About St. Francis of Assisi · Powhatan, Louisiana
St. Francis of Assisi Church is a small Roman Catholic parish in the rural community of Powhatan, Louisiana, situated in the piney hills of Natchitoches Parish and part of the Diocese of Alexandria. Established as an independent parish in 1952, with roots of Catholic worship in Powhatan reaching back to 1907, the church sits along Highway 485 and serves a close-knit rural flock. It also oversees St. Anne Mission Church in nearby Spanish Lake, extending its ministry across the central Louisiana countryside. The parish is currently led by Rev. Thomas Paul as Pastoral Administrator, with Ashley Berry serving as Director of Religious Education.
- Established
- 1952
- Patron
- St. Francis of Assisi
- Rector
- Rev. Thomas Paul
- Diocese
- Diocese of Alexandria (Natchitoches Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Francis of Assisi is a small, welcoming rural parish where generations of Powhatan and Spanish Lake Catholics have worshipped together since 1952. With a weekly Saturday Vigil Mass, the Sacraments celebrated faithfully, the Divine Mercy Sunday devotion and Lenten Stations of the Cross, and the close-knit religious-education program led by Ashley Berry, it offers an intimate Catholic community in the heart of Natchitoches Parish. The parish also reaches beyond Powhatan through its mission, St. Anne Church in Spanish Lake, sharing one pastoral team across two rural worship sites.
Mass times at St. Francis of Assisi
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 pm – 3:55 pm (before Mass), or by appointment
History of St. Francis of Assisi, Powhatan
Catholic life in Powhatan began in 1907, when Father William Lambertz, pastor at Campti, started celebrating a monthly Mass in the old schoolhouse for local families. His successor, Father Nicholas Judermanns, built a chapel in 1912; Bishop Van de Ven blessed it that spring and it was dedicated to St. Andrew. That chapel was destroyed in a storm in 1937, rebuilt by a Holy Ghost Father in 1938, and rededicated by Bishop Daniel Desmond in honor of St. Francis. From 1936 to 1948 the Holy Ghost Fathers cared for the mission. In 1952, Bishop Charles P. Greco formally established St. Francis of Assisi as an independent parish and named Father Herman Couvillion as its first pastor. The building was relocated to Allen Road in 1957, and under Father Rudolph Engelen ground was broken for a new church in 1963. The new structure — built for $124,000 with help from the Catholic Extension Society — was completed in spring 1964, with the first Mass celebrated on April 12, 1964, and blessed by Bishop Greco on May 25, 1964. In 2022, the parish marked its 70th anniversary.
- 1907: First monthly Mass celebrated in the Powhatan schoolhouse by Fr. William Lambertz.
- 1912: Chapel built and blessed, dedicated to St. Andrew.
- 1937: Original chapel destroyed in a storm.
- 1938: Chapel rebuilt and rededicated to St. Francis by Bishop Daniel Desmond.
- 1936–1948: Holy Ghost Fathers served the Powhatan mission.
- 1952: Bishop Charles P. Greco established St. Francis of Assisi as an independent parish.
- 1952: Fr. Herman Couvillion named first pastor.
- 1957: Church building relocated to Allen Road.
- 1963: Ground broken for a new church under Fr. Rudolph Engelen.
- April 12, 1964: First Mass in the new church.
- May 25, 1964: Bishop Greco blessed the new church.
- 2022: 70th anniversary celebrated.
Devotions
The parish keeps two regular devotions beyond the weekly Mass: a Divine Mercy Sunday prayer service each year and Stations of the Cross during Lent.
- Divine Mercy Sunday: 3:00 pm
- Stations of the Cross: after the Saturday Vigil Mass during Lent
Mission: St. Anne Church, Spanish Lake
St. Francis of Assisi also shepherds St. Anne Church in Spanish Lake, located at 4310 Hwy 485 in Robeline. St. Anne offers its own Sunday and weekday Mass schedule under the same pastoral team, extending the parish's reach into another rural community of Natchitoches Parish.
- Location: 4310 Hwy 485, Robeline, LA
- Mailing Address: 179 Hwy 485, Natchitoches, LA 71457
- Phone: (318) 352-8819
- Sunday Mass: 9:30 am
- Weekday Mass: Thursday, 9:00 am
- Holy Days: as announced
- Confession: before Mass
Staff & Leadership
Pastoral care and faith formation at St. Francis of Assisi are shared between the Pastoral Administrator and the Director of Religious Education, supported by the Diocese of Alexandria.
- Rev. Thomas Paul – Pastoral Administrator
- Ashley Berry – Director of Religious Education
Religious Education & Sacraments
Ashley Berry directs the parish's religious-education program, forming children and families of the Powhatan and Spanish Lake communities in the Catholic faith. Sacramental preparation — including baptism, first Communion, confirmation, and marriage — is arranged through the parish office; visitors are asked to please call.
- Religious Education led by Ashley Berry
- Sacramental preparation available by contacting the parish office
Diocese of Alexandria
St. Francis of Assisi is a parish of the Diocese of Alexandria in central Louisiana and belongs to its Natchitoches Deanery. It appears in the diocesan directory among more than forty parishes across the diocese's ten deaneries.
- Diocese: Diocese of Alexandria
- Deanery: Natchitoches Deanery
- Dean: Fr. John O'Brien, V.F., Vicar Forane
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Herman Couvillion1952–
First pastor, appointed by Bishop Charles P. Greco when St. Francis of Assisi was established as an independent parish.
- Fr. Rudolph Engelen
Broke ground for the new church in 1963; the completed building was dedicated in 1964.