About St. Francis of Assisi · Donaldsonville, Louisiana
St. Francis of Assisi is a Roman Catholic parish in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, part of the Diocese of Baton Rouge and canonically clustered with the neighboring Church of the Ascension of Our Lord. The parish was founded in 1884 after a dispute between Ascension parishioners and the Archbishop of New Orleans, when the displaced pastor began celebrating Mass at a Mississippi River settlement called Smoke Bend. Today the parish shares one pastor with Ascension of Our Lord and is described on its website as 'a Eucharistic Community since 1772,' reflecting the deep Catholic roots of the Donaldsonville community.
- Established
- 1884
- Patron
- St. Francis of Assisi
- Rector
- Rev. Matthew C. Dupré, V.F.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Baton Rouge
Why belong here
St. Francis of Assisi is a small historic parish with deep roots in the Donaldsonville community, sharing Mass schedule, staff, and pastoral leadership with its sister church of the Ascension of Our Lord as a two-church cluster. Parishioners participate in a Eucharistic community whose Catholic presence on the Mississippi predates the founding of Donaldsonville itself by half a century, with the parish's own origins reaching back to 1884. Daily and Sunday Mass, religious education for children, liturgical music, and a strong culture of mutual care among parishioners make it a welcoming place to practice the faith in the heart of Ascension Parish.
Mass times at St. Francis of Assisi
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Reconciliation (Saturday, 3:00-3:45 PM) is listed on the cluster schedule at Ascension of Our Lord; consult the parish office for current schedule at St. Francis.
About St. Francis of Assisi Parish
St. Francis of Assisi is a Catholic parish in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, in the Diocese of Baton Rouge. Founded in 1884 in the riverside community known as Smoke Bend, the parish has worshipped in four successive buildings and today shares a pastor with the neighboring Church of the Ascension of Our Lord as a cluster parish. The parish website describes the two churches together as 'a Eucharistic Community since 1772,' with Catholic roots reaching back half a century before the founding of the city of Donaldsonville itself.
- Type: Catholic Parish
- Founded: 1884
- Diocese: Diocese of Baton Rouge
- Cluster partner: Church of the Ascension of Our Lord, Donaldsonville
- Address: 818 W. 10th St., Donaldsonville, LA 70346
History of St. Francis Church
The parish was founded in 1884 after a parish-wide conflict at Ascension of Our Lord between the parishioners and the Archbishop of the Diocese of New Orleans over control of church money and property. An interdict had shut down the sacraments and the pastor was forcibly expelled for obeying the archbishop. He traveled north up the Mississippi to the settlement known as Smoke Bend (Faubourg la Boucane, 'The Suburb of Smoke'), began saying Mass in homes and a store, and built the first St. Francis church between 1884 and 1890. Successive churches — a 1942 mission-style structure and the present-day 1975 masonry and brick building — each carried forward sacred furnishings such as the stained glass, Stations of the Cross, and baptismal font.
- 1884 — Founding of parish in Smoke Bend after dispute at Ascension of Our Lord
- 1890 — Completion of first Spanish-style church (main tower, belfry, double-door entrance)
- 1894 — Parish officially incorporated
- 1924 — Fire on January 6 damaged the first church, which was restored
- 1935 — Mississippi River levee relocated; church rotated to face Highway 1
- 1942 — Third church dedicated June 28 (white stucco, mission style)
- 1961 — Transferred from Diocese of New Orleans to the new Diocese of Baton Rouge
- 1975 — Fourth and present church built; lectionary and altar are cypress
- 2004 — Cluster partnership with Ascension of Our Lord established
Architecture & Church Building
The current St. Francis church was built in 1975 as a one-level modern structure of masonry and brick with laminated trusses. Its lectionary and altar are made of cypress. The stained-glass windows, Stations of the Cross, and baptismal font were preserved from the third (1942) church, and the pews came as a gift from Our Lady of Mercy parish in Baton Rouge. The first 1890 church, though long gone, was Spanish-style with a tall central tower and belfry flanked by two smaller towers.
- Current building (1975): masonry and brick, laminated trusses, cypress lectionary and altar
- First building (1890): Spanish-style, main tower with large belfry, two side towers
- Third building (1942): white stucco, mission-style frame, Celotex interior finish
Mass & Liturgical Schedule
St. Francis of Assisi celebrates Sunday Mass at 10:30 AM and weekday Mass on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at 7:00 AM. The parish shares a pastor and staff with Ascension of Our Lord, where additional Masses are offered (Tuesday 6:00 PM, Saturday Vigil 4:00 PM, Sunday 8:00 AM) along with Saturday Reconciliation from 3:00 to 3:45 PM at Ascension. A Perpetual Adoration Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament runs 24 hours a day at Ascension of Our Lord in a chapel beneath the main sanctuary, accessible at ground level from the rear of the church.
