About St. Luke · Thibodaux, Louisiana
St. Luke Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Thibodaux, Louisiana, in the Diocese of Houma–Thibodaux, located at 1100 Bourbon Street with its parish office in the St. Luke Community Center at 300 E. 11th Street. Originally established in 1923 with a dedication in 1924, the parish was closed in 1967 and re-established in 1986 as one of two parishes with a Catholic African American spirituality in the diocese (alongside St. Lucy in Houma). It is recognized by the USCCB among U.S. parishes with a strong Black Catholic presence and is a gathering place for Black Catholic History Month observances in the region.
- Established
- 1923 (re-established 1986)
- Patron
- Saint Luke the Evangelist
- Rector
- Rev. Davis Ahimbisibwe (Administrator, appointed July 1, 2024, one-year term through June 30, 2025)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Houma–Thibodaux
Why belong here
St. Luke offers a small, tight-knit Roman Catholic community rooted in African American Catholic spirituality and heritage on Bayou Lafourche. Parishioners can attend Mass four times a week (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday Vigil, and Sunday morning), receive Reconciliation before every Mass or by appointment, and pray the Rosary together on Thursdays — making it a parish where regular worship, the sacraments, and devotional life are woven into the week. It is also a recognized hub for Black Catholic life in the Diocese of Houma–Thibodaux, hosting the annual Black Catholic History Month Mass and historically ministering to the surrounding African American community along the bayou.
Mass times at St. Luke
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 5:30 PM – 5:50 PM (30 minutes before Vigil Mass)
- Sunday: 10:00 AM – 10:20 AM (30 minutes before Mass)
- Tuesday: 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM (before daily Mass)
- Thursday: 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM (before daily Mass)
- By appointment
Parish Identity & Heritage
St. Luke Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Thibodaux, Louisiana, in the Diocese of Houma–Thibodaux. The parish is named for Saint Luke the Evangelist, patron of physicians and artists, and is recognized among the historic African American Catholic parishes of south Louisiana. The USCCB Committee on African American Affairs lists St. Luke among U.S. parishes with a strong Black Catholic presence. The community's roots run back to the Josephite missionary work along Bayou Lafourche in the early 20th century.
- Patron: Saint Luke the Evangelist
- Established 1923; dedicated 1924
- Closed 1967; re-established 1986 by Bishop Warren Boudreaux
- Diocese of Houma–Thibodaux
Josephite Origins on the Bayou
The parish's original foundation is tied to the Society of St. Joseph (the Josephite Fathers), a religious community specifically charged with ministry to African Americans. Louisiana Black Catholic historian Jerilyn Williams has observed that the Josephites 'started not just St. Benedict the Moor but African-American churches from St. Luke in Thibodaux, Mission Church at St. Augustine in Klotzville, and St. Katherine of Siena.' Early Josephite priests such as Father Van Bass rode horseback up and down Bayou Lafourche to bring Mass and the sacraments to the Black Catholic community of the region. The parish was re-established in 1986 alongside St. Lucy in Houma as a parish 'with a Catholic African American spirituality' in the Diocese of Houma–Thibodaux.
- Founded by the Josephite Fathers (Society of St. Joseph)
- Father Van Bass — early priest who traveled the bayou by horseback
- Re-established 1986 alongside St. Lucy, Houma
Black Catholic Life in the Diocese
St. Luke continues to be a focal point for Black Catholic life in the Diocese of Houma–Thibodaux. The parish hosts the annual Black Catholic History Month Mass for the diocese — for example, the November 9, 2024 Black Catholic History Month Mass was celebrated at St. Luke at 11:00 AM CT. In the wake of Hurricane Ida (August 2021), then-Bishop Shelton Fabre publicly named St. Luke (Thibodaux) and St. Lucy (Houma) as the two Black parishes leading recovery in his diocese and called on the Knights and Ladies of Peter Claver for sustained monthly support over the following year.
- Hosts the annual diocesan Black Catholic History Month Mass
- Hurricane Ida recovery hub (2021–2022) under Bishop Shelton Fabre
Devotions & Other Services
Beyond Mass and Confession, the parish gathers for the Rosary on Thursdays — both in the Day Chapel on the parish grounds and at a local nursing home — extending the parish's prayer life into the surrounding community.
- Rosary — Thursdays, 6:00 PM in the Day Chapel
- Rosary — Thursdays, 2:00 PM at the Nursing Home
Clergy & Pastoral Leadership
St. Luke and its sister parish St. Lucy in Houma are traditionally administered together. Diocesan appointments published in 2024 named Fr. Davis Ahimbisibwe as Administrator of St. Lucy and St. Luke for a one-year term effective July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025; he previously served as Parochial Vicar of the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales in Houma. He succeeded Msgr. Cletus Egbi, who was reassigned as Parochial Vicar of Christ the Redeemer in Thibodaux. Earlier, Fr. Mark Toups — also Director of Seminarian Formation for the diocese and co-founder of ADORE Ministries — served as pastor of both parishes. The parish is under the pastoral care of Bishop Shelton J. Fabre, Bishop of Houma–Thibodaux.
- Rev. Davis Ahimbisibwe — Administrator (July 2024 – June 2025)
- Msgr. Cletus Egbi — Administrator immediately prior
- Rev. Mark Toups — former pastor; Director of Seminarian Formation; co-founder of ADORE Ministries
- Most Rev. Shelton J. Fabre — Diocesan Bishop
Visit, Contact & Location
The church is located at 1100 Bourbon Street in Thibodaux, at the corner of 11th Street. The Parish Office is located diagonally across the street from the church in the St. Luke Community Center at 300 E. 11th Street, Thibodaux, LA 70301. Parishioners and visitors can reach the office by phone at (985) 446-0487 or by email at [email protected].
- Church address: 1100 Bourbon St., Thibodaux, LA 70301
- Parish Office: St. Luke Community Center, 300 E. 11th St., Thibodaux, LA 70301
- Phone: (985) 446-0487
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stlukethibodaux.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/stluke.htdiocese/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Mark Toups
Served as pastor of St. Luke and St. Lucy; also Director of Seminarian Formation for the Diocese of Houma–Thibodaux and co-founder/Spiritual Director of ADORE Ministries.
- Rev. 'Todd' (priest serving c. 2003)
Pastor of St. Luke while also serving St. Genevieve; longtime educator and media minister who hosted a Thibodaux radio program and wrote a diocesan newspaper column.
- Msgr. Cletus Egbiuntil July 1, 2024
Administrator of St. Lucy and St. Luke immediately before Fr. Ahimbisibwe; reassigned as Parochial Vicar of Christ the Redeemer in Thibodaux effective July 1, 2024.