About St. Joseph · Paulina, Louisiana
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Paulina, Louisiana, in the Diocese of Baton Rouge, serving the eastern part of St. James Parish along the historic River Road. The parish is one of three clustered Catholic parishes in East St. James — alongside St. Michael the Archangel (Paulina) and Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (Gramercy) — that share a single Pastoral Center. St. Joseph worships at 2130 Rectory Street (Hwy 44) in Paulina and offers a Saturday Vigil Mass, a Sunday morning Mass, weekday Masses, Saturday confessions, a Catholic school (St. Peter Chanel Interparochial), an active PSR/faith-formation program, and a wide array of lay ministries serving roughly 2,200 families in the combined cluster.
- Established
- 1849 (mission chapel); 1900 (separate parish)
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Lazaru "Laz" Panthagani
- Diocese
- Diocese of Baton Rouge
Why belong here
St. Joseph is one of the oldest Catholic communities on the River Road, with a continuous worship tradition stretching back to the 1849 mission chapel. The parish offers daily and Sunday Mass with livestream options, Saturday confessions, a robust faith-formation program (elementary PSR, high school formation, Confirmation, First Eucharist, First Reconciliation, RCIA, and Vacation Bible School), a thriving Catholic school (St. Peter Chanel Interparochial), and dozens of lay ministries including the Altar Society, choirs, altar servers, ushers, Catholic Daughters of America, and a Junior Catholic Daughters group. Active outreach is provided through St. Vincent de Paul and a Food Pantry, and the community gathers for beloved traditions like the monthly First Friday Devotion and the Backpack Blessing Mass. It is a place where families have worshipped for over a century and a half.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00–3:50 PM
Adoration times
- First Friday of the month: Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at Our Lady of Prompt Succor Chapel in Lutcher following the 7:00 AM Mass, continuing until Benediction with Anointing at 5:00 PM
About St. Joseph Catholic Church
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Baton Rouge located at 2130 Rectory Street (Hwy 44) in Paulina, Louisiana. It is one of three parishes clustered as 'The Catholic Church in East St. James Parish,' along with St. Michael the Archangel (Paulina) and Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (Gramercy). The three share a single Pastoral Center at the St. Joseph campus. The parish serves the eastern part of St. James civil parish along the historic River Road.
- Address: 2130 Rectory Street (Hwy 44), Paulina, LA 70763
- Phone: (225) 869-5751 | Fax: 225-869-4166
- Mailing: Pastoral Center, PO Box 129, 2130 Rectory Street, Paulina, LA 70763-0129
- Office Hours: Monday–Thursday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM
- Website: www.rivrdcat.org
Parish History
Catholic life on the River Road goes back to 1700, when Iberville celebrated Mass on his second voyage up the Mississippi. German-Coast and Acadian-Coast settlers followed, and by 1807 a chapel called St. Michel de Cantrelle served 105 Catholic families on the East Bank of St. James. In 1849 the Jesuit Fathers erected the mission chapel of St. Joseph in Paulina; in 1863 the Marists (Society of Mary) took over St. Michael's as their first U.S. ministry and went on to serve the area for over 130 years.
- 1849 – Jesuit mission chapel of St. Joseph erected in Paulina
- 1852 – Jesuits depart; diocesan priests serve until 1863
- 1863 – Marist Fathers arrive; St. Michael's becomes their first U.S. ministry
- October 1, 1900 – St. Joseph becomes a separate parish, serving Lutcher and Gramercy
- 1904 – Our Lady of Prompt Succor Chapel, Lutcher, opens
- June 13, 1920 – Sacred Heart Mission blessed and opened
- June 26, 1920 – St. Joseph church and rectory burn to the ground in 45 minutes
- December 20, 1921 – Present St. Joseph church dedicated
- August 17, 1935 – Three Dominican Sisters arrive; St. Joseph Parochial School opens (later St. Peter Chanel Interparochial)
- November 8, 1961 – Diocese of Baton Rouge erected
- 1965 – Hurricane Betsy damages River Road; St. Philomena Chapel later demolished
- December 1996 – Marists announce their departure due to a shortage of vocations
- July 14, 1997 – Fr. Frank M. Uter assigned as shared pastor of St. Joseph and Sacred Heart
- August 15, 1997 – Fr. Uter installed by Bishop Alfred Hughes
- January 1998 – Fr. Louis Poché, S.J. missioned by the Jesuit Provincial to serve in residence
Clergy & Staff
The parish cluster is led by Pastor Fr. Lazaru 'Laz' Panthagani, with Fr. Rajesh 'Raj' Pereira serving in parochial ministry and Deacon Randy Clement as deacon assistant. The Pastoral Center staff supports faith formation, finances, facilities, the cemetery, the bulletin, and St. Peter Chanel school across all three cluster parishes.
