About St. Mark · Ama, Louisiana
St. Mark Parish is a small Catholic community in Ama, Louisiana — a West Bank community in St. Charles Parish along the Mississippi River — served by the Archdiocese of New Orleans. The parish's mission statement declares it 'a devoted Catholic Community called by God to live out the message of Christ in love and service to all people.' With about 200 active parishioners, the church is led today by Fr. Peter Akpoghiran and offers daily and Sunday Mass, perpetual Eucharistic Adoration, parish ministries such as the St. Vincent de Paul Society and Knights of Columbus, and a faith-filled heritage stretching back to 1898.
- Established
- 1974
- Patron
- St. Mark the Evangelist
- Rector
- Rev. Fr. Peter Akpoghiran
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of New Orleans
Why belong here
St. Mark offers the full rhythm of Catholic life in an intimate, close-knit West Bank community: daily Mass with weekday novenas to St. Jude, Our Lady of the Rosary (OLPH), St. Joseph, and the Sacred Heart; Saturday Vigil and Sunday Mass; 24-hour Eucharistic Adoration in its Perpetual Adoration Chapel; and the Sacrament of Reconciliation before Mass and by appointment. Parishioners serve neighbors in Ama, Luling and Waggaman through the St. Vincent de Paul Society, gather in the Knights of Columbus, and gather for Family Day and an annual Parish Fair — all under the pastoral care of Fr. Peter Akpoghiran and a parish secretary who keep the office welcoming on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Mass times at St. Mark
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 5:00 PM–5:15 PM (before Vigil Mass)
- Sunday: 9:00 AM–9:15 AM (before Mass)
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Perpetual Adoration Chapel open 24 hours daily
Parish History
St. Mark began in 1898 as a mission of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary in Hahnville and grew for seventy-six years before being formally established as a parish on January 19, 1974 under Archbishop Philip Hannan. The parish's history is closely tied to the river itself — chapels were sited near the Mississippi, relocated with the levee in the 1930s, and rebuilt in 1946 into the present River Road church. Generations of local Catholic families, including the Zeringues, donated the land on which the parish now stands.
- 1898 – Mission church begun by Rev. Antoine D'Hommie
- 1899 – First First Holy Communion class of 12 children
- 1902 – First recorded marriage (Friloux & Zeringue)
- 1935 – Chapel relocated to current site after levee move
- 1946 – Present-day church completed
- 1974 (Jan. 19) – Established as a parish
- 1974 – First Annual Parish Fair at Holy Rosary
- 1978 – First Parish Council meeting
- 1980 – Knights of Columbus chartered
- 1981 – Columbian Squires chartered; first stained-glass windows installed
- 1982 – St. Vincent de Paul Society established
- 1989 – Perpetual Adoration Chapel dedicated
- 1989 (June 4) – Death of founding pastor Fr. Donald R. Cote
- 1992 – Father Cote Center completed and blessed by Bishop Meunch; parish debt-free
- 2024 (Nov. 2) – 50th anniversary Mass celebrated by Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond
Parish Staff
The current pastor is Fr. Peter Akpoghiran, originally from Nigeria, who has served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans for over thirteen years and was assigned to St. Mark in 2020. Melanie Plaisance serves as parish secretary. Office hours are posted for both the pastor and the parish office.
- Fr. Peter Akpoghiran, Pastor — Email: [email protected]
- Pastor office hours: Mondays 9 AM–12 noon; Wednesdays 1 PM–4 PM, or by appointment
- Melanie Plaisance, Parish Secretary
- Parish Office hours: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 11:00 AM–3:00 PM
Weekday Novenas & Devotions
Each weekday morning Mass is paired with a traditional novena, building a regular devotional rhythm for parishioners who attend daily Mass.
- Monday – St. Jude Novena
- Tuesday – Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLPH) Novena
- Wednesday – St. Joseph Novena
- Friday – Sacred Heart Novena & Benediction
Parish Ministries
St. Mark's ministries grew up alongside the parish in the late 1970s and 1980s, when lay organizations like the Knights of Columbus, Columbian Squires, and St. Vincent de Paul Society were all founded here in quick succession. Today those groups, along with the Parish Council, annual Parish Fair, and Family Day, form the backbone of parish life for a community of about 200 families.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society – provides emergency assistance in Ama, Luling, and Waggaman
- Knights of Columbus Council (chartered 1980)
- Columbian Squires (chartered 1981)
- Parish Council (since 1978)
- Annual Parish Fair
- Family Day (begun 1991)
St. Vincent de Paul Society
Founded in 1982, the parish's St. Vincent de Paul conference supports neighbors in Ama, Luling, and Waggaman through the Poor Box at the back of the church and coordinated referrals to Catholic Charities and other agencies. Their stated approach is 'a Hand Up, Not a Hand Out.'
- Serves Ama, Luling, and Waggaman
- Funded by the Poor Box at the back of the church
- Partners with Catholic Charities and other local agencies
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the sacraments of the Eucharist and Reconciliation on a daily, weekly, and perpetual basis, and prepares children and youth for First Holy Communion and Confirmation.
- Eucharist – daily and Sunday Mass
- Reconciliation – before Mass and by appointment
- Eucharistic Adoration – perpetual
- First Holy Communion preparation
- Confirmation preparation
Facilities & Campus
The St. Mark campus on River Road includes the 1946 church with its stained-glass windows, a rectory, the Father Cote Center (the parish family center completed in 1992 and named for founding pastor Fr. Donald R. Cote), and the Perpetual Adoration Chapel dedicated in 1989.
- Church – completed 1946
- Rectory
- Father Cote Center (Parish Family Center) – completed and blessed 1992
- Perpetual Adoration Chapel – dedicated 1989
Contact, Location & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone, fax, or email during posted office hours. The church sits on River Road in Ama, the West Bank community in St. Charles Parish, easily reached from the greater New Orleans and River Parishes area.
- Address: 10773 River Road, Ama, LA 70031
- Phone: (504) 431-8505
- Fax: (504) 431-8506
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://stmarkama.com/
- Part of the Archdiocese of New Orleans
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Antoine D'Hommie1898–1900
First resident priest at the mission church
- Rev. Theophile Stenmans1900–1904
- Rev. A. Mauret1905–1911
- Rev. Louis Espitallier1911–1916
- Rev. William Parrot1916–1927
- Rev. Andrew Schorr1927–1960
- Rev. Earl C. Woods1957–1961
- Msgr. Gerard Barett1961–1964
- Rev. Robert Guste1964–1973
- Rev. Donald R. Cote1974–1989
Founding pastor of St. Mark Parish; died June 4, 1989
- Rev. John M. Perino1989–2004
- Rev. Joseph Dau Van Nguyen2004–2008
Administrator
- Rev. James N. Bach2008–2011
- Rev. David Rabe2011–2014
- Rev. Anton Ba Pham2011–2014
Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Edward (Ed) Lauden2014–2020
- Rev. Peter Akpoghiran2020–present
Originally from Nigeria; has served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans for over 13 years