About St. Gertrude the Great · Des Allemands, Louisiana
St. Gertrude the Great is a small Catholic parish in Des Allemands, Louisiana, situated along Bayou Des Allemands in St. Charles Parish between New Orleans and Houma. Founded as a mission of Holy Rosary Church in Taft and established as its own parish on June 25, 1955, it is home to more than 630 households split between the Archdiocese of New Orleans and the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. Long recognized as the host parish of the Louisiana Catfish Festival and a deeply rooted community of German-descent bayou families, the church today (per its own website) is worshiping from the parish rectory after catastrophic Hurricane Ida damage in 2021 left the church building's interior ruined, though its stained-glass windows survived intact. In 2023 the Archdiocese announced that St. Gertrude would merge with St. John the Baptist in Paradis to form the new St. Michael the Archangel Parish, with the final Mass at St. Gertrude celebrated by Father Ray Hymel in June 2024.
- Established
- 1955
- Patron
- St. Gertrude of Nivelles
- Rector
- Rev. Ray A. Hymel
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of New Orleans (part of the parish territory extends into the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux)
Why belong here
St. Gertrude the Great has been the spiritual home of the German-descent bayou families of Des Allemands for generations, with deep traditions like the ringing of the Sunday bell, monthly parish rosary, and an annual veterans memorial. It is a small parish where Father Ray knows his parishioners personally and where Mass, the sacraments, and confessions (by appointment) are still offered faithfully through post-Ida recovery. Visitors along Bayou Des Allemands are warmly welcomed to worship with a community that has celebrated its Catholic identity since 1721 and that traces its parish life back to the 1901 mission chapel on the bayou.
Mass times at St. Gertrude the Great
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- By appointment only (call 985-758-7542 or Fr. Ray's cell at 504-442-9299)
Parish History
Covers the German settlement of Des Allemands in 1721, the 1901 mission chapel, and the 1955 establishment of St. Gertrude as an independent parish.
Founding & German-Catholic Roots (1721–1955)
Before there was a church, Mass was celebrated in parishioners' homes and a Taft school by a priest riding horseback, train, or boat from Holy Rosary Church. The mission chapel along the bayou was built in 1901 on what is today the parish cemetery.
- 1721 — Germans settle Des Allemands
- 1901 — Mission chapel built along the bayou
- 1904 — First communion class graduates
Building the Parish (1955–1984)
The parish was formally erected on June 25, 1955, with Father Joseph B. Pooley as the first resident pastor. Under Father Pooley the present church was broken ground on September 30, 1956, and the rectory added in 1963. Father William McCallion arrived in 1974 and founded the Catfish Festival in 1975.
- 1955 — Parish erected; Rev. Joseph B. Pooley first resident pastor
- 1956 — Groundbreaking for new church
- 1963 — Rectory built
- 1975 — Louisiana Catfish Festival founded by Fr. 'Mac'
Father Ray Hymel's Pastorate (2013–2024)
Father Ray A. Hymel joined as Parochial Vicar in July 2013 and was welcomed as pastor on December 1, 2013. He guided St. Gertrude through COVID-19 closures, Hurricane Ida (Aug. 2021), the feasibility study era, and finally the merger into St. Michael the Archangel Parish in 2024.
- 2013 — Fr. Ray A. Hymel installed as pastor (Dec. 1)
- 2021 — Hurricane Ida devastates buildings; Mass moves to rectory
- 2023 — Archdiocese announces merger with St. John the Baptist, Paradis
- June 2024 — Final Mass celebrated at St. Gertrude the Great
Ministry & Community Life
St. Gertrude has long combined sacramental life with parish-wide fundraisers and traditions rooted in bayou community life.
Louisiana Catfish Festival
Founded in 1975 by Father William McCallion to raise money for the parish and stimulate the local economy, the festival drew visitors from across the U.S. with home-cooked catfish platters, po-boys, pageants, a 5K, an eating contest, and Cajun swamp-pop bands. The festival has been paused due to COVID-19, Hurricane Ida, and the merger transition.
- All food home-cooked and sold by parishioners
- Featured: 5K St. Charles Parish Championship, pageants, eating contest, live music
- Former average annual revenue: ~$40,000
Veterans Memorial Service
An annual tradition in which veterans (living and deceased) are named and honored, with parish families escorting relatives to the altar. After a near-three-year pause because of COVID-19 and Hurricane Ida, the parish resumed the ceremony with Hahnville High School ROTC participating.
- Names of each veteran read aloud
- Family members escorted to the altar
- Paused 2020–2022 due to COVID and Hurricane Ida
Pastoral Care & Outreach
After Hurricane Ida, Father Hymel kept the parish functioning with two weekend Masses in the rectory while parishioners and outside benefactors — the Red Cross, Houston-area donors, and lay organizers — provided meals, water, ice, and cleaning supplies.
- Red Cross daily meal service post-Ida
- Houston-area parish partners sending food and supplies
- Craft fairs and 50/50 raffles to sustain parish operations
Hurricane Ida & Stained-Glass Survival
The August 2021 storm heavily damaged the church interior and left the parish without running water or electricity. Father Hymel evacuated with the Blessed Sacrament and sacramental records; notably, the church's stained-glass windows survived intact.
- Four parish buildings damaged
- Wires ripped from buildings; interior moisture damage
- Stained-glass windows intact
Transition to St. Michael the Archangel Parish
Following the 2023 Archdiocesan announcement, St. Gertrude the Great (Des Allemands) and St. John the Baptist (Paradis) merged into the new St. Michael the Archangel Parish. Father Ray Hymel celebrated St. Gertrude's final Mass in June 2024 and reminded parishioners that they — not the building — are the church.
Practical Information & Contact
Contact, address and directions for current and future visitors and parishioners.
- Address: 17292 LA Hwy 631, Des Allemands, LA 70030 (P.O. Box 767)
- Phone: 985-758-7542 (Fr. Ray cell: 504-442-9299)
- Website: stgertrudedesallemands.org
- Facebook: search 'St Gertrude's' / 'Find us on Facebook' link on the official site
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Joseph B. Pooley1955–1974
First resident pastor; oversaw groundbreaking for the present church (Sept. 30, 1956) and addition of the rectory (1963).
- Rev. William McCallion ('Fr. Mac')1974–1984
Founded the Louisiana Catfish Festival in 1975; died March 23, 1984; buried in the St. Gertrude cemetery.
- Rev. Paul Lamberty1984–1987
Recalled by the Archdiocese for other duties.
- Rev. Eugene Jaques1987–1988
- Rev. Edward Grice ('Fr. Ed')1988–1996
Shared with U.S. Army servicemembers at Fort Polk during the Gulf War.
- Rev. Steven Leszczynskimid-1990s
Short tenure; left a strong impression.
- Rev. Donald O'Donnell1997–1999
- Rev. Benjamin Quang ('Fr. Ben')1999–2001
Drowned in a fishing accident December 6, 2001; buried beside Fr. Mac in the parish cemetery.
- Rev. James Nguyen BachJanuary 2003 – September 2008
- Rev. Joseph Duc DzienSeptember 2008 – November 2013
- Rev. Edward LaudenJuly 2011 – June 2013
Parochial Vicar.
- Rev. Ray A. HymelJuly 2013 – present
Joined as Parochial Vicar in July 2013; became Pastor December 1, 2013; celebrated the parish's final Mass in June 2024 before merger into St. Michael the Archangel Parish.
- Deacon Landry Matherneuntil March 16, 2012
Long-serving deacon until his death.