About St. Joseph · Loreauville, Louisiana
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a historic parish in the village of Loreauville, Louisiana, set along the Bayou Teche in the Southern Deanery of the Diocese of Lafayette. The parish traces its origin to April 15, 1871, when local settler Ozaire Joseph Loreau donated a two-arpent tract in Fausse Pointe to the Bishop for the building of a church. The mission was raised to a full parish on February 9, 1873, with Father Charles Beaubien of Montreal named as its first pastor. Today's Catholic community in Loreauville is served jointly by St. Joseph Church on South Main Street and the African-American mission of Our Lady of Victory on Daigre Street, sharing the same pastors. The parish describes itself as a community centered on Jesus Christ, welcoming those who live locally, those returning to the sacraments, and those curious about the Catholic faith.
- Established
- 1873
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Barry J. Crochet
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana
Why belong here
St. Joseph is a small, historic Catholic community along Bayou Teche that warmly welcomes long-time parishioners, those returning to the sacraments, and inquirers about the Catholic faith. Daily and Sunday Mass is offered jointly with the companion church of Our Lady of Victory, with First Friday and First Saturday devotions at Our Lady of Victory, regular Saturday confessions, a Men's Rosary Group, religious education and Confirmation preparation programs for the young, and adult faith formation. The parish is grounded in a tightly-knit Acadian and Cajun heritage stretching back to 1871 — a place where generations of Loreauville families have been baptized, married, and buried.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
- 30 minutes before every weekday Mass
Parish Identity and Welcome
St. Joseph Catholic Church is located in the Southern Deanery of the Diocese of Lafayette in the village of Loreauville, Louisiana, along the Bayou Teche. The parish describes itself as a Catholic community centered on Jesus Christ, humbly responding to Him in love, worship, and adoration. Whether one lives in the area, has been away from the sacraments, or is simply curious about the Catholic faith, St. Joseph extends a standing welcome to all.
History of the Parish
The parish's origins go back to April 15, 1871, when local settler Ozaire Joseph Loreau donated a two-arpent tract in Fausse Pointe to the Bishop (at the time Archbishop Perche of New Orleans), with the stipulation that a church be built on it. The donation was received by Father Louis Chasse, pastor of St. Peter's in New Iberia. St. Joseph's first existed as a mission attached to St. Peter's, and on February 9, 1873, it was raised to a full parish with Father Charles Beaubien of Montreal, Canada, as its first pastor. A storm damaged the church in 1879; a new church was built by 1880, which stood until 1961. The cornerstone of the 1880 church is preserved in the wall of today's building.
- April 15, 1871 — Land donated by Ozaire Joseph Loreau
- February 9, 1873 — Loreauville becomes a parish; Father Charles Beaubien first pastor
- After Easter 1872 — Bell donated by Colonel Alcediade DeBlanc
- 1879 — Storm damages the church
- 1880 — New church built
- 1961 — Present modern church built; 1880 cornerstone preserved
- 1960s — A. Hays Town renovation plan drafted
- 2010s+ — Town's original vision completed
Architecture and Buildings
The present church was built in 1961 to replace the 1880 church that itself had replaced the storm-damaged original sanctuary. A plan for a comprehensive renovation was drawn up in the 1960s by the celebrated Louisiana architect A. Hays Town. The plan was not completed at the time due to lack of funds, but more than fifty years later Loreauville finished the renovation using Town's original design. The adjacent parish hall has been in continuous use for weddings, wakes, celebrations, and meetings, and from the 1960s until the late 1980s its rear rooms were used to teach catechism.
- Architect: A. Hays Town (1960s plan)
- 1880 cornerstone preserved in present church
- St. Joseph's Catholic Church Hall adjacent, with rear classrooms historically used for catechism
- Bronze memorial plaques on the flagpole honoring parish veterans of WWI, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam
Clergy and Staff
St. Joseph and Our Lady of Victory are jointly pastored. The current pastor is Rev. Barry J. Crochet. The associate pastor is Rev. Godwin Nzeh, CMF. Both serve both Loreauville parishes. The parish also looks after a heritage of past pastors who shaped the community, from the first pastor Father Charles Beaubien to the La Salette missionaries Fr. J.M. Ramel and Fr. Thomas Connors, and Fr. Ronald Groschen, who oversaw the return of the original pulpit.
- Rev. Barry J. Crochet — Pastor
- Rev. Godwin Nzeh, CMF — Associate Pastor
First Friday and First Saturday Devotions
Following traditional Catholic devotional practice, St. Joseph offers a First Friday Mass at 6:45 a.m. at Our Lady of Victory Church and a First Saturday Mass at 8:00 a.m. also at Our Lady of Victory. These devotions are rooted in the Sacred Heart and Immaculate Heart promises and are a steady part of the parish's spiritual rhythm.
- First Friday Mass — 6:45 a.m. at Our Lady of Victory
- First Saturday Mass — 8:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Victory
Faith Formation and Religious Education
The parish maintains a religious education program for children and Confirmation preparation, and offers adult faith formation. From the 1960s until the late 1980s, small school rooms at the rear of the parish hall were used to teach catechism; that ministry continues today. The parish also walks adults through the Catholic faith through the RCIA process, listed on the parish website under Formation-Adult.
- Religious Education for children
- Confirmation preparation
- Adult Faith Formation
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
Our Lady of Victory Church — Companion Parish
Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church at 120 Daigre Street is the African-American Catholic community of Loreauville, founded in 1948 when Father J.M. Ramel, M.S., bought and moved a church from Centerville to Loreauville. It is jointly pastored with St. Joseph and shares Sunday and weekday Mass responsibilities. Our Lady of Victory also hosts the parish's First Friday and First Saturday Masses, and holds a Sunday morning Mass at 9:00 a.m.
- Address: 120 Daigre St., Loreauville, LA 70552
- Founded 1948 by Rev. Fr. J.M. Ramel, M.S.
- Sunday Mass 9:00 a.m.
- First Friday / First Saturday devotions held here
Visiting and Getting Involved
St. Joseph's Catholic Church and its adjacent parish hall together form a hub of village life — weddings, wakes, celebrations, and meetings have been held here for generations. The parish extends an open invitation to visit, attend Mass, or stop by. The parish is part of the Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana and lists the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops among its links; the parish is also active on Facebook.
- 117 South Main Street, Loreauville, LA
- Phone: (337) 229-4254
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stjosephparishonline.org (alt: stjo-lor.org)
- Diocese: Lafayette
- Facebook presence
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Charles Beaubien1873–
First pastor of St. Joseph Parish; from Montreal, Canada.
- Rev. Fr. J.M. Ramel, M.S.
Missionaries of La Salette priest who bought the church that became Our Lady of Victory from Centerville and opened it in 1948 for the Black community.
- Rev. Fr. Thomas Connors, M.S.late 1950s–early 1960s
Bilingual French/English priest of the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette; perished in a rectory fire; the parish hall was posthumously dedicated to him.
- Rev. Fr. Ronald Groschen
Restored and reinstalled the original pulpit found in the Heritage Village Museum collection.