About St. Joseph · Deridder, Louisiana
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Lake Charles located at 1125 Blankenship Drive in DeRidder, Louisiana. It is the geographically largest of the Diocese's 36 parishes, covering all of Beauregard Parish except the southern community of Ragley, and is the northernmost parish in the diocese. Founded as a canonical parish on June 13, 1938, under the care of the Missionaries of LaSalette, St. Joseph today serves about 630 families and enrolls over 250 students in its Religious Education program. The parish offers two Sunday Masses in English, a once-monthly Spanish Mass on the fourth Sunday, daily noon Mass Tuesday through Friday, and an active slate of ministries ranging from OCIA and youth ministry to the Knights of Columbus and Catholic Daughters.
- Established
- 1938
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. V. Wayne LeBleu
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lake Charles (West Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Joseph is a welcoming, mid-sized Catholic community that puts its faith into action: it runs an OCIA process for adults entering the Church, prepares more than 250 children in its Religious Education program, and feeds the hungry through God's Food Box. Weekday Mass at 12:10 p.m., Saturday Vigil, two Sunday Masses, and a monthly Spanish Mass make it easy to fit prayer into a busy schedule, while ministries like the Knights of Columbus, Catholic Daughters, Jr. Catholic Daughters, Altar Society, Come Lord Jesus small faith groups, lectors, extraordinary ministers, and a youth program give every member a way to belong.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:00–3:45 p.m.
- Sunday: 8:15–8:45 a.m.
- Sunday: 10:45–11:15 a.m.
About Our Parish
St. Joseph Catholic Church in DeRidder, Louisiana, is a parish of the Diocese of Lake Charles whose territory covers all of Beauregard Parish except the southern community of Ragley. The parish identifies itself as the largest in geographic size of the diocese's 36 parishes and the northernmost parish in the diocese, with about 630 registered families and more than 250 students enrolled in Religious Education. The parish describes its mission as a welcoming Catholic community called by God to live out the message of Christ in love and service to all people, and to proclaim the Gospel of Christ in word, deed, and truth.
- Largest parish (by area) in the Diocese of Lake Charles
- Northernmost parish in the diocese
- About 630 registered families
- More than 250 students in Religious Education
- Diocese of Lake Charles, West Deanery
History
Catholic life in DeRidder began with Italian, Lebanese, Albanian, and Syrian immigrants who came to work in the early-twentieth-century lumber mills. Visiting priests arrived on horseback, and in 1917 the Catholic Extension Society's famous Chapel Car — a Pullman sleeper fitted out with pews — was brought in by rail. A chapel on North Pine Street followed in 1922, was dedicated by Bishop Jeanmard in 1926, and on June 13, 1938 was formally erected as St. Joseph Parish under the Missionaries of LaSalette. The parish built a new rectory in 1957 and its present church in 1966, planted mission chapels in Merryville (1963) and at St. Jude between Dry Creek and Sugartown (1983), and was incorporated into the newly formed Diocese of Lake Charles in 2000. An $800,000 renovation completed in 2011 was the first major work on the church since its construction.
- 1917: Chapel Car visits DeRidder
- 1922: First chapel built; first Mass on June 13, 1922
- 1926: Bishop Jules B. Jeanmard dedicates the chapel, places it under St. Joseph
- 1938: Canonical parish established; Missionaries of LaSalette take charge
- 1963: Mission chapel in Merryville (St. Bridget of Sweden)
- 1966: Construction begins on present church
- 1983: St. Jude Mission dedicated
- 2000: Parish incorporated into new Diocese of Lake Charles
- 2011: $800,000 renovation completed
- 2022: Rev. V. Wayne LeBleu succeeds Rev. Jude P. Brunnert, M.S.
Clergy & Parish Staff
Rev. V. Wayne LeBleu is the current pastor, per the Diocese of Lake Charles 2024–2025 directory. The parish website also lists Fr. Jeffrey Starkovich as Administrator and Fr. Levi Thompson as Priest in Residence. A retired permanent deacon, Rev. Mr. Sumner Kohlhund, served the parish until his recent retirement. Lay staff include Director of Religious Education Julie Roussel (with Bill Frost as assistant), Director of Youth Ministry Danny Hernandez, OCIA Coordinator Angela Lannen, Finance Manager/Bookkeeper Aimee Brasseaux, Parish Secretary and Safe Environment Coordinator Gracia Acosta, and Vacation Bible School coordinator Suzanne Lestage.
- Pastor: Rev. V. Wayne LeBleu
- Administrator (per parish website): Fr. Jeffrey Starkovich
- Priest in Residence: Fr. Levi Thompson
- Deacon (retired): Rev. Mr. Sumner Kohlhund
- Director of Religious Education: Julie Roussel (assistant: Bill Frost)
- Director of Youth Ministry: Danny Hernandez
- OCIA Coordinator: Angela Lannen
- Finance Manager/Bookkeeper: Aimee Brasseaux
- Secretary / Safe Environment Coordinator: Gracia Acosta
- Vacation Bible School: Suzanne Lestage
Faith Formation & OCIA
The parish's Religious Education program serves more than 250 students, and adults seeking to enter or return to the Catholic Church journey through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA, formerly RCIA). OCIA walks inquirers through the traditional stages — Inquiry/Pre-Catechumenate, Rite of Initiation, Catechumenate, Rite of Election, the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil, and Mystagogy — supported by a team of sponsors and the parish RCIA/OCIA team. For more information, the parish directs inquirers to Angela Lannen.
