About St. Francis Xavier · Alexandria, Louisiana
St. Francis Xavier Cathedral is the mother church and seat (cathedra) of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Alexandria in Louisiana, located at 626 4th Street in downtown Alexandria, Louisiana. Established as a parish in 1834 and elevated to cathedral status on August 6, 1910, when Pope Pius X transferred the episcopal see from Natchitoches to Alexandria, it is the third Catholic church built on the site and traces its origins to an 1817 chapel that was the first church of any denomination in the town. The present brick building, designed in Late Gothic Revival style by the noted Texas architect Nicholas J. Clayton, was dedicated on November 30, 1899, and is crowned by a 141-foot bell tower that was the tallest man-made structure in Central Louisiana for decades. The cathedral complex — church, St. Francis Academy (1897), and rectory (1896) — was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1984, and the interior is renowned for its twenty-foot rose windows, Jacoby Art Glass stained glass, and the largest pipe organ in the state.
- Established
- 1834
- Patron
- St. Francis Xavier
- Rector
- Rev. Daniel O'Connor
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Alexandria in Louisiana
Why belong here
St. Francis Xavier Cathedral is the spiritual heart of the Diocese of Alexandria and offers a rare combination of historic reverence and active parish life: weekday Mass at 12:05 pm, an extensive confession schedule, a perpetual-style schedule of First Friday and First Saturday devotions, Lenten Stations of the Cross, and a robust Sunday schedule (Saturday Vigil 4 pm; Sunday 9 am, 11 am, 5:30 pm) — with the 9 am Mass livestreamed each week. The parish runs the full sacramental life (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, RCIA, Matrimony, Anointing of the Sick) and supports a Confraternity of Christian Doctrine program, a youth ministry, an RCIA team coordinated by Deacon Richard Mitchell, and a music ministry anchored by Organist Nick Lena and the largest pipe organ in Louisiana. For a newcomer, the cathedral is also a tangible connection to two centuries of Central Louisiana Catholic history — making it as much a place to encounter heritage and beauty as it is a working downtown parish.
Mass times at St. Francis Xavier
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 30 minutes before daily Mass (Mon–Fri)
- Saturday: 3:00 pm – 3:45 pm
- Sunday: 4:45 pm – 5:15 pm
- By appointment with one of the priests
Adoration times
- First Friday Adoration: 11:00 am (followed by 12:05 pm Mass)
- First Saturday Adoration: 8:15 am (followed by 9:00 am Mass)
History of St. Francis Xavier Cathedral
Catholic worship in Alexandria predates the parish itself: French missionaries from Natchitoches served the French and Spanish settlements on the Red River from the early 18th century, and a small St. Francis Xavier Chapel was built in 1817 — the first church of any denomination in the village. A wood-frame church on Front Street replaced it in 1834, and the present brick cathedral was built in 1895–99 on Fourth Street, designed by architect Nicholas J. Clayton and dedicated on November 30, 1899. The parish was elevated to cathedral status in 1910 when the Diocese of Alexandria was created, and the cathedral complex (church, academy, and rectory) was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
- 1817 – First St. Francis Xavier Chapel built (first church of any denomination in Alexandria).
- 1834 – White wood-frame church built on Front Street by Theophilus Hilton; first resident pastor Fr. Robert Doogan in 1840.
- 1864 – Fr. Jean Pierre Bellier saved the church from Union troops by impersonating Gen. Nathaniel Banks during the May 13 burning of Alexandria.
- 1887 – Sisters of Divine Providence open an elementary school in the parish.
- 1893 – St. Francis Xavier Commercial College blessed (staffed by Brothers of the Sacred Heart).
- 1895 – Cornerstone laid Dec 3 on present site; old church and rectory destroyed by fire 27 days later; Fr. Menard's library and all parish records lost.
- 1899 – Present brick church dedicated Nov 30 by Bishop Antoine Durier; seating 720; cost $40,000.
- 1907 – 141-foot bell tower completed (tallest man-made structure in Central Louisiana).
- 1910 – Pope Pius X erects the Diocese of Alexandria (Aug 6) and designates St. Francis Xavier as its cathedral.
- 1929 – Tornado damage prompts new stained-glass windows from Jacoby Art Glass (St. Louis).
- 1931 – Large Ascension triptych installed above the high altar.
- 1946 – The two 20-foot rose windows installed in the transepts.
- 1984 – Cathedral celebrates 150th anniversary; cathedral complex added to the NRHP.
- 2003 – New Reuter pipe organ installed — the largest in Louisiana.
