About St. Ann · Morganza, Louisiana
St. Ann Catholic Church is a historic Roman Catholic parish in the small community of Morganza, in upper Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Baton Rouge and today ministers to the faithful of Morganza and surrounding Pointe Coupee communities through St. Ann Church and its mission chapel, St. Vincent de Paul in nearby Innis. Rooted in a Catholic presence along the Mississippi River that stretches back to the 1870s, St. Ann is known for its preserved furnishings from the lost Raccourci church, twin-towered 1935 church building, faithful community life, and a strong tradition of fostering vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
- Established
- 1872
- Patron
- St. Ann (Saint Anne, mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Babu Nalkara Vareeth, IMS
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge
Why belong here
St. Ann is a tight-knit, historically rooted Catholic community in rural Pointe Coupee Parish that takes seriously its mission to be a house of welcome and a wellspring of vocations. Parishioners worship in a beautiful 1935 church adorned with treasured furnishings from the lost Raccourci church and luminous stained glass windows, and they are served by a devoted pastor and staff who maintain an active sacramental life — including a Spanish Mass twice a month. Beyond Mass, the parish sustains religious education for children, ongoing ministries and parish councils, a Memorial Prayer Garden and Way of the Cross Walk, online giving, a mausoleum and cemetery ministry, and a faithful tradition of devotion such as the annual St. Joseph Altar and the weekly Mother of Perpetual Help Novena.
Mass times at St. Ann
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday: 4:30 pm (30 minutes before 5:00 pm Mass at St. Vincent)
- Thursday: 4:30 pm (30 minutes before 5:00 pm Mass at St. Ann)
- Saturday: 3:00 pm (before the 4:00 pm Vigil Mass at St. Ann)
Adoration times
- Tuesday: 3:00 pm Adoration at St. Ann
Parish History
St. Ann Parish grew out of the Catholic presence in upper Pointe Coupee Parish along the Mississippi River. The original parish, Our Lady of Seven Dolors, was established at Raccourci in 1872. After the Texas & Pacific Railroad bypassed Raccourci and Italian immigrants swelled Morganza, Father F. Dominic Perino built a chapel in Morganza in 1915 and offered the first Mass there on April 2, 1916. A storm in 1934 and a heavy snow in 1935 destroyed the original chapel, and the present twin-towered church was blessed by Archbishop Rummel on Palm Sunday, April 14, 1935. When the Morganza Spillway required the demolition of the Raccourci church in 1939, its furnishings were preserved in St. Ann and the graves of parishioners were moved to St. Ann Cemetery. The parish has continued to grow under a succession of pastors and today includes St. Vincent de Paul Mission Chapel in Innis.
- Established 1872 (as Our Lady of Seven Dolors, Raccourci)
- First St. Ann chapel built 1915 in Morganza
- First Mass at St. Ann: April 2, 1916
- Rectory built 1917; cemetery established 1918
- 1935 church blessed by Archbishop Rummel, April 14, 1935
- Raccourci church demolished for Morganza Spillway in 1939
Clergy & Parish Staff
St. Ann is served by a small, dedicated team led by its pastor and supported by parish office staff and faith formation leadership.
- Rev. Babu Nalkara Vareeth, IMS — Pastor
- Retta Ramagos — Administrative Assistant
- Gwen Barker — Secretary
- Kristy LaCoste — Elementary Catechism Coordinator
St. Vincent de Paul Mission Chapel, Innis
St. Vincent de Paul Mission Chapel in Innis extends the parish's reach into the surrounding Pointe Coupee community. It originated from land purchased in 1954 on the former Innis Plantation, where an apiary was converted into a church. Renovations culminated in the formal dedication of the Chapel of St. Vincent de Paul on February 24, 1957. The mission chapel hosts a Sunday Mass at 10:00 am and shares in the wider sacramental and community life of St. Ann.
- Address: 6389 LA Highway 1, Innis, LA 70715
- Sunday Mass: 10:00 am
- Tuesday Mass: 5:00 pm
- Formally dedicated February 24, 1957
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Ann provides faith formation for the children of the parish through its Elementary Catechism program, coordinated by Kristy LaCoste. The parish continues its century-old tradition of fostering vocations to the priesthood and religious life, having produced its first priestly vocation (Fr. Jamin David, ordained 2008) and five sisters in the Sisters of St. Joseph.
