About St. John Berchmans · Shreveport, Louisiana
The Cathedral of Saint John Berchmans is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Shreveport in Shreveport, Louisiana, United States. Founded in 1902 by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) at the request of Bishop Anthony Durier of the Diocese of Alexandria, it is the second-oldest Catholic parish in the city of Shreveport. The current brick Tudor Revival / Gothic Revival church at 939 Jordan Street was begun in 1927 and consecrated on January 16, 1929; it became co-cathedral in 1977 and the sole cathedral of the newly erected Diocese of Shreveport on June 23, 1986. One of only eight churches in the world dedicated to the Jesuit saint John Berchmans, the cathedral houses a reliquary with relics of his heart, gifted by the Jesuit order in Belgium in 2016.
- Established
- 1902
- Patron
- St. John Berchmans (Jesuit scholastic)
- Rector
- Rev. Raney Johnson (Rector)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Shreveport
Why belong here
St. John Berchmans is the spiritual heart of the seven-county Diocese of Shreveport — the Mass and sacraments Catholics experience here feed the whole local Church, and the parish welcomes anyone wishing to participate in that wider mission. Daily Mass is offered in a dedicated chapel at 12:10 pm Monday through Friday, with Friday adoration and benediction, weekly Confession Tuesday through Saturday, Saturday vigil and three Sunday liturgies, and a robust OCIA (formerly RCIA) program for those becoming Catholic. Beyond the altar, the cathedral runs an extensive faith-formation program for children and adults, a Pre-K–8 school, a Knights of Columbus council, a St. Vincent de Paul conference (assistance hotline 318-865-7807), youth / young adult / campus ministry, family life ministry, a director of evangelization and outreach, and a sacred music program — making it a good fit for households looking to put down roots in a historically Jesuit-founded downtown Shreveport parish.
Mass times at St. John Berchmans
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
- Wednesday 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
- Thursday 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
- Saturday 2:30 PM – 3:45 PM
- By appointment (call the parish office 318-221-5296)
Adoration times
- Saturday 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
- Friday 11:00 AM (followed by Benediction at 11:45 AM)
- First Friday Adoration and Benediction (as scheduled)
History of St. John Berchmans Parish
The parish was founded in March 1902 when the Jesuits, invited by Bishop Anthony Durier, sent Father John F. O'Connor, S.J. to Shreveport to build a frame church, school and residence in the 1500 block of Texas Avenue. After a quarter-century in those quarters, the Jesuits began the present red-brick cathedral at 939 Jordan Street in 1927; it was consecrated on January 16, 1929. The parish became co-cathedral in 1977 and the cathedral of the new Diocese of Shreveport in 1986; the Jesuits handed administration over to the diocese in October 1988. A parish history book (soft cover $20, hardback $35) chronicles these events and is sold through the parish office.
- 1902: Parish founded by the Jesuits; first pastor Fr. John F. O'Connor, S.J.
- 1924: Decision to build a larger church on Jordan Street
- July 31, 1927: Cornerstone laid
- June 1928: Construction completed
- January 16, 1929: Church consecrated
- 1977: Designated co-cathedral of the Diocese of Alexandria–Shreveport
- June 23, 1986: Becomes cathedral of the newly created Diocese of Shreveport
- October 1988: Jesuits relinquish the parish to diocesan clergy
- 1992–1994: Major renovation; new vestibule and chapel built
- August 28, 1993: Cathedral rededicated after restoration
- 2014: High Altar and Tabernacle restored
- 2016: Relics of the heart of St. John Berchmans acquired
- April–June 2017: Archaeological dig at the original Texas Avenue site
- November 26, 2017: Louisiana historical marker blessed
Architecture & Artwork
The cathedral is a mixed Tudor–Gothic Revival building in red brick, with exposed wooden ceiling beams in the Tudor tradition and pointed arches over the windows and doors of the Gothic. The interior was fully restored in 1992–1994 and the High Altar and Tabernacle in 2014. Among the treasures are Emil Frei Jr. stained-glass windows, a 13th-century Giunta of Pisa crucifix, and a wood carving of the Holy Family, the patron saints of the Diocese of Shreveport.
- Style: Tudor Revival / Gothic Revival (mixed)
- Construction: red brick; interior exposed wooden beams
- Stained glass: three large windows by Emil Frei Jr. (Emil Frei & Associates, St. Louis)
- Giunta of Pisa 13th-century painted crucifix (Italian primitive)
- Holy Family carving (single block of wood)
- St. Michael the Archangel Chapel (added 1995; ~100-seat capacity)
- Reliquary of the heart of St. John Berchmans (since 2016)
Clergy, Staff & Office
The cathedral is led by Rector Rev. Raney Johnson, with Associate Pastor Fr. Jean Bosco Uwamungu, Vicar Rev. Monsignor J. Carson Lacaze and Deacons John Basco and Clary Nash. The lay staff includes a Director of Faith Formation, Adult Faith Formation director, Director of Evangelization & Outreach, Director of Sacred Music, Director of Youth/Young Adult & Campus Ministry, Director of Development, Business Administrator, Family Life Ministry, Lay Ecclesial Minister, Sacramental Records/Parish Secretary, Pastoral Administrative Assistant, Facilities Manager and Bulletin Editor.
