About St. John the Evangelist · Jeanerette, Louisiana
Saint John the Evangelist Catholic Church is a historic Roman Latin-rite parish in Jeanerette, Louisiana, formally established on January 12, 1879 by Archbishop Napoléon Perché of New Orleans. The parish was carved from the earlier mission parishes of Charenton and Patoutville, and its current church edifice — completed in 1908 during the pastorate of Fr. Michel Bardy — is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A small-town Cajun and French-Creole community of faith, St. John's is part of the Diocese of Lafayette's South Deanery (St. Mary Civil Parish) and continues to celebrate the Mass, offer the sacraments, and serve the people of Jeanerette and the surrounding Bayou Teche region.
- Established
- 1879
- Patron
- St. John the Evangelist
- Rector
- Fr. Paul Broussard
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana (South Deanery, St. Mary Civil Parish)
Why belong here
St. John the Evangelist offers a historic, welcoming place to worship in the heart of Jeanerette, with daily and weekend Masses, regular confession, and First Friday adoration. Parishioners are served by a stable staff — pastor Fr. Paul Broussard, secretary Pam Racca, and longtime lay ministers Nick Hebert and Lynn Hebert — and benefit from a community rooted in 145+ years of Catholic life on the Bayou Teche. With a National Register-listed sanctuary, active sacramental life, and the convenience of a Church Street parish office, it is a faithful home for Catholics in southern St. Mary Parish.
Mass times at St. John the Evangelist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Weekdays: 15 minutes before each Mass
- Saturday: 3:30 PM – 3:50 PM
- Sunday: 8:30 AM – 8:50 AM
- 1st Friday: 12:05 PM in Church
- 1st Saturday: 8:30 AM
Adoration times
- 1st Friday of the month at 7:30 AM in the chapel
Parish Overview
Saint John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Jeanerette, Louisiana, is a historic parish established in 1879 and a member of the Diocese of Lafayette. The parish offers the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the week, the sacrament of Confession, and First Friday adoration. Its current church building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the parish continues to serve the Catholic community of Jeanerette and the surrounding Bayou Teche region.
History of Saint John the Evangelist
On January 12, 1879, Archbishop Napoléon Perché of New Orleans formally established St. John the Evangelist Church in Jeanerette, carving the new parish from the older mission parishes of Charenton and Patoutville. Irish-born Fr. John D. Flanagan arrived as the first pastor and built the original cypress-shingled spired church, which was visible across town. The present church edifice was completed in 1908 under Fr. Michel Bardy and is on the National Register of Historic Places. A Sisters of Mercy school opened in 1889 and graduated its first class in 1892, eventually moving across Bayou Teche onto land donated by the Carlyle Bourgeois family; the school closed in May 2011.
- Founded: January 12, 1879
- First pastor: Fr. John D. Flanagan (1879–1885)
- School opened by five Sisters of Mercy in 1889
- First graduating class: 1892
- Current church completed in 1908 under Fr. Michel Bardy
- School closed: May 2011
Parish Staff
The parish is served by pastor Fr. Paul Broussard, with Pam Racca as parish secretary, Nick Hebert as Residential Depurator, and Lynn Hebert maintaining the cemetery records. The parish office is located at 1510 Church Street, Jeanerette, LA 70544, and can be reached at (337) 276-4576.
- Pastor: Fr. Paul Broussard
- Secretary: Ms. Pam Racca
- Residential Depurator: Mr. Nick Hebert
- Cemetery Records: Mr. Lynn Hebert
Parish Office and Contact
The parish office is located on Church Street in Jeanerette, with morning hours Monday through Thursday. The office closes for lunch from 12:00 to 1:00 PM.
- Address: 1510 Church Street, Jeanerette, LA 70544
- Telephone: (337) 276-4576
- Office hours: Mon, Tues, Thurs 8:00 AM – Noon; Wed 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Closed 12:00–1:00 PM for lunch
Diocese and Deanery
St. John the Evangelist belongs to the Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana, within the South Deanery that covers all parishes in St. Mary, St. Martin, and Iberia Civil Parishes. In Jeanerette itself, St. John's is one of two Catholic parishes, the other being Our Lady of the Rosary Parish.
- Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana
- South Deanery (St. Mary, St. Martin, and Iberia Civil Parishes)
Architecture and Heritage
The current sanctuary of Saint John the Evangelist, completed in 1908 during the pastorate of Fr. Michel Bardy, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its predecessor — built by the founding pastor Fr. John D. Flanagan — was a single central-spire structure shingled in the finest cypress and tall enough to be seen across Jeanerette.
- Original 1879 church: single central spire, cypress-shingled
- Current edifice completed in 1908
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. John D. Flanagan1879–1885
Irish-born first pastor; built the original cypress-shingled spired church.
- Fr. Michel Bardy
Pastor during whose tenure the present church edifice was completed in 1908.