- 2010 – Diocese of Alexandria celebrates 100th anniversary.
- 2025 – Designated a Jubilee Year pilgrimage site.
Architecture & Interior
The cathedral is a Late Gothic Revival brick church designed by Galveston architect Nicholas J. Clayton. Its five-bay nave, tall transept, semioctagonal apse, lancet arches with 'Y' tracery, and especially its 141-foot bell tower with crenellation and Elizabethan-style chimney turrets make it 'the finest and most monumental Gothic style church building in the city of Alexandria' (per the National Register nomination). Inside, the Ascension triptych, the Daprato Co. crucifix, and the rich Jacoby stained glass together with the state-largest rose windows form one of the most distinctive Catholic interiors in Central Louisiana. The 2003 Reuter pipe organ anchors the music program and is the largest pipe organ in the state.
- Architect: Nicholas J. Clayton (Galveston, TX)
- Style: Late Gothic Revival (with Beaux-Arts and Bungalow elements)
- Materials: brick exterior with pine interior elements
- Capacity: 720 seats
- Tower: 141 ft, completed 1907; clock installed 1908; tallest man-made structure in Central Louisiana for many years
- Stained glass: Jacoby Art Glass Co. (St. Louis, MO), installed 1929–1953
- Rose windows: two 20-foot windows, largest in Louisiana (installed April 1946)
- Ascension triptych above high altar (1931)
- Life-sized Daprato plaster crucifix beneath the north transept rose window (1913, donated by Mrs. Leroy Stafford in memory of her son, naval officer Andes Hailey Butler)
- 3-manual, 48-rank Reuter pipe organ (Opus 2218), installed 2003 — largest pipe organ in Louisiana
Sacraments
The cathedral celebrates the full sacramental life of the Church. Parents may schedule infant baptisms through the parish office; the Parish Religious Education Program prepares children in second grade for First Reconciliation and First Communion, while Confirmation is celebrated in the 11th grade. Adults seeking initiation or completing their sacraments participate in RCIA, beginning each September and concluding at Easter. Marriage preparation, Anointing of the Sick, and assistance with vocations to Holy Orders are also available.
- Baptism (infants & children under 7) — contact the parish office or Deacon Richard Mitchell
- First Reconciliation & First Communion — via 2nd-grade PREP
- Confirmation — 11th grade or above, with prior year of catechesis
- RCIA — annual program, Sept–Easter, coordinated by Deacon Richard Mitchell
- Matrimony — contact the parish office; weddings at the Cathedral (dedicated page on sfxcathedral.org)
- Anointing of the Sick — by request; hospital visits via the hospital chaplain
- Holy Orders — inquiries directed to the Diocesan Vocation Director
Faith Formation, CCD & Youth Ministry
Faith formation is coordinated at the cathedral by Mary Lou Maples (CCD) and at the diocesan level by Deacon Jason Lavergne, Director of the Office of Religious Education and Faith Formation. Children not enrolled in Catholic schools attend Sunday morning catechesis sessions in preparation for the sacraments, while teens in 10th–11th grade prepare for Confirmation. The parish also maintains an active youth ministry and RCIA team.
- Parish Religious Education Program (CCD) — Mary Lou Maples
- Sunday morning catechesis for non-Catholic-school children
- Diocesan Office of Religious Education & Faith Formation — Deacon Jason Lavergne
- Youth Ministry
- RCIA — Deacon Richard Mitchell
Music Ministry & Concert Series
Music has been a vital part of the cathedral's liturgical life since 1904, when Fr. Menard directed the adoption of Gregorian chant and a male-only choir in line with Pope Pius X's motu proprio. Today's music ministry, under Organist Nick Lena, is anchored by the cathedral's 3-manual, 48-rank Reuter pipe organ — the largest in Louisiana — and includes a regularly scheduled concert series and organ recitals throughout the year.
- 1905 – Mason & Hamlin 2-manual pneumatic pipe organ (16 speaking stops)
- 1929 – New pneumatic organ of 1,188 pipes (donation)
- 1963 – Estey 2-manual, 30-stop, 24-rank organ (until 2003)
- 2003 – Reuter pipe organ, Opus 2218, 3 manuals / 48 ranks — largest in Louisiana
- Concert series and organ recitals throughout the year
Clergy, Staff & Office
The cathedral is led by Rector Rev. Daniel O'Connor, with Rev. Msgr. James A. Ferguson, J.C.L., now retired and serving as Defender of the Bond for the Diocesan Tribunal. Rev. Jason Gootee is in residence and serves as Chaplain of Rapides Regional Medical Center. Two deacons, Deacon Richard Mitchell (Vice Chancellor, Director of the Diaconate, and Stewardship/PR) and Deacon Jason Lavergne (Director of the Diocesan Office of Religious Education and Faith Formation), assist in liturgical and parish life. Lay staff include Organist Nick Lena, Secretary Arlene Ryder, CCD coordinator Mary Lou Maples, and Housekeeping (Chris Bayonne). The parish office is open Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
- Rector: Rev. Daniel O'Connor
- Rector Emeritus / Defender of the Bond: Rev. Msgr. James A. Ferguson, J.C.L.
