About St. Margaret · Bayou La Batre, Alabama
St. Margaret Parish is a Roman Catholic parish located at 13790 S. Wintzell Avenue in the small shrimping community of Bayou La Batre, Alabama, in the Archdiocese of Mobile. It is one of the most ethnically diverse parishes on coastal Alabama, drawing worshippers from Caucasian, African-American, Chinese, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Lao and Hispanic communities — a reflection of the working fishing town it serves. St. Margaret is best known regionally as the home of the Annual Blessing of the Fleet, a tradition it founded in 1949 that has grown into a major community festival. The parish celebrates Mass in three languages — English, Vietnamese, and Spanish — each Sunday.
- Established
- 1908
- Patron
- Saint Margaret of Scotland
- Rector
- Rev. Michael Long Vu, SVD
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Mobile
Why belong here
St. Margaret is the spiritual heart of Bayou La Batre's working fishing community, where Sunday Mass is celebrated in English, Vietnamese, and Spanish — a reflection of the town's multicultural shrimping and shipbuilding families. The parish hosts the Blessing of the Fleet each year, a beloved Gulf Coast tradition that draws together parishioners, fishermen, and visitors. With daily weekday Mass, Saturday confession, RCIA for those exploring the faith, and an online giving option, St. Margaret welcomes anyone looking for a multigenerational, multilingual Catholic home on the Alabama coast.
Mass times at St. Margaret
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 4:30 PM
History of St. Margaret Parish
St. Margaret Parish was established in the early 1900s in the small fishing village of Bayou La Batre on Alabama's Gulf Coast. The parish marked its 100th anniversary in February 2008. From its beginnings, it has been a parish defined by the sea — its people, its economy, and its calendar all revolving around the shrimp boats, oyster boats, and fishing vessels that work the Gulf.
- Marked its 100th anniversary in February 2008.
- Bayou La Batre was a small fishing village on the Alabama coast after a major hurricane in 1906.
- Beginning in 1915 shrimp canneries opened, and by 1923 the town had five canneries and twenty seafood dealers.
The Blessing of the Fleet (Founded 1949)
The Blessing of the Fleet is the parish's signature tradition, begun in 1949 by parishioner Clarence Mallet and Father Alex O'Neill. Inspired by Old World European fishing customs of asking God's blessing for a safe and fruitful season, the first blessing was a simple affair at the Bayou Ice Company docks: boats were tied up and Father O'Neill walked along sprinkling blessed bayou water on each vessel, while parishioners were served boiled shrimp, lettuce, tomato, and bread for 50¢. There was no parade that first year.
- Visionary founder: parishioner Clarence Mallet, who moved to Bayou La Batre from Louisiana in 1925.
- First priest to officiate: Father Alex O'Neill.
- Modern ceremony begins with prayer by the Archbishop of Mobile, crowning of the Fleet Blessing Queen, tolling of the bell for those lost at sea, and the tossing of a ceremonial wreath into the bayou.
- Decorated boats of all kinds then process behind the Archbishop's boat to the mouth of the bayou and back.
- Modern festival additions include Vietnamese cuisine, a gumbo cook-off, arts & crafts show, decorated boat contest, boat cruises, and bingo.
- Parishioners and volunteers continue to plan and run the event, supported by local sponsors.
Parish Clergy and Staff
The parish is currently served by Rev. Michael Long Vu, SVD, as pastor, and Deacon Vincent R. Bosarge. Tami Bennett serves as Parish Secretary. The pastor belongs to the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), a missionary congregation with a long history of multilingual ministry.
- Pastor: Rev. Michael Long Vu, SVD
- Deacon: Vincent R. Bosarge
- Parish Secretary: Tami Bennett
- Affiliated with the Archdiocese of Mobile
RCIA — Becoming Catholic
The parish runs an RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) program for those who are interested in becoming Catholic or completing their initiation into the Church. Inquiries are welcomed through the parish office.
- RCIA — for adults seeking Baptism, Confirmation, or full communion with the Catholic Church
- Contact the parish office at (251) 824-2415 for information
Bulletin and Online Giving
St. Margaret publishes a regular parish bulletin and offers an online giving option through its website, making it easier for parishioners and visitors to support the parish and stay informed.
- Latest bulletin available on the parish website
- Online Giving link on stmargaretbayoulabatre.org
A Multicultural Coastal Community
Bayou La Batre is one of the most ethnically diverse small towns in Alabama, and St. Margaret reflects that reality. The parish draws members from Caucasian, African-American, Chinese, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Lao, and Hispanic families, most of whom work in or around the seafood industry. This mix is why Mass is celebrated in English, Vietnamese, and Spanish, and why the Blessing of the Fleet festival now features Vietnamese cuisine alongside traditional Gulf Coast seafood.
- Members include Caucasian, African-American, Chinese, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Lao, and Hispanic communities.
- Sunday Mass is offered in English, Vietnamese, and Spanish.
- Festival features Vietnamese cuisine as well as traditional seafood, gumbo, and Gulf dishes.
- The parish has stood with the community through Hurricane Katrina (2005) and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (2010).
Visit and Contact
St. Margaret Parish welcomes visitors and new parishioners. The parish office can be reached by phone, and the most up-to-date information is shared via the parish website and Facebook page.
- Address: 13790 S. Wintzell Ave, Bayou La Batre, AL 36509
- Phone: (251) 824-2415
- Website: https://stmargaretbayoulabatre.org/
- Facebook: St. Margaret Parish – Bayou La Batre
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Alex O'Neill1949 (first Blessing of the Fleet)
Officiated the parish's first Blessing of the Fleet at the urging of parishioner Clarence Mallet.