- Religious Education for 250+ students
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) for unbaptized adults and baptized Christians seeking full communion
- OCIA stages: Pre-Catechumenate, Rite of Initiation, Catechumenate, Rite of Election, Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil, Mystagogy
- OCIA Coordinator: Angela Lannen (337-401-0078)
Youth Ministry
St. Joseph's youth ministry is led by Danny Hernandez and connects the parish's young people to faith and to one another throughout the year. In addition to parish-level events, the Diocese of Lake Charles offers regional youth conferences and gatherings that St. Joseph teens are encouraged to attend. The ministry maintains a presence on Facebook, which the parish encourages families to follow.
- Youth Minister: Danny Hernandez (337-396-5578)
- Diocese-wide youth events and conferences
- Facebook presence for ongoing updates
Parish Ministries & Organizations
St. Joseph runs a full slate of lay ministries that touch every aspect of parish life — liturgy, faith formation, outreach, and fellowship. Come, Lord Jesus small faith communities meet weekly in English on Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m., Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m., and Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., with a Spanish-language group on Saturdays at 5:00 p.m.; the program also produces an Understanding the Sunday Gospels podcast. Liturgical roles are filled by Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist (who also bring Communion to the sick, homebound, and hospitalized), and Ministers of Hospitality (Ushers). Fraternal and family organizations include the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic Daughters, the Junior Catholic Daughters (ages 6–18, founded nationally in 1926), and the St. Joseph Altar Society, which meets on the 3rd Monday of each month at 6:00 p.m. and dedicates its work to St. Anne. Out in the wider community, the parish supports God's Food Box, an ecumenical food-pantry effort that collects non-perishable breakfast items on the second weekend of each month.
- Come, Lord Jesus small faith communities (English and Spanish)
- Lectors
- Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist (including outreach to the sick and homebound)
- Ministers of Hospitality / Ushers
- Knights of Columbus (Charlie Lannen, 1-225-571-9414)
- Catholic Daughters / Junior Catholic Daughters
- St. Joseph Altar Society (3rd Monday, 6:00 p.m.)
- God's Food Box food collection (2nd weekend each month)
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the seven sacraments on a regular schedule. The Sacrament of Penance is offered Saturdays and Sundays before Mass (see Mass & Confession section). Baptisms, Marriages, and Annulments are all scheduled by appointment through the parish office. Adults preparing for Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist do so through OCIA; older children in similar circumstances are also accommodated.
- Penance: Saturday 3:00–3:45 p.m.; Sunday 8:15–8:45 a.m. and 10:45–11:15 a.m.
- Baptism: by appointment
- Marriage: by appointment
- Annulments: by appointment
- First Communion & Confirmation: through Religious Education and OCIA
Missions & Wider Parish Family
Two mission chapels have grown out of St. Joseph's ministry across the rural reaches of Beauregard Parish. In 1963 a mission chapel was built in Merryville and placed under the patronage of St. Bridget of Sweden. A second mission, St. Jude Mission between Dry Creek and Sugartown on Highway 113, was dedicated by Bishop Speyrer on the feast of St. Jude in 1983, with funding from the Catholic Extension Society, the Koch Foundation, the Bishop of Lake Charles, and St. Joseph Parish itself.
- St. Bridget of Sweden Mission — Merryville (1963)
- St. Jude Mission — Dry Creek / Sugartown, Highway 113 (dedicated 1983)
Contact, Location & Visit
St. Joseph Catholic Church is located at 1125 Blankenship Drive, DeRidder, Louisiana 70634. The parish office can be reached by phone at (337) 463-6878 or by email at [email protected]; office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. for lunch. The parish website is stjosephderidder.org, with a directions link to help first-time visitors find the church. Newcomers are warmly welcomed and invited to explore ministries, OCIA, and the Come, Lord Jesus small faith communities.
- Address: 1125 Blankenship Drive, DeRidder, LA 70634
- Phone: (337) 463-6878
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stjosephderidder.org
- Office hours: Mon–Fri, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed 12:00–1:00 p.m.)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. James J. Shahrigian, M.S.1938–1941
Founding pastor; took up residence in the rectory in July 1938
- Rev. George Hoylen, M.S.1941–1943
Missionary of LaSalette
- Rev. Bernard Really, M.S.1943–1944
Missionary of LaSalette
- Rev. Leo Marsh, M.S.1944–1946
Missionary of LaSalette
- Rev. Thomas Rush, M.S.1946–1947
Missionary of LaSalette
- Rev. Eugene Lynch, M.S.1947–1949
Missionary of LaSalette
- Rev. James J. Shahrigian, M.S.1949–1960
Returned for a second term as pastor
- Rev. William P. Hanafin, M.S.1960–1969
Missionary of LaSalette
- Rev. Alverez Gilbert, M.S.1969–1972
Missionary of LaSalette
- Rev. Robert Chagnon, M.S.1972–1978
Missionary of LaSalette
- Rev. Henry Durand, M.S.1978–1985
Missionary of LaSalette
- Rev. Egidio Vecchio, M.S.1985–1987
Missionary of LaSalette
- Rev. Roland Bernier, M.S.1987–2000
Missionary of LaSalette; last LaSalette pastor before handover to diocese
- Rev. Daniel A. Torres2000–2007
First diocesan pastor after 2000 transition
- Rev. Kingsley Nonis2007–2008
- Rev. Jude P. Brunnert, M.S.2008–2022
Retired Easter Monday 2022; oversaw 2011 renovation and debt payoff
- Rev. V. Wayne LeBleu2022–present
Current pastor, per Diocese of Lake Charles 2024–2025 directory