- In Residence: Rev. Jason Gootee (Hospital Chaplain, Rapides Regional Medical Center)
- Deacon Richard Mitchell — Vice Chancellor / Director of the Diaconate / Stewardship & PR
- Deacon Jason Lavergne — Diocesan Director of Religious Education and Faith Formation
- Organist: Nick Lena
- Secretary: Arlene Ryder
- CCD: Mary Lou Maples
- Housekeeping: Chris Bayonne
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
National Register Historic Complex & Pilgrimage
The St. Francis Xavier Cathedral Complex — the cathedral (1895–99), St. Francis Academy (1897), and the rectory (1896, renovated 1930) — was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on March 29, 1984 (NRHP #84001353) as a roughly 2-acre historic property. In 2025, the Diocese of Alexandria designated the cathedral an official Jubilee Year pilgrimage site, and it is featured on the diocesan pilgrimage page alongside its history and artistic treasures.
- NRHP listing: March 29, 1984 (#84001353)
- Complex: Cathedral, St. Francis Academy (1897), Rectory (1896, renovated 1930)
- Diocese of Alexandria Jubilee Year 2025 pilgrimage site
- Features: bell tower, rose windows, Ascension triptych, Daprato crucifix, Jacoby stained glass, Reuter organ
Visiting Alexandria and the Cathedral
Pilgrims and visitors are welcome during the published Mass and devotion schedule, and the parish office (Monday–Friday 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.) can arrange special visits. The 9:00 a.m. Sunday Mass is livestreamed for those unable to attend in person. As a Jubilee Year 2025 pilgrimage site, the cathedral offers a rare opportunity to see two centuries of Central Louisiana Catholic history — from the surviving 1782 French colonial chalice in the cathedral collection, to the 1899 brick building, the 1946 state-largest rose windows, and the 2003 Reuter organ.
- On-street and nearby downtown parking; map and driving/walking/transit/bicycling directions on the Diocese of Alexandria parish page
- Office hours: Monday–Friday 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Phone: 318-445-1451; Fax: 318-445-1433
- Sunday 9:00 am Mass livestreamed on the cathedral's website
- Jubilee Year 2025 pilgrimage designation
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Robert Doogan (Duggan)1840 – Oct 18, 1843
First resident pastor of the parish; began construction of a new church; his body was reinterred in the foundation of the 1899 cathedral in February 1896.
- Visiting priests from Natchitoches1843 – 1848
After Fr. Doogan's death, the parish was again served by visiting priests from Natchitoches.
- Fr. Jean Pierre Bellier1848 – 1850
A former French army officer; assigned in residence as visiting priest to a large area; saved the church in 1864 by impersonating Union General Banks during the Red River Campaign burning of Alexandria.
- Fr. Jean Baptiste Avenard1867 – 1883
Replaced Fr. Bellier; oversaw rebuilding of the parish and town after the Civil War; died 1883.
- Fr. Jerome Bres1883 (approx.)
Listed among reinterred priests of the parish.
- Fr. Leonard Menard1883 – c. 1912
Native of Pleine-Fougères, Brittany; ordained 1877 in New Orleans; assigned pastor of St. Francis Xavier by Bishop Durier; served 29 years; oversaw construction of the present cathedral, the Commercial College, and arrival of the Sisters of Divine Providence; lost his library in the 1895 fire; said the first Mass in the new church on the last Monday of November 1899.
- Fr. Clement Neudlingafter Menard (early 20th c.)
Ordered new Jacoby Art Glass stained-glass windows after 1929 tornado damage; accepted a 1,188-pipe pneumatic organ in 1929; pressed for many cathedral improvements.
- Rev. Msgr. James A. Ferguson, J.C.L.until retirement (announced 2025)
Long-serving rector; previously also Vicar; in retirement granted permission to continue as Defender of the Bond in the Diocesan Tribunal.
- Rev. Daniel O'Connor2025 – present
Appointed Rector of St. Francis Xavier Cathedral from his previous assignment as Pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Vidalia.
