About St. Charles Borromeo · Destrehan, Louisiana
St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church is a historic Catholic parish in Destrehan, Louisiana, situated along River Road on the east bank of the Mississippi River. Originally founded in 1723 as La Paroisse de St. Jean des Allemands (The Parish of St. John, of the Germans), it is the second-oldest ecclesiastical parish in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. The parish is famously home to the 'Little Red Church,' a 19th-century wood-framed landmark beloved by steamboat pilots, and to a cemetery recognized as the South's oldest German cemetery. Today, under the pastoral care of Father Cletus Orji, the community continues its 300-year tradition of faith, education, and service through an active school, ministries, and a 24-hour Perpetual Adoration Chapel.
- Established
- 1723
- Patron
- St. Charles Borromeo
- Rector
- Rev. Cletus Orji
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of New Orleans
Why belong here
St. Charles Borromeo offers a deeply rooted Catholic community with a 300-year history and a rich variety of ways to live the faith. The parish runs its own elementary school (founded 1929, the first parochial school between New Orleans and Baton Rouge) and supports one of the region's busiest Perpetual Adoration Chapels, where several hundred adorers come each week to worship the Blessed Sacrament 24 hours a day. Active ministries — including Scripture sharing groups for men and women, a Bereavement fellowship, the SAM addiction ministry, the Apostolate of Divine Mercy for the Sick and Dying, the Prayer Line, and the Flame of Love Rosary — give every parishioner a way to grow spiritually and serve neighbors.
Mass times at St. Charles Borromeo
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 7:30 AM – 8:00 AM
- Saturday 3:00 PM
- 1st Saturday 7:00 AM (Five First Saturdays Devotion)
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Perpetual Adoration — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (since January 14, 1996)
Parish History & Heritage
The parish traces its roots to 1723, when Capuchin missionaries established La Paroisse de St. Jean des Allemands at Karlstein. Relocated to the east bank in 1740 and renamed in honor of St. Charles Borromeo, the community endured floods, fires, and a 40-year canonical interdiction before reopening in 1917 under Archbishop Blenk. The current church was dedicated January 25, 1922, and the parish is now observing its Tricentennial anniversary.
- 1723 — Founded as La Paroisse de St. Jean des Allemands (German Coast)
- 1740 — Log cabin chapel built at present Destrehan site; parish renamed St. Charles
- 1806 — Log cabin replaced by the wood-framed 'Little Red Church' (steamboat landmark)
- 1877 — Rectory destroyed by arson; parish without resident pastor for 40 years
- 1890s — Interdiction imposed by Archbishop Janssens over property disputes with trustees
- March 29, 1917 — Parochial charter adopted; parish reinstated by Archbishop Blenk
- March 1918 — Fr. John Francis Basty arrives to reopen the Little Red Church
- January 25, 1922 — Current church dedicated by Archbishop Shaw
The Little Red Church & Mississippi River Heritage
The wood-framed Little Red Church, painted deep red and built in 1806, became one of the most recognizable landmarks along the Mississippi River. Steamboat pilots used it as a navigational waypoint, and riverboat captains traditionally paid off their crews when the little red church came into view at the end of their journey. The Little Red Church burned in 1921 and was replaced by the present Spanish Colonial-style church built on the same property.
- Built 1806, deep red wood-framed structure
- Landmark for Mississippi River steamboat pilots
- Burned 1921; current church built on the same property
- Featured on parish website and local historical markers
St. Charles Borromeo Cemetery
Established as early as 1723, the St. Charles Borromeo Cemetery is recognized as the oldest German cemetery in the South. It contains the tombs of the Destréhan family — including the namesake of Destrehan, Louisiana state senator Jean Noël Destréhan (d. 1823), whose grave was lost to the shifting Mississippi — and the remains of Charles Frederick d'Arensbourg, leader of the German Coast. The oldest remaining burial plot is that of Elizabeth Dubord (d. 1777), which also holds the remains of François Trepagnier (d. 1811, German Coast uprising).
- Oldest German cemetery in the South
- Destréhan family tombs
- Charles Frederick d'Arensbourg buried here (grave lost to river)
- Oldest remaining plot: Elizabeth Dubord (1777)
Clergy & Pastoral Staff
The current pastor is Rev. Cletus Orji, appointed by Archbishop Aymond effective July 1, 2024. He succeeds Rev. Francis 'Bo' Majors (pastor since July 3, 2017), Msgr. Henry Joseph 'Father Harry' Bugler (assigned in 2002 following the tragic death at sea of Msgr. Phuc), Msgr. John Nguyen Phuc (pastor since 1990), and the original rebuilder of the parish, Fr. John Francis Basty (1918). The parish also lists Rev. Jude Emunemu as a former parochial vicar.