- Sunday Mass — 10:30 AM
- Wednesday Mass — 7:00 AM
- Thursday Mass — 7:00 AM
- Friday Mass — 7:00 AM
- Reconciliation — Saturdays 3:00-3:45 PM at Ascension of Our Lord
- Perpetual Adoration — 24 hours daily, beneath Ascension church
Our Staff
The cluster parish of St. Francis of Assisi and Ascension of Our Lord is served by a single pastor with the support of a deacon, a director of liturgy and music, a director of religious education, office and finance staff, and maintenance personnel.
- Rev. Matthew C. Dupré — Pastor (also V.F., Vicar Forane, in the Diocese of Baton Rouge)
- Deacon Chris Landry
- Sandra Mistretta — Director of Liturgy & Music
- Susan Jumonville — Director of Religious Education
- Lydia Christian — Technology & Ministry
- Kimmy Simmons — Secretary
- Sherry Breaux — Bookkeeper
- Margaret Templet — Receptionist
- Sue Gomez — Receptionist
- Stephen Schexnayder — Maintenance Staff
- Raymond Templet — Maintenance Staff
Sacraments
Information about the preparation, scheduling, and celebration of the sacraments at St. Francis of Assisi is published on the parish website. Wedding information published on the parish website — including the requirement that couples be registered active parishioners for at least a year, fees, scheduling windows, liturgical music approval, and prohibited dates — is detailed on the Weddings page. Contact the parish secretary (Kimmy) at 225-473-3176 for initial inquiries and the wedding coordinator at [email protected].
- Weddings (Sacrament of Marriage) — coordination via Kimmy / wedding coordinator; music approved by Sandra Mistretta
- Baptism — supported (baptismal font is a preserved fixture of the present church)
Weddings at the Donaldsonville Catholic Churches
Weddings are typically celebrated on Friday evenings at 7:00 PM at Ascension of Our Lord, with rehearsals held the prior day (Thursday) at 6:00 PM. Saturday weddings may be scheduled at 11:00 AM at the latest, due to the Saturday Reconciliation service and Vigil Mass. No weddings are scheduled on Sundays, Holy Days of Obligation, or during Advent and Lent. Wedding dates may be reserved up to 14 months in advance, and are only secured after meeting with the wedding coordinator. Fees, deposit schedule, and music-arrangement responsibilities are listed on the parish website.
- Fee: $450 (parishioner) / $1,200 (non-parishioner)
- 50% deposit at first coordinator meeting; balance due 1 month before wedding
- 10% non-refundable; musicians hired separately
- Catholic party from outside the parish must obtain a permission letter from their own pastor
Religious Education & Music Ministry
Faith formation is led by the Director of Religious Education, Susan Jumonville. The Director of Liturgy & Music, Sandra Mistretta, oversees the parish's liturgical music, supports wedding music planning, and serves as the approval point for wedding music selections. Together these ministries sustain the parish's liturgical life across the two churches of the cluster.
- Director of Religious Education — Susan Jumonville
- Director of Liturgy & Music — Sandra Mistretta
- Wedding music approval — [email protected], 225-473-4341
Contact & Parish Office
The mailing address for both St. Francis of Assisi and Ascension of Our Lord is P.O. Box 508, Donaldsonville, LA 70346. The parish office is physically located on the Ascension of Our Lord campus at 716 Mississippi Street and is open Monday through Wednesday 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM and Thursday 8:00 AM to noon; closed Friday. The office closes for lunch from 12:00 to 1:00 PM.
- Phone: (225) 473-3176
- St. Francis address: 818 W. 10th St., Donaldsonville, LA 70346
- Ascension address: 716 Mississippi St., Donaldsonville, LA 70346
- Office hours: Mon-Wed 8 AM-3 PM; Thu 8 AM-12 PM; closed Fri
Cluster Partnership with Ascension of Our Lord
Since July 1, 2004, St. Francis of Assisi and the Church of the Ascension of Our Lord have been a single pastoral cluster served by one pastor. Ascension of Our Lord itself was founded by order of King Charles III of Spain and dedicated on August 15, 1772, by Franciscan Capuchin missionary Father Angelus Revillogodos — predating the founding of the City of Donaldsonville by 34 years. In April 2023 the cluster celebrated Ascension's 250th anniversary with a Mass presided over by Bishop Michael Duca of the Diocese of Baton Rouge, a concert by the Lafourche Chorale, and a community reception.
- Ascension of Our Lord founded 1772 (King Charles III of Spain)
- 250th anniversary celebrated April 15, 2023, with Bishop Michael Duca
- Cluster partnership since July 1, 2004
Parish Bulletin & News
Weekly parish bulletins are the principal communication vehicle for announcements, spiritual reflections, and events at St. Francis of Assisi and Ascension of Our Lord. The bulletins cover Mass intentions, ministry news, and opportunities for parishioners to connect with parish life.
- Weekly bulletins published on the parish website
- Facebook page: Donaldsonville Catholics