- Elementary Catechism (Coordinator: Kristy LaCoste)
- Vocations fostered: Fr. Jamin David (2008); five Sisters of St. Joseph (first vows 1958)
Ministries & Parish Life
Parish life at St. Ann includes parish councils, ongoing ministries, devotional gatherings, and community projects. Online giving and online memorial brick orders help sustain parish facilities and the Memorial Prayer Garden.
- Parish Pastoral Councils
- Memorial Prayer Garden & Way of the Cross Walk
- Online Giving
- St. Joseph Altar (annual)
- Mother of Perpetual Help Novena (weekly Thursdays)
- Mausoleum / Cemetery ministry
Devotions & Memorial Garden
Devotional life at St. Ann includes a weekly Novena to Mother of Perpetual Help after Thursday Mass and the annual St. Joseph Altar celebrated with a special Mass on the feast of St. Joseph. The Memorial Prayer Garden and Way of the Cross Walk invite parishioners and friends to dedicate memorial bricks in honor or memory of loved ones, weddings, anniversaries, and other special occasions.
- Mother of Perpetual Help Novena — Thursdays after 5:00 pm Mass
- St. Joseph Altar — annual Mass offered on the feast of St. Joseph
- Memorial Prayer Garden & Way of the Cross Walk — 4x8 and 8x8 bricks available
- Online and in-person sign-up sheets available at church entrances
Architecture, Furnishings & Stained Glass
The present St. Ann Church is a frame structure built in 1935 on the site of the original 1915 chapel, distinguished by twin towers flanking the façade. Inside, the church is adorned with chandeliers and statues preserved from the lost Our Lady of Seven Dolors Church at Raccourci, and illuminated by stained glass windows depicting the major events in the lives of Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary.
- Twin-towered 1935 frame church
- Chandeliers and statues preserved from the Raccourci church
- Stained glass windows depicting events in the lives of Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary
Contact, Location & Visiting
Parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed. The parish office is located at the church address in Morganza, with a mailing address of P.O. Box 128, Morganza, LA 70759. Directions to St. Ann and St. Vincent de Paul are available on the parish website's Contact page. Inquiries about sacraments, faith formation, the memorial garden, or online giving can be made through the office by phone.
- St. Ann Church & Office: 182 Church St., Morganza, LA 70759
- Mailing Address: P.O. Box 128, Morganza, LA 70759
- Office: (225) 694-3781 | Fax: (225) 694-3711
- St. Vincent de Paul Mission: 6389 LA Highway 1, Innis, LA 70715
- Pastor email: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Felix Charpentierfrom 1872
First pastor of the original Our Lady of Seven Dolors parish at Raccourci, the predecessor community of St. Ann, Morganza.
- Rev. F. Dominic Perinoappointed 1914
Newly appointed pastor who concluded that a chapel in Morganza would better serve the growing community; built the first St. Ann chapel in 1915 and offered the first Mass there on April 2, 1916.
- Father Emmanuel Darmaninserved until his death in 1991
Ended a stretch of 15 years of rapid pastoral turnover; his long tenure brought stability and growth to the parish.
- Father Cleo Milanoafter 1991
Appointed after Father Darmanin's death; undertook renewing parish facilities and reviving community life.
- Father Louis Oubre
Continued the mission of renewal, formation of parish councils, ministry programs, and facility maintenance.
- Father Howard Hall
Continued parish renewal, parish councils, ministry programs, and facility maintenance.
- Father Keun-Soo Lee
Continued parish renewal, parish councils, ministry programs, and facility maintenance.
- Father Brent Maherassigned July 2014
Assigned as pastor in July 2014.
- Rev. Babu Nalkara Vareeth, IMSassigned 2019 (then interim sacramental minister; later pastor)
Member of the Indian Mission Society; initially served a temporary assignment at St. Ann before being assigned as interim sacramental minister and currently serving as pastor.