- Pastor: Rev. Cletus Orji (since July 1, 2024)
- Former Pastor: Rev. Francis 'Bo' Majors (2017–2024)
- Former Pastor: Msgr. Henry Joseph 'Father Harry' Bugler (2002–)
- Former Pastor: Msgr. John Nguyen Phuc (1990–2001)
- Parochial Vicar (former): Rev. Jude Emunemu
Devotions & Spiritual Life
The parish maintains an active devotional life rooted in traditional Catholic piety, including the Flame of Love Rosary, the Mother of Perpetual Help Novena, the Divine Mercy Devotion, and the Five First Saturdays Devotion requested by Our Lady of Fatima.
- Flame of Love Rosary — Monday 4:40 PM
- Mother of Perpetual Help Novena — Tuesday after 6:00 PM Mass
- Divine Mercy Devotion — 3rd Saturday, 2:45 PM in church
- Five First Saturdays Devotion — 1st Saturday each month
- Prayer Line Ministry — intentions prayed at 3rd Saturday Divine Mercy Devotion
- Apostolate of Divine Mercy for the Sick and Dying
Parish Ministries
St. Charles Borromeo hosts a wide range of lay ministries serving the spiritual, educational, and practical needs of parishioners and neighbors. Many ministries meet in named rooms on the parish campus (St. Matthew, St. Luke, St. John).
- Scripture Sharing Groups (Men and Women, multiple weekly sessions)
- Next Chapter Bereavement & Fellowship Ministry
- SAM Ministry — support for those affected by addiction
- Ministers of Hospitality (Ushers)
- Prayer Line Ministry
- Apostolate of Divine Mercy for the Sick and Dying
- Flame of Love Rosary Group
- Biblical Walk Through the Mass study program
St. Charles Borromeo School
St. Charles Borromeo School has operated on the parish grounds since 1929, when the original elementary school and convent were built — making it the first parochial school between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. The campus has grown steadily over the decades, adding an auditorium (1950), the Savio building (1951), the Pius building with covered walkways (1953), and a cafeteria (1954). The Pierre F. Friloux Early Childhood Development Center was completed in 1994, housing eight classes from age 3 through Kindergarten. Beginning in 1999, a multi-phase construction project built a two-story, sixteen-classroom education center with a 36-station computer lab, a state-of-the-art science lab, restrooms, teacher's lounges, and administrative offices. This building was dedicated on Trinity Sunday, May 22, 2005, in honor of Monsignor John N. Phuc.
- First parochial school between New Orleans and Baton Rouge (1929)
- Pierre F. Friloux Early Childhood Development Center (1994)
- Two-story 16-classroom education center with computer & science labs (dedicated 2005)
- Dedicated to Monsignor John N. Phuc
Parish Campus & Facilities
The campus along River Road includes the 1922 church, the school complex (Friloux Early Childhood Center, Pius, Phuc Education Center), the Fatima Building, the Fred J. Roth Memorial Activity Center (with gymnasium and meeting rooms, completed November 1997), the Auditorium, and the standalone Perpetual Adoration Chapel dedicated in 2020. The church interior received new restrooms, a second sacristy, and improvements to the existing sacristy in 2020.
- Main church (dedicated 1922, expanded 1978)
- Pierre F. Friloux Early Childhood Development Center (1994)
- Monsignor Phuc Education Center (dedicated 2005)
- Fred J. Roth Memorial Activity Center (1997) — gym, meeting rooms, offices
- Fatima Building
- Perpetual Adoration Chapel (2020)
Tricentennial Anniversary
The parish is currently celebrating its 300th anniversary, commemorating the 1723 founding of La Paroisse de St. Jean des Allemands by Capuchin missionaries. The parish website features a dedicated 300th Anniversary page chronicling the Tricentennial year.
- 300 years of Catholic presence in the German Coast of Louisiana
- Tricentennial commemorations featured on scblittleredchurch.org
Getting Involved & Contact
The parish welcomes new members and invites participation across all ministries. The Parish Office can be reached at (985) 764-6383 during business hours. Specific ministry contacts are published on the website — for example, Rickey Reynolds (Ministers of Hospitality, 504-201-6475), Lori Tozel (SAM Ministry, 504-613-7645), and Angie Matherne (Next Chapter Bereavement, 504-884-2083).
- Parish Office: (985) 764-6383
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: scblittleredchurch.org
- Many ministries welcome new members at any time
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. John Francis Basty1918–c.1920s
Assigned by Archbishop Shaw in March 1918 to reopen the Little Red Church after decades of interdiction; oversaw construction of the current church, dedicated January 29, 1922.
- Msgr. John Nguyen Phuc1990–2001
Pastor since 1990; spearheaded the school construction project before his death on December 7, 2001 (lost at sea near Golden Meadow). The education center built over the old Savio Building was renamed in his honor and dedicated on Trinity Sunday, May 22, 2005.
- Msgr. Henry Joseph 'Father Harry' Bugler2002–
Native of Tipperary, Ireland; assigned in 2002 following the death of Msgr. Phuc.
- Rev. Francis 'Bo' Majors2017–2024
Appointed pastor effective July 3, 2017, by Archbishop Aymond.
- Rev. Cletus Orji2024–present
Appointed pastor effective July 1, 2024, by Archbishop Aymond.