About St. Genevieve · Brouillette, Louisiana
St. Genevieve Church is a small Roman Catholic parish serving the historic Brouillette community in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, just outside Marksville along the Red River. Founded in the 1800s by French Creole families and formally established in its current structure in 1953, it remains the cultural and spiritual center of one of central Louisiana's oldest Creole settlements. The parish is part of the Diocese of Alexandria, and the adjacent cemetery with its distinctive above-ground tombs is one of the most recognized landmarks in the area.
- Established
- 1953
- Patron
- St. Genevieve of Paris
- Rector
- Rev. Abraham Palakkattuchira, CMI
- Diocese
- Diocese of Alexandria (Avoyelles Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Genevieve offers a deeply rooted, family-sized Catholic community in the heart of Louisiana's historic Creole country, where worshippers are likely to share pews with descendants of the original founding families. With weekday Mass four days a week, Saturday Vigil and Sunday morning Masses, weekly rosary and benediction devotions, and a seasonal religious education program directed by a longtime local parishioner, the parish keeps traditional Catholic rhythms close at hand. Visiting worshippers and newcomers find a parish that prizes its Creole heritage, its iconic cemetery, and its place on the National Register of Historic Places — a living link to the French Catholic presence along the Red River.
Mass times at St. Genevieve
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 20 minutes before Mass
- By appointment
About St. Genevieve Church
St. Genevieve Church is a small Catholic parish serving the historic Brouillette community in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, just outside Marksville along the Red River. The parish was founded in the 1800s by French Creole families and the current church structure was built in 1953. It remains the cultural and spiritual heart of one of central Louisiana's oldest Creole settlements and is part of the Diocese of Alexandria's Avoyelles Deanery.
- Patron: St. Genevieve of Paris (feast day January 3)
- Established: 1953 (current structure)
- Added to the National Register of Historic Places: January 1, 2024
- Diocese: Alexandria, Avoyelles Deanery
History & Creole Heritage
The parish was founded in the 1800s by French Creole families who settled along the Red River of the South near present-day Marksville. The founding families — Deville, Brevelle, Gaspard, Dupuy, Ponthier, Lacombe, Bordelon, Laborde, and Lachney — built the church on land tied to the older French colonial presence in the Avoyelles region, and their names are still prominent on the entrance, walls, and fencing. The Brevelle line traces back to Jean Baptiste Brevelle (1698–1754), an early-18th-century Parisian-born explorer, trader, and soldier of Fort Saint Jean Baptiste des Natchitoches.
- Original settlement on the banks of the Red River of the South
- Founding patron families: Deville, Brevelle, Gaspard, Dupuy, Ponthier, Lacombe, Bordelon, Laborde, Lachney
- Ancestor of the Brevelle founders: Jean Baptiste Brevelle (1698–1754), namesake of nearby Isle Brevelle in Natchitoches Parish
- Current structure built in 1953
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, January 1, 2024
The Cemetery
Adjacent to the church is the parish's iconic cemetery, distinguished by its above-ground tombs — a French Catholic burial tradition that makes the Brouillette cemetery one of the most recognizable landmarks in the area. The cemetery, together with the church, forms the historic property added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2024.
- Above-ground tombs in the French Catholic tradition
- Names of founding and patron families appear on the cemetery fencing and tombs
- Part of the National Register of Historic Places listing
Parish Staff
The parish is led by a pastor who is a member of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI), supported by a parish secretary and a long-serving Director of Religious Education from one of the founding Brevelle families.
- Rev. Abraham Palakkattuchira, CMI — Pastor
- Janice Brevelle — Director of Religious Education
- Gail Scandridge — Secretary
Religious Education
The parish runs a religious education program under the direction of Janice Brevelle, supporting catechesis for the children and families of the Brouillette community and surrounding Avoyelles deanery.
- Director of Religious Education: Janice Brevelle
- Programs support parish families and sacramental preparation
Office & Contact
Parish office hours are intentionally limited, reflecting the small size of the community — staff are in the office Tuesday and Thursday mornings, and appointments can be arranged outside those hours for pastoral needs.
- Address: 4052 Hwy 452, Marksville, LA 71351
- Phone: (318) 253-9237
- Fax: (318) 253-0703
- Office hours: Tuesday and Thursday, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm, or by appointment
- Diocesan listing: diocesealex.org/church/st-genevieve-church-brouillette/