About St. Michael the Archangel · Leesville, Louisiana
St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Leesville, Louisiana, the seat of Vernon Parish in central Louisiana. It belongs to the Diocese of Alexandria in Louisiana and serves a diverse congregation that includes both long-time local families and military households connected to nearby Fort Johnson (formerly Fort Polk). Sunday worship is offered in both English and Spanish, with a full weekday Mass schedule reflecting the bilingual rhythm of the parish. Established as a mission in 1913–1914 and elevated to full parish status on October 18, 1946, St. Michael the Archangel remains the only Catholic parish in Vernon Parish and is the spiritual home of the area's Catholic community.
- Established
- 1946
- Patron
- St. Michael the Archangel
- Rector
- Rev. Adam Travis
- Diocese
- Diocese of Alexandria in Louisiana
Why belong here
St. Michael the Archangel is the only Catholic parish serving Vernon Parish, making it a natural home for Catholic families, college students at nearby Northwestern State University–Leesville campus, and military families stationed at Fort Johnson. The parish offers the richness of a full weekly schedule — three Sunday Masses including one in Spanish, five weekday Masses, and a strong devotional life built around weekly Divine Mercy, monthly First Friday Adoration, and Lenten Stations of the Cross. With three permanent deacons, an active OCIA process for those becoming Catholic, religious education for children, and a bilingual welcome to Leesville's growing Hispanic community, St. Michael's provides both the traditional sacraments and the everyday ministries a parish family needs.
Mass times at St. Michael the Archangel
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Before weekend Masses
- By appointment
Adoration times
- First Fridays (per Diocese of Alexandria 2026 Directory: 4:30 pm; per current parish page listing: 8:30 a.m.)
Parish History
Catholic life in Vernon Parish begins not in 1946 but in 1913, when Father Q. Vanderburg began construction of the first Catholic church in Leesville. That mission church was blessed by the Right Reverend Bishop Cornelius Van de Ven — the recently relocated Bishop of Alexandria — on April 26, 1914, and the Reverend Dennis A. Curran became its first resident administrator. Until then, Catholics across Vernon Parish had been served by priests traveling from St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Many, Sabine Parish. On October 18, 1946, Bishop Charles Pasquale Greco formally elevated St. Michael's from mission to parish, the founding date the Diocese of Alexandria still recognizes. The parish grew with the Leesville community and with the expansion of the nearby Army installation at Fort Polk (now Fort Johnson), and in recent decades it has developed a bilingual Mass schedule and a stronger Hispanic ministry. The parish's heritage is commemorated by a 2008 historical marker placed by the Vernon Parish Police Jury and Vernon Parish Tourism Commission on its grounds at 604 South 5th Street.
- 1913 — Construction of first Catholic church in Leesville begun by Father Q. Vanderburg
- April 26, 1914 — Church blessed by Bishop Cornelius Van de Ven; Rev. Dennis A. Curran becomes first resident administrator
- October 18, 1946 — Mission elevated to parish status by Bishop Charles P. Greco
- 2008 — Vernon Parish historical marker erected on parish grounds
- 2024 — Rev. Adam Travis installed as pastor
Parish Staff & Clergy
St. Michael the Archangel is led by its pastor with the assistance of two permanent deacons and a small office staff. The parish has historically been served by both priests and deacons who live and minister in the Vernon Parish community.
- Rev. Adam Travis — Pastor (since summer 2024)
- Deacon Stephen Gramigna — Deacon
- Deacon Fidel Andrade — Deacon
- Tara Rindahl — Secretary / Director of Religious Education
- Bobbie de Perrodil — Secretary
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish's Director of Religious Education, Tara Rindahl, coordinates programs for both children and adults. The parish runs a religious education program for school-age children and welcomes older parishioners into the same catechetical offerings.
- Children's religious education / CCD
- Adult faith formation
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) directed by Father Travis
OCIA — Becoming Catholic
The parish's Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) — formerly known as RCIA — is coordinated directly by Father Adam Travis. It is the pathway for unbaptized adults, baptized Christians seeking full communion, and baptized Catholics preparing for Confirmation and Eucharist.
Hispanic & Spanish-Language Ministry
St. Michael the Archangel hosts one of the regular Spanish-language Sunday Masses in the Diocese of Alexandria, celebrated every Sunday at 12:30 pm. It is one of only a handful of parishes in central Louisiana that offers a weekly Misa en Español, making it an important spiritual home for the area's growing Hispanic population and for Spanish-speaking military families at Fort Johnson.
- Sunday Mass in Spanish — 12:30 pm
- Listed in the Diocese of Alexandria's directory of Spanish Masses
Office & Contact
Parishioners can reach the parish office by phone, email, or in person during the listed office hours. The parish uses a separate mailing address (on West South Street) from its physical church (on South 5th Street) — both are in Leesville.
- Phone: (337) 239-2656
- Fax: (337) 239-2657
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Monday 10:00 am–4:00 pm; Thursday 9:00 am–4:00 pm; Friday 9:00 am–1:00 pm
- Mailing Address: 105 West South St., Leesville, LA 71446
Pastoral Succession
The succession of clergy who have served the parish reflects its growth from a small mission on the edge of Vernon Parish to the central Catholic church for the Leesville area. The most recent transition came in summer 2024, when Father Kenneth Michiels — who had pastored St. Michael's for about twenty years — was transferred to St. Alphonsus Church in Hessmer and the diocese welcomed Father Adam Travis as the new pastor.
- Rev. Fr. Q. Vanderburg — began construction of the first church in 1913
- Rev. Dennis A. Curran — first resident administrator, from 1914
- Rev. Kenneth Michiels — ~20 years of pastoration, until 2024
- Rev. Adam Travis — current pastor, installed 2024
Visiting St. Michael the Archangel
Visitors will find the parish at 604 South 5th Street (U.S. 171) in Leesville, between West South Street and the Vernon Parish historical district. The physical church is just south of the parish mailing office on West South Street, and the parish's 2008 historical marker is on the grounds. Anyone looking for Mass in Spanish, a welcoming weekday schedule, or simply the only Catholic parish in Vernon Parish will find a community ready to receive them.
- Address: 604 South Fifth St., Leesville, LA 71446
- On U.S. Highway 171 in Leesville
- Historical marker located on the church grounds
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Fr. Q. Vanderburg1913–1914
Began construction of the first Catholic church in Leesville in 1913; the building was blessed by Bishop Cornelius Van de Ven on April 26, 1914.
- Rev. Dennis A. Currancirca 1914 onward
First resident administrator of the Leesville mission.
- Rev. Kenneth Michielsapproximately 2004–2024
Pastored St. Michael the Archangel for about twenty years before being transferred by the Diocese of Alexandria to St. Alphonsus Church in Hessmer, Louisiana.
- Rev. Adam Travis2024–present
Born in Michigan, raised in Tioga, Louisiana; graduate of Holy Savior Menard High School (Alexandria), LSU (business administration), and the Pontifical College Josephinum (Columbus, Ohio). Previously served St. Martin Church in Lecompte, Our Lady of Guadalupe in Forest Hill, and as a civilian Catholic priest at Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona. Installed as pastor in summer 2024.