About St. Margaret · Boyce, Louisiana
St. Margaret of Cortona Catholic Church is a small, rural Roman Catholic parish in the Town of Boyce, Rapides Parish, central Louisiana. Established in 1936, it belongs to the Diocese of Alexandria and sits in the Central Deanery. The parish worships at 402 Ryan Street and historically has ministered to two mission chapels in the surrounding countryside — St. Cyril in Flatwoods and St. Margaret Mary in Gorum. Its congregation gathers for a Saturday Vigil Mass, one Sunday morning Mass, and two weekday evening Masses, with the Rosary prayed before each Saturday and Thursday liturgy.
- Established
- 1936
- Patron
- St. Margaret of Cortona
- Rector
- Rev. Anthony Dharmaraj, MSFS
- Diocese
- Diocese of Alexandria (Central Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Margaret offers a close-knit, devotional Catholic community in rural Rapides Parish, with the Holy Rosary prayed before the Saturday Vigil and Thursday evening Masses — a devotional rhythm typical of central Louisiana's Catholic heartland. The parish keeps a steady weekly schedule (Saturday Vigil, Sunday morning, and Tuesday/Thursday weekday Masses) with confession available 30 minutes before every Mass, making sacramental life readily accessible. Worshippers also benefit from a pastor (a member of the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales, MSFS) and a small team of dedicated lay staff and musicians who keep the parish running.
Mass times at St. Margaret
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday — 30 minutes before Mass (≈ 3:30 pm)
- Sunday — 30 minutes before Mass (≈ 8:30 am)
History & Heritage
St. Margaret of Cortona Catholic Church was established in 1936 in the Town of Boyce, Louisiana, and has been a parish of the (then-)Diocese of Alexandria ever since. It sits within the Diocese's Central Deanery, which groups the parishes of Alexandria, Boyce, Colfax, Deville, Glenmora, Lecompte, Pineville, Tioga, and Woodworth. The parish is named for St. Margaret of Cortona, a 13th-century Italian penitent who entered the Third Order of St. Francis after a dramatic conversion and was canonized in 1728; her feast is celebrated on May 16.
- Founded in 1936 in Boyce, Louisiana
- Part of the Diocese of Alexandria, Central Deanery
- Patroness: St. Margaret of Cortona (feast day May 16)
- Historically ministered to rural mission chapels in Flatwoods and Gorum
Devotions & Prayer Life
Devotional life at St. Margaret centers on the Holy Rosary, which is prayed publicly before both the Saturday Vigil and Thursday evening Masses. During Lent, Stations of the Cross are prayed by the parish on Saturdays after the 4:00 pm Vigil Mass.
- Holy Rosary — Saturdays at 3:30 pm
- Holy Rosary — Thursdays at 5:30 pm
- Stations of the Cross — Saturdays after the 4:00 pm Mass during Lent
Mission Chapels
St. Margaret historically cared for two rural mission chapels in the surrounding countryside of Rapides Parish. According to the Diocese of Alexandria's directories, both St. Cyril Chapel on Highway 8 in Flatwoods and St. Margaret Mary Chapel on Highway 119 in Gorum used to celebrate Mass every other Sunday at 11:00 am, with confessions heard 15 minutes before Mass. The most recent (2026 v2) directory notes that these missions no longer have a regular Mass schedule.
- St. Cyril Chapel — Hwy 8, Flatwoods (mission chapel)
- St. Margaret Mary Chapel — Hwy 119, Gorum (mission chapel)
- Previously Mass every other Sunday at 11:00 am with confessions 15 minutes before Mass
Parish Staff & Volunteers
Day-to-day parish operations are supported by a small team of lay staff and volunteers listed in the diocesan directory: a bookkeeper handles parish finances, several bulletin editors produce the weekly bulletin, and a music minister coordinates liturgical music.
- Lynn Semple — Bookkeeper
- Emelise Cormier — Bulletin Editor
- Donna Garsee — Bulletin Editor
- Debby Rachal — Bulletin Editor
- Justin Lincecum — Music
Visit, Contact & Practical Info
St. Margaret of Cortona Catholic Church is located at 402 Ryan Street in the Town of Boyce, Rapides Parish, Louisiana. The parish office can be reached by phone at (318) 793-8811, Monday through Thursday during office hours. The parish maintains its own website at stmargaretofcortona.org and is listed by the Diocese of Alexandria at diocesealex.org/church/st-margaret-church/.
- Address: 402 Ryan St., Boyce, LA 71409
- Phone: (318) 793-8811
- Diocese listing: diocesealex.org/church/st-margaret-church/
- Parish website: stmargaretofcortona.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Anthony Dharmaraj, MSFS
Listed as current pastor on the Diocese of Alexandria parish page and 2026 Directory v2.
- Very Rev. Peter Faulk, JCD, JV
Listed as Pastor and Judicial Vicar for the Diocese in earlier diocesan directories (2024, 2026 v1).
- Father Brady (OP)1966–1969
Dominican priest assigned in 1966 as pastor and religious superior of St. Margaret in Boyce; remained until 1969 when he went for specialized counseling studies.