About St. Paul the Apostle · Mansura, Louisiana
St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church is a historic parish in the small town of Mansura, Louisiana, in the Diocese of Alexandria. Founded in 1796 when Bishop Luis Penalver y Cardenas ordered the erection of a new parish to serve the Avoyelles, Rapides and Ouachita regions, it is considered the 'Proto-Parish' of the Avoyelles Deanery — the mother parish from which much of central Louisiana's Catholic life grew. The current church building (the parish's third) was completed in 1950 and dedicated on February 15, 1951 by Bishop Charles Greco, and still contains artwork imported from France in the 19th century. The parish is led today by Rev. Blake Deshautelle and serves Mansura and the surrounding Avoyelles Parish countryside.
- Established
- 1796
- Patron
- St. Paul the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. Blake Deshautelle
- Diocese
- Diocese of Alexandria (Louisiana)
Why belong here
St. Paul the Apostle is the historic mother parish of the Avoyelles Deanery — designated as the 'Proto-Parish' by Bishop Sam Jacobs in 2003 — making it a touchstone of Catholic life in central Louisiana. Its 1950 church still houses art imported from France in the 19th century, and the parish continues a tradition of devotion that stretches back to 1796, with weekday Masses Tuesday through Thursday, a Saturday Vigil, and Lenten Stations of the Cross. It is a small, deeply rooted rural parish where a single pastor and faithful laypeople carry on more than two centuries of worship, making it an ideal place for those seeking a traditional, community-centered Catholic home.
Mass times at St. Paul the Apostle
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 30 minutes before each Mass
History of St. Paul the Apostle Parish
The roots of St. Paul the Apostle reach back to 1784, when the King of Spain granted land for a church and cemetery near the Avoyelles Post. In 1796, Bishop Luis Penalver y Cardenas, the first Bishop of Louisiana and the Floridas, ordered the erection of a new parish to serve the Avoyelles, Rapides and Ouachita regions — the moment the parish was formally founded, originally in honor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. After a long stretch of neglect between the Louisiana Purchase (1803) and the appointment of Fr. Jean Emile Martin in 1824, the parish revived under a succession of French and Creole pastors, taking its present name in 1845 under Fr. Charles Dalloz. Today it stands as the historic mother church of the Avoyelles Deanery.
- 1784: King of Spain grants land near the Avoyelles Post for a church and cemetery
- 1796: Parish erected by Bishop Penalver y Cardenas as Our Lady of Mount Carmel; Fr. Juan Maguire named first pastor
- 1803: Fr. Juan Brady serves until the Louisiana Purchase
- 1824: Fr. Jean Emile Martin rebuilds the church after years of neglect
- 1832: Parish placed under interdict by Bishop de Neckere; lifted in 1834
- 1841: Ladies of the parish form the first altar society under Fr. Nicolas Francais
- 1845: Fr. Charles Dalloz dedicates a new church under the patronage of St. Paul the Apostle
- 1869: Church destroyed in an electrical storm
- 1871: New church completed in the incorporated town of Mansura under Fr. Jean E. Chauvin
- 1906: Fr. Chauvin dies; buried under the main aisle with his successor Fr. Achilles Anseeuw
- 1950: Current church built under Msgr. Michael Paul Nothofer
- 1951 (Feb. 15): Present church dedicated by Bishop Charles Greco
- 1962: New rectory built under Msgr. Terrance Lennon
- 1974: Fr. Armando Fuoco renovates church and erects 40-foot campanile
- 1996: Fr. Russell Lemoine organizes full interior restoration for 200th anniversary
- 2003: Bishop Sam Jacobs designates the parish a 'Proto-Parish'
- 2008: Former convent renovated as parish hall honoring Msgr. Earl Provenza
- 2009: New porcelain tile floor installed throughout the church
Jubilee Year 2025 Pilgrimage Site
Bishop Robert W. Marshall, Jr. selected St. Paul the Apostle in Mansura as one of the Jubilee Year 2025 pilgrimage sites for the Diocese of Alexandria, noting that 'St. Paul is the Proto-Parish of the Avoyelles Deanery.' Pilgrims are invited to encounter the Lord at this sacred space as part of the universal Church's renewed call to hope.
- Selected by Most Rev. Robert W. Marshall, Jr., Bishop of Alexandria
- Recognized for its 200+ years of continuous Catholic witness in central Louisiana
Architecture & Sacred Furnishings
The present church was built in 1950 and dedicated on February 15, 1951. Its exterior is marked by a 40-foot campanile added in 1974. Inside, the parish preserves 19th-century treasures imported from France by Fr. Jean E. Chauvin — a crystal chandelier, hand-painted Stations of the Cross, large statues of Mary and Joseph, and an ornate high altar — together with a porcelain tile floor laid in 2009.
- Crystal chandelier (France, late 19th century)
- Hand-painted Stations of the Cross (France, late 19th century)
- Large statues of Mary and Joseph (France, late 19th century)
- Ornate high altar (France, late 19th century)
- 40-foot campanile (1974)
- Porcelain tile floor (2009)
Parish Staff & Office
The parish is served by a pastor and a parish secretary. Office hours are posted on the diocesan church page.
- Rev. Blake Deshautelle — Pastor
- Ginny Guillory — Secretary
- Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 8:00 am – 4:00 pm (closed 12:00–12:30 pm); closed Tuesday and Thursday
Parish Ministries & Lay Life
The parish's best-documented lay tradition is its Altar Society, founded in 1841 by the ladies of the parish under the direction of Fr. Nicolas Francais — making it one of the longest-running women's devotional organizations in the Diocese of Alexandria.
- Altar Society (founded 1841)
Visit, Contact & Location
The parish office is located at 1879 Leglise Street in Mansura, Louisiana, in the heart of Avoyelles Parish. Visitors and parishioners are encouraged to call ahead during office hours for any sacramental or administrative needs.
- Street address: 1879 Leglise St., Mansura, LA 71350
- Mailing address: P.O. Box 130, Mansura, LA 71350
- Phone: 318-500-2714 (parish office); 318-597-2231 (also listed)
- Diocese of Alexandria — central Louisiana
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Juan Maguire (Irish Discalced Carmelite from Spain)1796–
First pastor of the newly erected parish originally dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
- Fr. Juan Brady–1803
Built the first church; served until the Louisiana Purchase.
- Fr. Jean Emile Martin1824–
Rebuilt the church; parish was placed under interdict in 1832 after trustees locked him out; returned 1834.
- Fr. Nicolas Francais1841–
Directed the ladies of the parish to form the first altar society in 1841.
- Fr. Charles Dalloz1845–
Built and dedicated a new church in 1845 in honor of St. Paul the Apostle — the parish's present name.
- Fr. Jean E. Chauvin1869–1906
Rebuilt the parish church in Mansura after the 1869 storm; imported chandelier, Stations, statues, and altar from France. Died 1906.
- Fr. Achilles Anseeuwafter 1906
Successor to Fr. Chauvin; buried with him under the main aisle.
- Msgr. Michael Paul Nothofer–c. 1950
Directed the construction of the present church, dedicated Feb. 15, 1951.
- Msgr. Terrance Lennon–1962
Built the new rectory in 1962.
- Fr. Armando Fuoco1974
Renovated the church and erected the 40-foot tall campanile.
- Fr. Russell Lemoine1996
Organized the full interior restoration for the 200th anniversary.
- Rev. Blake Deshautellepresent
Current pastor.