- Rev. Lazaru 'Laz' Panthagani — Pastor
- Rev. Rajesh 'Raj' Pereira — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Randy Clement — Deacon Assistant
- Mrs. Paula Poche — St. Peter Chanel Principal
- Mrs. Crystal Faucheux — Receptionist
- Mrs. Lori Taylor — Secretary / Census / Sacramental Records
- Mrs. Missy Laurent — HS DRE / Confirmation / Youth Ministry / Baptism Prep / Lay Ministry Coordinator
- Mrs. Liz Petit — SH/SJ Elementary PSR DRE
- Ms. Amy L. Babin — SH/SJ Elementary PSR Assistant DRE
- Mrs. Jackie Copponex — SM Jr/High PSR DRE
- Ms. Carol Ann Rome — SM Elementary PSR DRE
- Mrs. Tammy Martin — SJ & SH Finance
- Ms. Allison Badeaux — SM Finance / Payroll / HR
- Ms. Donna Rochon — Facilities / Cemetery / Website Coordinator
- Mrs. Harriet Melancon — Bulletin Editor
- Mr. R J St. Pierre — Maintenance Supervisor
- Mr. Gordon Jenkins — Project Manager
- Mrs. Barbara Powell — Housekeeper
Mass & Sacrament Schedule
St. Joseph offers a Saturday Vigil Mass, a Sunday morning Mass, and weekday Masses. Confessions are heard on Saturday afternoons. The Sunday 10:00 AM Mass is livestreamed on Facebook and posted to the parish YouTube channel ('The Catholic Church of East Saint James'); the parish notes that the livestream cannot fulfill the Sunday obligation except for the sick and infirmed.
- Saturday Vigil Mass — 4:00 PM
- Sunday Mass — 10:00 AM (livestreamed)
- Confessions — Saturday 3:00–3:50 PM
- Weekday Masses — Monday 7 AM, Tuesday 7 AM, Wednesday 5:30 PM, Thursday 7 AM, Friday 7 AM
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Joseph spans children, youth, and adults. Programs include elementary PSR (Parish School of Religion) for St. Joseph and Sacred Heart led by DRE Liz Petit and Assistant DRE Amy Babin, high school faith formation and youth ministry coordinated by Missy Laurent, sacramental preparation for First Eucharist, First Reconciliation, and Confirmation, a Children's Church for preschool–1st grade during Sunday Mass, Vacation Bible School in the summer, and the R.C.I.A. process for adults entering the Church.
- Elementary PSR (St. Joseph & Sacred Heart) — Mrs. Liz Petit, Asst. DRE Amy Babin 258-4407
- High School Faith Formation & Youth Ministry — Melissa Laurent 869-5751
- Confirmation Preparation — Libby Hotard & Ashley Boyd
- First Eucharist & First Reconciliation — Amy Babin 258-4407
- Children's Church — preschool through 1st grade, dismissed after Opening Prayer
- Vacation Bible School — preschool to 6th grade; Pastoral Center 869-5751
- R.C.I.A. Process — contact the Pastoral Center
- Monthly Youth Mass — Amanda Duhon, St. Joseph 10:00 AM Sunday
St. Peter Chanel Interparochial School
The Catholic school serving the cluster grew directly out of St. Joseph's history: on August 17, 1935, three Dominican Sisters arrived and St. Joseph Parochial School opened — later known as St. Peter Chanel Interparochial School. Today it is the elementary school shared by the three parishes of East St. James, with Paula A. Poche' as principal. The school is located at 2590 LA Hwy 44, Paulina, LA 70763.
- Principal: Paula A. Poche'
- Address: 2590 LA Hwy 44, Paulina, LA 70763
- Pastor on school board: Fr. Lazaru 'Laz' Panthagani
- School board president: Matthew Arceneaux
Parish Worship Ministries
A wide range of lay ministries support the parish liturgies at St. Joseph, from cleaning and linens to music and altar service. The St. Cecilia Choir leads the 4:00 PM Vigil Mass under Colby Chabaud, and another choir leads the 10:00 AM Sunday Mass under Madeline Berthelot. The Altar Society cares for the sanctuary and worship supplies, while altar servers (7th–12th grade youth) assist the priests at Mass.
