St. Jerome

Welcome and Parish Mission

St. Jerome Parish in Kenner, Louisiana, opens its doors to people of every culture, race, nationality and age. The parish mission statement, published on the parish website, reads: 'We, the people of St. Jerome, share the mission of the Catholic Church to love and to worship God, our Father. We share the peace of Christ and the hope of eternal salvation with people of all cultures, races, nationalities and ages, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We are committed to developing and carrying out those programs and activities that will enable us to achieve that goal together.' This commitment is lived out across roughly 40 ministries and groups meeting throughout the week.

History of St. Jerome Parish

Founded in 1963 in Kenner, a suburb west of New Orleans in Jefferson Parish, St. Jerome grew alongside the post-war expansion of the West Bank and Kenner communities. The parish gradually opened its doors to Hispanic immigrants, and a Spanish Mass became a regular part of parish life decades ago. Today an estimated three-quarters of the 2,000 registered families are Hispanic, and the parish is widely known as one of the most multicultural congregations in the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

• Founded 1963 in Kenner, Louisiana.
• Hispanic community present at the parish for more than 40 years.
• Approximately 2,000 registered families, about 75–80% Hispanic.
• Became a national focal point in 2025–2026 during the 'Catahoula Crunch' immigration operations.

Pastoral Leadership

The parish is led by Fr. Luis Duarte, a Colombian-born priest who arrived in New Orleans in 2016 to study at Notre Dame Seminary, was ordained in 2020, and was appointed pastor of St. Jerome in July 2025. He is supported by an active diaconate and a committed lay staff.

• Fr. Luis Duarte — Pastor / Párroco
• Dcn. Leo Tran — Deacon
• Dcn. Craig Comeaux — Deacon
• Dcn. Roberto Angeli — Retired Deacon
• Dcn. Luis Campuzano — Retired Deacon
• José Rodrigo Gris Castro — Youth Minister / Coordinador de la Pastoral Juvenil
• Luisa Argelia Hernández — Director of Religious Education
• Jessica Estrella — Parish Secretary
• Tu-Anh Nguy — Bookkeeper

Faith Formation and Religious Education

Religious Education at St. Jerome is directed by Luisa Argelia Hernández and meets on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, preparing children and youth for the sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation. Adults seeking Baptism, Confirmation or full reception into the Catholic Church go through the parish RCIA / Catecumenado process, which typically culminates at the Easter Vigil.

• Director of Religious Education: Luisa Argelia Hernández (504 443-3174 ext. 3)
• Classes meet Tuesdays and Thursdays
• RCIA / Catecumenado for adults and children age 7 and older
• Confirmation preparation beginning in 10th grade or higher

Youth Ministry

St. Jerome runs a robust, Eucharist-centered youth ministry program for teens in middle school and high school. The middle-school program is called EDGE, and the high-school program is Life Teen. Both programs meet weekly and include retreats, catechesis, fellowship, and service opportunities within the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

• EDGE — middle-school youth ministry for grades 6–8
• Life Teen — high-school youth ministry for grades 9–12, Sundays 6:00–8:00 PM
• Annual Junior High Retreat 'Adolescentes para Cristo'
• Youth Minister: José Rodrigo Gris Castro

Liturgical Ministries

Parishioners serve the liturgy in many capacities — from proclaiming the Word and distributing Holy Communion, to singing in the choir, serving at the altar, keeping the altar linens and vessels in order, and greeting worshippers as ushers. All liturgical ministers must have the permission of the pastor and, where required by the Archdiocese, attend formation seminars and be formally delegated.

• Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion — distribute Communion at Mass and bring it to the sick and homebound
• Proclaimers (Lectors) — read Scripture at Sunday, Holy Day and special Masses
• Altar Servers — children age 9 and older who have received First Eucharist
• Altar Society — cares for altar décor and linens
• Music and Choir — English and Spanish choirs for every weekend Mass
• Ushers — greet, seat, take up collections and assist at Mass

Music and Choir

Music at St. Jerome is bilingual: a Saturday Vigil choir and an English Sunday choir share the regular schedule, while Spanish choirs lead the 8:00 AM and 12:00 PM Sunday Masses. New singers and musicians are invited to contact the parish office.

