About St. Joseph · Marksville, Louisiana
St. Joseph Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Marksville, the seat of Avoyelles Parish in central Louisiana, and one of the oldest Catholic communities in the region. Founded in 1869 by Rev. Fr. Jules Janeau, the parish belongs to the Diocese of Alexandria and today ministers to a large congregation through a wide liturgical schedule, a thriving CCD and youth ministry, perpetual Eucharistic adoration, prison outreach at Avoyelles Prison, and weekly nursing-home Masses. The parish is closely linked to the historic Presentation Academy, founded by the Daughters of the Cross in 1854 — the first Catholic girls' school in Avoyelles Parish.
- Established
- 1869
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Msgr. Wade DeCoste
- Diocese
- Diocese of Alexandria (in Louisiana)
Why belong here
St. Joseph is one of the oldest Catholic parishes in central Louisiana and offers a remarkably full liturgical and devotional life for a community parish — a daily 12:05 pm weekday Mass, perpetual Eucharistic adoration in a dedicated Adoration Chapel, weekly Community Adoration with the Rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet, an outdoor illuminated Rosary in warmer months, and Lenten Stations of the Cross in the Prayer Garden. The parish reaches beyond its walls with weekly Masses at the Colonial and Valley View nursing homes and a regular Mass at Avoyelles Prison, and it runs a large CCD program (about 165 students) along with active middle-school and high-school youth ministries (about 115 teens in all). For Catholics in Avoyelles Parish, it is a community with deep roots — 150 years and counting — and an unusually broad range of ways to worship, learn, and serve.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 20 minutes before each weekday Mass
- Saturday: 3:00 pm – 3:50 pm
- Sunday: 4:30 pm – 4:50 pm
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration: Perpetual in the Adoration Chapel (access code available from the church office)
- Community Adoration with Rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet: Tuesdays, 5:00 pm in the church
History of St. Joseph Parish
St. Joseph was founded in 1869 by Rev. Fr. Jules Janeau with a Gothic frame church, growing alongside the Catholic school and convent work already established in Marksville by the Daughters of the Cross. In 1926, Monsignor Henry Van de Putten replaced the original structure with the present Romanesque church, designed by architect W. T. Nolan. A historical marker erected by the City of Marksville now stands at the site and reads: 'Founded by Rev. Fr. Jules Janeau in 1869 with worship in a Gothic frame Church. Replaced in 1926 by Msgr. Henry Van de Putten with this Romanesque structure designed by W. T. Nolan.' The parish marked its 125th Jubilee later in the 20th century and in 2019 celebrated 150 years of continuous Catholic life, gathering photographs and original artifacts in the fellowship hall for the community.
- 1869 — Parish founded by Fr. Jules Janeau with a Gothic frame church.
- 1926 — Original church replaced by Msgr. Henry Van de Putten with the current Romanesque building, designed by W. T. Nolan.
- 2019 — 150th anniversary celebrated with a historical exhibit in the fellowship hall.
Parish Staff
Lay staff coordinate religious education, youth ministry, and music for the parish.
- Cathy Brouillette — Religious Education Director
- Lauren Bordelon — Youth Minister
- Minnie Lafargue — Music Director
Devotions
Alongside the daily Mass schedule, the parish gathers for several traditional devotions across the week and the liturgical year.
- First Friday — Litany to the Sacred Heart after Mass
- Stations of the Cross — Fridays, 12:40 pm in the church (year-round); 5:30 pm in the Prayer Garden during Lent
- Outdoor Illuminated Rosary — Thursdays, 8:00 pm (May–August); 7:00 pm (September–October)
Religious Education & Youth Ministry
The parish runs a large parish-school-of-religion (CCD) program and a parallel youth ministry that together serve roughly 280 children and teenagers from Grades 1 through 12. The CCD program is led by Religious Education Director Cathy Brouillette, and the youth ministry is directed by Lauren Bordelon.
- CCD program, Grades 1–11 — approximately 165 students
- Middle-school youth ministry, Grades 6–8 — approximately 50 students
- High-school youth ministry, Grades 9–12 — approximately 65 students, including summer mission/service camps and teen retreats
OCIA (Adult Faith Formation)
Adults seeking full initiation into the Catholic Church — or baptized Catholics seeking to complete their sacraments — are served through the parish's Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) process, coordinated by Deacon Ken Primeaux.
- OCIA inquiries through Deacon Ken Primeaux or the parish office
Outreach: Nursing Homes & Prison Ministry
St. Joseph reaches beyond its walls with two outreach Masses each week at local nursing homes and a regular Mass at Avoyelles Prison, bringing the Eucharist and pastoral care to those who cannot easily come to church.
- Colonial Nursing Home — Mass on Wednesdays at 9:30 am
- Valley View Nursing Home — Mass on Thursdays at 9:30 am
- Avoyelles Prison — Mass on Fridays at 2:00 pm
Music & Liturgy
Liturgical music at St. Joseph is coordinated by Music Director Minnie Lafargue, who works with the parish's music ministry to support the regular Mass schedule as well as the Sunday evening Mass and special devotions.
- Music Director: Minnie Lafargue
Office, Location & Contact
The parish office is located at the church on South Washington Street in Marksville, the parish seat of Avoyelles Parish. The office is open most weekdays with a midday closure for lunch, and can be reached by phone, fax, or email.
- Address: 141 S. Washington Street, Marksville, LA 71351 (corner of Washington and Waddil Streets)
- Phone: (318) 253-7561
- Fax: (318) 253-8871
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Thu 8:00 am – 4:00 pm (closed 12:00–1:00 pm); Fri 8:00 am – 12:00 pm
Connection to the Daughters of the Cross & Presentation Academy
St. Joseph shares its streetscape — South Washington Street — with Presentation Academy, the first Catholic girls' school in Avoyelles Parish, founded in 1854 by the Daughters of the Cross of Treguier, France, and relocated to its current site after the Civil War. The sisters' convent and school chapel stand just across the street from St. Joseph, and the parish's growth since 1869 has been intertwined with the Catholic educational mission they began in Avoyelles Parish in the 1850s.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Fr. Jules Janeau1869–
Founder of St. Joseph parish in 1869; built the original Gothic frame church.
- Msgr. Henry Van de Puttenthrough the 1920s
Replaced the Gothic frame church in 1926 with the present Romanesque structure designed by W. T. Nolan. The local Knights of Columbus assembly is named in his honor.
- Rev. Msgr. Wade DeCosteto present
Appointed Pastor effective July 1, 2024; had previously served as Pastoral Administrator of the parish.