About St. Francis of Assisi · Breaux Bridge, Louisiana
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church is a historically African American Catholic parish in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, on the Bayou Teche in St. Martin Parish. Established as a Josephite mission in 1923, it has served the local Black Catholic community for over a century through schools, a convent, a cemetery, and a thriving parish life. Today it continues as a vibrant Josephite parish in the Diocese of Lafayette, offering Mass in English and an extensive schedule of ministries, devotions, and outreach.
- Established
- 1923
- Patron
- St. Francis of Assisi
- Rector
- Rev. George Bede Ajuruchi, S.S.J.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana
Why belong here
St. Francis of Assisi is a welcoming, multigenerational Catholic community rooted in a century of African American faith on the Bayou Teche. The parish offers daily and Sunday Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, a weekly Holy Hour, a strong religious education program (CCD), an active Family Life Center, and outreach grounded in the Gospel and Catholic social teaching. Worshippers find a vibrant parish family committed to prayer, sacraments, fellowship, and serving neighbors in need.
Mass times at St. Francis of Assisi
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM
Adoration times
- Friday: 8:00 AM (through Saturday morning)
Parish History
St. Francis of Assisi Parish was founded in 1923 as a Josephite mission for African Americans in Breaux Bridge. Its first pastor, Fr. James Albert, S.S.J., arrived on October 12, 1923, and found nearly 1,000 Black Catholics — mostly French-speaking tenant farmers — within a five- or six-mile radius. The original church, seating 400, was dedicated April 19, 1925, and the school that had been taught by the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration was turned over to the Sisters of the Holy Family in 1920. By 1930 the congregation had grown to about 2,000 members.
- Founded October 12, 1923 by the Josephite Fathers at the request of Bishop Jeanmard
- First pastor: Fr. James Albert, S.S.J.
- Original church dedicated April 19, 1925 (capacity 400, cost $12,000)
- Church bell installed 1926
- New school built 1928 under Fr. Edward Youngkin, S.S.J.
- Mission station opened in Cecelia in 1934 under Fr. George Hanks, S.S.J.
- New convent and 600 feet of concrete sidewalks added in 1934 under Fr. Edward Walsh, S.S.F.
- New school constructed in 1947–48 under Fr. Michael Parent
The 1976 Fire and Rebuilding
On June 18, 1976, a tremendous fire destroyed the 50-year-old church. The parish faced a moment of reckoning: whether to integrate with neighboring St. Bernard's Parish. Fr. Eugene McManus, S.S.J., wrote a position paper on Black Institutions arguing for the preservation of voluntary Black Catholic institutions. The decision was made to rebuild, and the new church, seating 500 and built at a cost of $300,000, was dedicated by Bishop Frey on February 19, 1978.
- Fire destroyed original church on June 18, 1976
- Fr. Eugene McManus, S.S.J. defended the parish's continuation in a position paper on Black Institutions
- New church dedicated February 19, 1978 by Bishop Frey (capacity 500, cost $300,000)
- Original bell mounted in front of present church under Fr. John McBrearty, S.S.J.
School and Faith Formation
St. Francis of Assisi School was a cornerstone of the parish for decades, taught first by the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration and from 1920 by the Sisters of the Holy Family. After diocesan pairing requirements in 1972 and broader public school changes, enrollment dropped sharply; the school eventually closed and an intensified CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) religious education program was developed in its place.
- Sisters of Perpetual Adoration taught the original African American Catholic school in the early 1900s
- School turned over to the Sisters of the Holy Family in 1920
- New school built 1928 (Fr. Albert / Fr. Youngkin)
- School enrollment reached 305 by 1934
- New school constructed in 1947–48 under Fr. Michael Parent
- Enrollment fell to 93 by 1972; school eventually closed
- Intensified CCD program developed after closure
Parish Buildings and Grounds
Over the decades the parish developed a full campus of church, school, convent, rectory, hall, cemetery, and a Family Life Center. The 1974 remodeling under Fr. Joseph Brown, S.S.F., converted the convent into the church rectory. In 1985, Fr. Francis McCarthy, S.S.J., built the Family Life Center, which continues to host parish events and ministry activities.
- Rectory built from a moved house next to the school, 1923–24
- Convent remodeled into rectory in 1974 under Fr. Joseph Brown, S.S.F.
- Family Life Center built in 1985 under Fr. Francis McCarthy, S.S.J.
- Cemetery upgraded and sidewalks added under Fr. John McBrearty, S.S.J.
- Shrine to the Holy Family built under Fr. Richard Wagner, S.S.J. (1993–)
- Running water added to cemetery under Fr. Wagner
Ministries and Outreach
The parish describes outreach as central to its identity and offers a range of ministries to parishioners of all ages, including faith formation, prayer support, and community service. A Family Life Center built in 1985 continues to anchor many parish activities.
- Religious Education / CCD
- Outreach to those in need in St. Martin Parish
- Prayer request ministry (online and in-person)
- Family Life Center events and fellowship
- Cemetery care and ministry
Josephite Heritage
St. Francis of Assisi is one of several Louisiana parishes served by the St. Joseph's Society of the Sacred Heart (the Josephites), a religious society founded to minister to African American Catholics. Other Josephite Louisiana parishes include St. Francis Xavier in Baton Rouge, Our Mother of Mercy in Church Point, and several parishes in New Orleans. The Josephite identity shapes the parish's pastoral life, preaching, and outreach.
- Founded as a Josephite mission in 1923
- Parish served continuously by Society of St. Joseph (S.S.J.) priests
- One of the older Josephite parishes in Louisiana
Visiting and Contact
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone or email, and prayer requests may be submitted online through the parish website. The church is located on North Main Street in Breaux Bridge, in the heart of St. Martin Parish along the Bayou Teche.
- Address: 610 N. Main Street, Breaux Bridge, LA 70517
- Phone: (337) 332-2250
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.sfaccbb.com/
- Online prayer request form available on the parish website
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. James Albert, S.S.J.1923–
First pastor; arrived October 12, 1923; built the original church dedicated April 19, 1925.
- Fr. Edward Youngkin, S.S.J.
Second pastor; completed the new school built by Fr. Albert in 1928 and constructed an enlarged parish hall.
- Fr. George Hanks, S.S.J.1934–
Established the mission station in Cecelia, nine miles north of Breaux Bridge.
- Fr. Edward Walsh, S.S.F.1934–
Built a new convent and added 600 feet of concrete sidewalks between parish buildings.
- Fr. Michael Parent1947–48
Led construction of a new school.
- Fr. Joseph Brown, S.S.F.1974–
Remodeled the convent into the church rectory.
- Fr. Eugene McManus, S.S.J.
Wrote the position paper on Black Institutions that justified rebuilding the parish after the 1976 fire.
- Fr. Francis McCarthy, S.S.J.1982–
Celebrated the burning of the mortgage in 1982; oversaw the 1985 construction of the Family Life Center.
- Fr. John McBrearty, S.S.J.
Mounted the original church bell in front of the new church; upgraded the cemetery and sidewalks.
- Fr. Richard Wagner, S.S.J.October 1993–2001
Built the shrine to the Holy Family, enhanced the landscaping, and added running water to the cemetery.
- Fr. Charles P. Moffatt, S.S.J.
Served in residence at St. Francis of Assisi as area pastoral substitute before retirement.
- Fr. Joe Campion
Listed in some directories as pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Breaux Bridge.
- Rev. George Bede Ajuruchi, S.S.J.current
Current pastor per the Diocese of Lafayette directory.