- Rev. Raney Johnson — Rector
- Fr. Jean Bosco Uwamungu — Associate Pastor
- Rev. Msgr. J. Carson Lacaze — Vicar
- Deacon John Basco
- Deacon Clary Nash
- Carol Gates — Lay Ecclesial Minister / Pastoral Ministries
- Dr. Cheryl White — Adult Faith Formation
- Greg Laroux — Evangelization & Outreach
- Sarah Romanski — Director of Faith Formation
- Aaron Wilson — Director of Sacred Music
- Melisa Jimenez — Director of Youth, Young Adult & Campus Ministry
- Cassie Key — Director of Development
- Missy Carroll — Parish Business Administrator
- Bobbie Sue Shelton — Parish Secretary / Sacramental Records
- Dotye Sue Stanford — Family Life Ministry
- Donna Laroux — Pastoral Administrative Assistant
- Austin Day — Facilities Manager
- Rick Urbanowski — Bulletin Editor
Faith Formation & Becoming Catholic (OCIA)
The cathedral welcomes inquirers through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), the updated name for the RCIA process. Sarah Romanski (Director of Faith Formation) hosts an introductory meeting, after which candidates attend Mass, receive formation, and take part in the OCIA rites before full reception into the Church at the Easter Vigil. Adult Faith Formation is coordinated separately by Dr. Cheryl White.
- OCIA inquiry form on the parish website
- Contact Sarah Romanski, [email protected], 318-221-5296 ext. 118
- Adult Faith Formation with Dr. Cheryl White
Cathedral School (Pre-K through 8th)
St. John Berchmans Catholic School at 947 Jordan Street (adjacent to the cathedral) is a Jesuit-rooted co-educational school serving Pre-K through 8th grade. The current principal is T.C. Veit. The school emphasizes Catholic identity throughout its curriculum and decorations, and operates under the Diocese of Shreveport's Office of Catholic Schools. A 'Cathedral School Windows' capital campaign has raised more than $300,000 of a $450,000 goal to replace the campus windows.
- Address: 947 Jordan Street, Shreveport, LA 71101
- Principal: T.C. Veit
- Grades: Pre-K through 8th
- Motto: 'Kindness is practiced here.'
- Notable alumni include Don Hathaway (Caddo Parish Sheriff, 1980–2000)
Outreach & Charitable Works
The cathedral's social outreach is led by Greg Laroux (Director of Evangelization & Outreach) and includes an active parish conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. The SVdP conference operates an assistance hotline (318-865-7807, 9–11 AM and 1–3 PM) for those in the Shreveport deanery needing help with food, rent, or utilities, and accepts Active, Associate and Contributing members. The parish also participates in the diocesan Catholic Service Appeal (CSA), the annual stewardship campaign that funds seminarian formation, Catholic schools, charitable outreach and diocesan ministries.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — Shreveport area assistance line: 318-865-7807
- Evangelization & Outreach (Greg Laroux)
- Catholic Service Appeal (Diocesan) — supports priestly formation, Catholic schools, charitable outreach, diocesan ministries
Music & Liturgy
Aaron Wilson serves as Director of Sacred Music and oversees the cathedral's choir and liturgical music program. The parish also live-webcasts select liturgies from the cathedral and offers the Hallow prayer-and-meditation app to parishioners at no cost as part of its spiritual formation ministry. The choir loft is located above the vestibule entrance.
- Director of Sacred Music: Aaron Wilson (ext. 114)
- Live webcast available (see calendar / webcast link on the parish site)
- Parish subscription to the Hallow Catholic prayer app
Sacraments
Baptism, First Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick and Funeral rites are coordinated through the parish office (318-221-5296). Sacramental records are maintained by the parish secretary, Bobbie Sue Shelton. Marriage preparation begins by contacting the Church Office; the parish posts general wedding-prep information on its website.
- Baptism — register through the parish office
- First Eucharist / Confirmation — via Faith Formation office
- Marriage — preparation through the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — by request
- Funerals — coordinated with the parish office
- OCIA for adult initiation
Visiting, Location & Facilities
The cathedral is at 939 Jordan Street, between Line Avenue and Fairfield Avenue, near the I-20 / I-49 interchange (take the Fairfield exit off I-20). The parish office is open Monday through Thursday 9 AM to 4 PM, and Friday 9 AM to 1 PM. A self-guided 'Walking Tour' of the cathedral and chapel is offered on the parish website through its FAQ page. The Prayer Garden on the cathedral grounds is the resting place of Bishop William B. Friend, who established it and is laid to rest there following his death on April 2, 2015.
- Address: 939 Jordan Street, Shreveport, LA 71101
- Phone: 318-221-5296; Fax: 318-221-8076
- Office email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Thu 9 AM–4 PM; Fri 9 AM–1 PM
- Near I-20 / I-49 (Fairfield exit), between Line and Fairfield avenues
- Walking Tour via the parish website FAQ
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. John F. O'Connor, S.J.1902–
First pastor of St. John Berchmans Parish; arrived with the Jesuits from the Diocese of Alexandria and built the original frame church, school and residence on Texas Avenue in March 1902.
- Fr. Peter Mangum2017 (interim)
Rector during the 2017 archaeological excavation of the original 1902 parish site on Texas Avenue; later elected Diocesan Administrator of the Diocese of Shreveport on August 27, 2018 following the departure of Bishop Duca.
- Rev. Raney Johnson
Current Rector (per the parish website and Wikipedia infobox).
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