- Altar Society (St. Joseph) — Rachelle Oubre 869-4103
- St. Cecilia Choir (4 PM) — Colby Chabaud 225-363-6823
- 10 AM Choir — Madeline Berthelot 869-5097
- Altar Servers — 7th through 12th grade youth
- Ushers
- Church Cleaning — Amanda Berthelot 869-5751
Community Life & Organizations
Parishioners of St. Joseph and Sacred Heart are served through the Catholic Daughters of America (Court St. Joseph), while St. Michael parishioners are served through neighborhood groups coordinated at the Pastoral Center. A Bereavement Ministry accompanies families through loss, and the Junior Catholic Daughters of America (JCDA), founded in 1926, helps girls enrich their lives through service to church, community, and world with the motto 'Be useful.'
- Catholic Daughters of America, Court St. Joseph — Regent Regaina Forsythe 206-2465
- Junior Catholic Daughters of America (JCDA) — founded 1926, motto 'Be useful'
- Bereavement Ministry — Donna Rochon 225-869-5751
Sacraments
St. Joseph prepares parishioners for all the major sacraments: Baptism (with required seminars scheduled through the Pastoral Center), First Eucharist and First Reconciliation, Confirmation (for students who have completed formation through 10th grade), Marriage (preparation through the Pastoral Center), and Anointing of the Sick and Communion to the Homebound (by request).
- Baptisms — seminars and scheduling via the Pastoral Center
- First Eucharist & First Reconciliation — Amy Babin 258-4407
- Confirmation — after completion of Faith Formation through 10th grade
- Marriage Preparation — Pastoral Center
- Anointing of the Sick / Homebound Communion — Pastoral Center
Outreach & Charity
The parish provides emergency assistance through the Pastoral Center and partners with St. Vincent de Paul for those in need. The Food Pantry is a key resource for families facing hardship in the community.
- St. Vincent de Paul — 225-869-1078 (emergency assistance)
- Food Pantry — Pastoral Center 225-869-5751
- Cluster Blood Drive — held periodically across the three parishes
Devotions & Special Events
The cluster observes a monthly First Friday Devotion dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus at Our Lady of Prompt Succor Chapel in Lutcher, with 7:00 AM Mass followed by Adoration and Benediction with Anointing at 5:00 PM. Each year before school, Fr. Laz leads a Backpack Blessing Mass at the 10:00 AM Sunday Mass at St. Joseph. A weekly Mass is also celebrated every Monday at 10:00 AM at the Chateau St. James nursing home in Lutcher for residents and their families.
- First Friday Devotion — 7:00 AM Mass, Adoration, Benediction with Anointing at 5:00 PM
- Backpack Blessing Mass — Sunday before school year, 10:00 AM at St. Joseph
- Chateau St. James Weekly Mass — Mondays 10:00 AM, Lutcher
- Monthly Youth Mass — 10:00 AM Sunday at St. Joseph
St. Joseph Cemetery & Mausoleum
St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery and Mausoleum lies directly behind the church at 2130 Rectory Street in Paulina. The cemetery has served the East St. James Catholic community since the parish was established and is coordinated through the Pastoral Center (Donna Rochon).
- Location: behind the church, 2130 Rectory St., Paulina, LA
- Coordinator: Donna Rochon, 225-869-5751
Livestream & Online Giving
The Sunday 10:00 AM Mass at St. Joseph is livestreamed on the cluster's Facebook page and remains available there until the next Sunday's Mass airs. The homily and readings are also posted to 'The Catholic Church of East Saint James' YouTube channel. The parish notes that the livestream cannot fulfill the moral obligation to attend Sunday Mass except for those dispensed (such as the sick and infirmed). Online Giving is available through the parish website.
- Livestream: Facebook page of The Catholic Church in East St. James Parish
- YouTube: The Catholic Church of East Saint James
- Online Giving: www.rivrdcat.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Jesuit Fathers1849–1852
Erected the original mission chapel of St. Joseph in Paulina in 1849.
- Diocesan priests1852–1863
Served St. James after the Jesuits departed.
- Society of Mary (Marist Fathers)1863–1997
Accepted St. Michael's as their first U.S. Marist ministry in 1863; served until December 1996 when the Marist Provincial Office announced their departure due to a shortage of vocations.
- Rev. Frank M. Uter1997–
Assigned July 14, 1997 as the first shared pastor of St. Joseph and Most Sacred Heart of Jesus after the Marists' departure; installed by Bishop Alfred Hughes on August 15, 1997.
- Rev. Louis Poché, S.J.1998–
Missioned by the Jesuit Provincial in January 1998 to serve in residence at the two parishes.