About St. Joseph the Worker · Pierre Part, Louisiana
St. Joseph the Worker is a Roman Catholic parish in the small bayou community of Pierre Part, Louisiana, within the Diocese of Baton Rouge. Rooted in the Acadian settlement of the bayous (c. 1775), the parish was established in 1858 and is today led by Father Al M. Davidson, who also serves as Administrator of Our Lady of Prompt Succor in White Castle. The community is notable for its enduring devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrated through an annual May Crowning and open-air Mass on a small island in the bayou, and for its history of missionary outreach via the chapel boat Mary, Star of the Sea. The parish offers daily and Sunday Mass, perpetual adoration, a robust Religious Education program, and a wide range of lay ministries.
- Established
- 1858
- Patron
- St. Joseph the Worker; Blessed Virgin Mary (chosen patroness)
- Rector
- Rev. Al M. Davidson
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge
Why belong here
St. Joseph the Worker welcomes visitors and new parishioners into a tight-knit Acadian-Catholic community with deep roots on Bayou Lafourche. The parish offers daily and Sunday Mass, perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and a full sacramental life. Members can grow in faith through Christian Formation (CCD), Youth Ministry, Come, Lord Jesus! Scripture groups, a Praise and Worship group (Servants of Christ), Rosary Ministries, Prayer Ministries, and outreach to the homebound and sick. Two unique local devotions—an annual May Crowning with open-air Mass on the 'Virgin Island' in the bayou and a 2nd Saturday of October Island Mass—make this a parish unlike almost any other in Louisiana.
Mass times at St. Joseph the Worker
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM (before Vigil Mass)
- 30 minutes before each Daily Mass
Adoration times
- Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is available 24 hours
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM (scheduled exposure)
- 30 minutes before each Daily Mass
History of St. Joseph the Worker
The Catholic history of Pierre Part goes back to the Acadian settlement of the bayous around 1775. Priests from Plattenville and Paincourtville first brought Mass into local homes; the first chapel was built in 1858, the same year the parish was established. Pierre Part became an independent parish in 1867, briefly returned to mission status, and received its first resident pastor in 1895. Two defining moments followed: the 1882 flood that destroyed everything in the chapel except an unharmed statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary (placed on a nearby island, where devotion continues), and the 1940 tornado that leveled the church and rectory while sparing the school. The present church was built in 1964 with a distinctive modernistic roof design. Annual church fairs have long funded parish improvements and remain a beloved community tradition.
- 1858 — first chapel built; parish established
- 1867 — becomes an independent parish
- 1869 — reverts to mission status under Plattenville/Paincourtville
- 1882 — flood destroys chapel; Blessed Virgin Mary statue survives and is moved to island in bay
- 1895 — first resident pastor arrives
- 1902 — Father Pillian places a larger statue of Mary on the island, asking for her protection
- Father Jules Toups institutes the chapel boat Mary, Star of the Sea (towed by motorboat St. Francis Xavier) to serve Bayou Pigeon, Bayou Godel, Belle River, and Four-Mile Bayou
- March 29, 1940 — tornado destroys church and rectory; 4 killed, 110 left homeless; school and 300 students spared
- 1964 — current church built with unique modernistic roof design
The Virgin Island & Devotion to Mary
Following the 1882 flood, a small statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary that landed upright in the rising water was salvaged and placed on a small island in the bay across from the chapel. The devotion that grew around it is central to parish identity: the community gathers each year on the 2nd Saturday of May for the May Crowning and an open-air Mass on the island (weather permitting), and again on the 2nd Saturday of October. A daily 5:00 PM Rosary is prayed on the island during normal water conditions. Local tradition holds that Pierre Part will remain safe from flood as long as the water does not reach the Virgin's feet—a promise renewed each May and October.
- Statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the island in the bayou
- Annual May Crowning and Island Mass (2nd Saturday of May)
- Annual October Island Mass (2nd Saturday of October)
- Daily 5:00 PM Rosary on the Island
- Father Pillian's 1902 petition for Mary's protection of the town
Our Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by a small lay staff alongside the pastor. Fr. Al Davidson serves as Pastor and is also Administrator of Our Lady of Prompt Succor in White Castle. The office team handles reception, religious education, child protection, and bookkeeping. Staff email addresses follow the pattern fralsjworker.org, paulasjworker.org, karlasjworker.org, [email protected], and [email protected].
