. Alphonsus until his retirement.
- Rev. Paul BienvenuJul 3 – present
Born Lafayette; raised St. Martinville; Catholic High New Iberia; LSU (psychology); theology at Loyola New Orleans and Notre Dame Seminary; came from Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, Kaplan; known as the 'art-collector priest'; also pastors OLPH Leroy.