• Saturday 4:00 PM (English) — Charlie Brown
• Sunday 10:00 AM (English) — Rodrigo Gris
• Sunday 8:00 AM & 12:00 PM (Spanish) — Sonia Escobar & Darwin Reyes

Pastoral and Finance Councils

St. Jerome maintains both a Pastoral Council and a Finance Council. Both are advisory bodies to the pastor, made up of parishioners who meet regularly to discuss matters affecting parish life — from spiritual programs and evangelization, to budgeting and long-term planning.

• Pastoral Council members listed on the parish website include Karla Rodriguez, Justine Gilbert, Charlie Freel, Astrid Bográn, Margaret Boudreaux, Norma Galdamez, Pam, Evenor Galdamez, Minerva Yanez and Wendy Tejeda.
• The Pastoral Council advises the pastor on parish-wide issues and activities.
• The Finance Council advises on financial planning and stewardship.

Outreach and Charity: Ministry of Concern

The Ministry of Concern is St. Jerome's main social-outreach arm. It works to house, clothe, and feed the poor and homeless within the parish's boundaries, and provides emergency assistance for energy bills, rent, and some prescription medications. The ministry also organizes Thanksgiving baskets, sponsors a Christmas giving program, and makes home visits to the sick and homebound.

• Ministry of Concern phone line: (504) 441-5014
• Canned / packaged food donations may be placed in the Collection Box at the main church entrance.
• Cash donations may be made via Ministry of Concern envelopes or the St. Anthony poor box at the rear of the church.
• Members prepare Thanksgiving baskets and coordinate a Christmas giving program.

Parish Prayer and Devotional Groups

Beyond the regular liturgical schedule, St. Jerome hosts a number of ongoing devotional and prayer gatherings open to the public. The most prominent is the Grupo Carismático, which meets weekly in the Bethlehem Chapel.

• Grupo Carismático — every Friday at 7:30 PM in the Bethlehem Chapel: Rosary, charismatic praise and songs, Bible study
• First-Friday Mass hosted by the Grupo Carismático each month
• Annual retreat for the charismatic community with special preachers and activities

Knights of Columbus

St. Jerome is home to a council of the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic fraternal service organization. The council supports the parish through works of charity, faith formation and community events.

• Knights of Columbus council active at St. Jerome
• Interested men are invited to attend meetings at the parish

Sacraments at St. Jerome

Information about each of the seven sacraments is published on the parish website. Parents and adults seeking Baptism, children preparing for First Communion and Confirmation, couples preparing for marriage, and individuals discerning Holy Orders or Religious Life can all begin the process by contacting the parish office.

• Baptism — Infant baptism and RCIA for older children and adults
• Confirmation — preparation for youth and adults
• Eucharist (First Communion) — through Religious Education
• Matrimony — Marriage Preparation coordinated with priests and deacons
• Holy Orders / Religious Life — discernment support
• Funeral Arrangements — coordinated with the parish office

Contact Information

The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and can be reached by phone, fax, or email.

• Address: 2402 33rd Street, Kenner, Louisiana 70065
• Phone: (504) 443-3174
• Fax: (504) 443-5499
• Email: [email protected]
• Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Ministry of Concern: (504) 441-5014

Getting Involved

Fr. Duarte has noted that at St. Jerome, 'you can come any day from Monday through Sunday and if you come at night there is something going on here.' Whether a parishioner wants to sing in the choir, teach religious education, visit the homebound, help feed the poor through the Ministry of Concern, or join the Knights of Columbus, the parish office is the starting point.

• Volunteer for liturgical ministries (Eucharistic Minister, Lector, Usher, Altar Server, Choir)
• Join the Ministry of Concern to serve the poor and homeless
• Help with Religious Education or youth ministry (EDGE and Life Teen)
• Join the Knights of Columbus or the Grupo Carismático
• Reach out to the parish office at (504) 443-3174 for any of the above