- Fr. Al Davidson — Pastor (fralsjworker.org; emergency line 985-513-4444)
- Paula Bergeron — Director of Religious Education and Christian Formation (paulasjworker.org)
- Megan Daigle — Religious Education Associate and Child and Youth Protection Coordinator ([email protected])
- Karla Landry — Administrator/Bookkeeper (karlasjworker.org)
- Susan Hue — Receptionist ([email protected])
Religious Education & Youth Faith Formation
St. Joseph the Worker runs a Christian Formation Program for parish children, with registration for the 2026 year opening in the spring. Registration requires a baptismal certificate and is free for registered parishioners; out-of-parish students must obtain written permission from their home pastor each year and pay a program fee. Kindergarten through high school students are placed by the grade they will enter in the fall. Confirmation age is shifting from 11th to 7th grade under diocesan policy. A dedicated Youth Ministry Group supplements the classroom program.
- Religious Education (CCD) for K–high school
- Registration deadline policy with $30 late fee
- Out-of-parish fee: $40 / 1 child, $70 / 2 children, $100 / 3 children
- Child Protection Training required for volunteers
- First Reconciliation / First Eucharist preparation
- Confirmation preparation (Diocese moving to 7th grade)
- Youth Ministry Group
Parish Ministries & Groups
The parish offers a wide array of ministries rooted in prayer, formation, and service. The Servants of Christ group operates under the Catholic Charismatic Renewal of the Diocese of Baton Rouge and promotes praise, worship, prayer, and evangelization. Other ministries extend faith beyond the church walls through visits to the homebound and sick, while Scripture and Rosary groups nourish prayer life at home.
- Servants of Christ (Catholic Charismatic Renewal) — contact Cecilia Blanchard (985-513-2252) or Marie Mabile (985-518-6529)
- Praise and Worship Group
- Come, Lord Jesus! Scripture Groups
- Rosary Ministries
- Prayer Ministries
- Homebound Ministries
- Ministry of the Sick
- Knights of Columbus
- Lectors/Commentators and Ushers
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all the usual sacraments with preparation programs for each. Baptisms are held monthly during the 10:00 AM Mass, with parents asked to begin preparation in the first trimester of pregnancy. First Reconciliation and First Eucharist are prepared through Religious Education. Couples are asked to contact the parish secretary at least six months before a desired wedding date. For Christian Burial, the parish office must be notified before any arrangements are made with the funeral home; the parish also maintains a mausoleum.
- Baptism — monthly during 10:00 AM Mass; prep begins in first trimester of pregnancy
- First Reconciliation / First Eucharist — through Religious Education
- Confirmation — through Religious Education (Diocese moving to 7th grade)
- Reconciliation — Saturdays 3:00–3:45 PM and 30 min before Daily Mass
- Anointing of the Sick / Ministry of the Sick
- Marriage — contact parish secretary ≥6 months in advance
- Christian Burial — notify parish office first; parish mausoleum available
Devotions & Special Observances
Beyond the Sunday and weekday Mass schedule, the parish maintains a rich calendar of devotions. The Rosary is prayed for priests before Monday Mass and offered as a Rosary of Reparation at 8:00 AM on Friday. A daily 5:00 PM Rosary is prayed on the Blessed Virgin Mary Island in the bayou. The annual May Crowning and Island Mass on the 2nd Saturday of May, and the October Island Mass on the 2nd Saturday of October, are the parish's signature events. The Servants of Christ lead a Children's Way of the Cross and organize Lenten and Advent Missions.
- Monday — Rosary for Priests before Mass
- Friday — Rosary for Reparation at 8:00 AM
- Daily — 5:00 PM Rosary on the BVM Island (moved to church during high water)
- 2nd Saturday of May — Annual May Crowning and Island Mass
- 2nd Saturday of October — Annual Island Mass
- Lenten and Advent Missions (Servants of Christ)
- Children's Way of the Cross (Servants of Christ)
Visiting & Contact
St. Joseph the Worker is located on Highway 70 South in Pierre Part, Assumption Parish, Louisiana, alongside Bayou Lafourche. The parish invites visitors to attend Mass, tour the historic 1964 church, and join the community at one of its signature outdoor Masses on the Virgin Mary island. Office hours run through the Main Office and Religious Education Office, with a 24-hour emergency line for pastoral needs (such as anointing of the sick).
- Address: 3304 Highway 70 S, Pierre Part, LA 70339
- Mailing: P.O. Box 190, Pierre Part, LA 70339
- Main Office: (985) 252-6008
- Religious Education Office: (985) 252-6633
- Emergency Line (24/7): (985) 513-4444
- Fax: (985) 252-8011
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://sjworker.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Jules Toups
Instituted the chapel boat Mary, Star of the Sea, pulled by the motorboat St. Francis Xavier, to bring Mass and catechesis to mission areas of Bayou Pigeon, Bayou Godel, Belle River, and Four-Mile Bayou.
- Father Pillian1902
Replaced the small Blessed Virgin Mary statue on the island in the bay with a larger one, asking the Virgin Mary to protect the town.
- (unnamed first resident pastor)1895
First resident priest of the parish, which had previously been served by priests from Plattenville and Paincourtville.