About St. Philip Neri · Metairie, Louisiana
St. Philip Neri Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Metairie, Louisiana, in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Founded in 1960 by Archbishop Rummel, it serves a vibrant suburban community in Jefferson Parish with four Sunday Masses, two daily Masses Monday through Friday, weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Thursdays, and a regular confession schedule. The parish shares its Kawanee Avenue campus with St. Philip Neri Catholic School (PK3 through 7th grade, plus an Early Learning Center) and runs a wide range of liturgical, service, faith-formation, and pastoral-support ministries for parishioners of all ages.
- Established
- 1960
- Patron
- St. Philip Neri
- Rector
- Rev. Andrew Rudmann
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of New Orleans
Why belong here
St. Philip Neri is a multi-generational Catholic community with a real presence beyond Sunday Mass: a K-through-7th-grade parish school sharing the same Kawanee Avenue campus, a Parish School of Religion for public-school children, an OCIA (formerly RCIA) process for adults entering the Church, and an active liturgical life that includes a weekly Thursday Eucharistic Adoration hour block, a Holy Communion ministry to the homebound, an adult choir that rehearses on Thursday evenings, and a deep bench of lay ministers (Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Altar Servers, Hospitality). Out in the wider community the parish feeds the homeless monthly with Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, brings Mass and the Eucharist to residents of Metairie Healthcare Center, and runs the Adopt an Angel Christmas gift drive. For a Catholic family looking for a parish with a school, daily Mass, Adoration, and strong outreach, St. Philip Neri offers all of that in one campus.
Mass times at St. Philip Neri
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
- Sunday: 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM
- 1st Saturday: 8:00 AM – 8:55 AM
- Also available by appointment
Adoration times
- Thursday: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM (after the 9:00 AM Mass, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament)
Our Parish – History
St. Philip Neri Parish was created in 1960 by Archbishop Rummel, and Father A. Charles Kenney celebrated the first Mass on July 3, 1960 in a temporary chapel called 'The Tent.' The Tent served the parish for 27 months, until the inaugural Mass in the 'Original Church' on October 29, 1962. The 'Original Church' (later School Building 1) was used until 1979, when the current 'New' Church was dedicated on July 2, 1979, with groundbreaking in the late 1970s attended by Archbishop Hannan. School Buildings 2 and 3 were built in 1964–65 and the Assembly Hall in 1972. Since 1991, the campus has seen the modular buildings added, the school-complex fence erected (1992–93), the parking lot extended, the Porte Cochère built, and School Building 1 renovated (beginning 1994).
- Founded 1960 by Archbishop Rummel
- First Mass July 3, 1960 in 'The Tent'
- Inaugural Mass in the 'Original Church' October 29, 1962
- Current 'New' Church dedicated July 2, 1979
- Only four pastors in parish history
Clergy Assigned to SPN
The parish has been served by a small, stable succession of priests and deacons, with current leadership including Pastor Fr. Andrew Rudmann and parochial vicars Fr. Will Sigl and Fr. James Martin Nobles, OP. Deacon Thomas P. Lotz is the current permanent deacon. Seminarian interns from the Archdiocese of New Orleans serve each summer; recent interns include Will Sigl (2025), Ethan Camet (2024), and Brett Barrios (2023).
- Pastor: Rev. Andrew Rudmann (2022–present)
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Will Sigl
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. James Martin Nobles, OP (2025–present)
- Deacon: Thomas P. Lotz
Pastor Succession
St. Philip Neri has had only four pastors since its founding — a testament to the long-term stability of leadership here.
- Rev. Msgr. A. Charles Kenney (1960–1991)
- Rev. Lee Saloy (1991–2011)
- Rev. Msgr. Harry Bugler (2011–2022)
- Rev. Andrew Rudmann (2022–present)
Parochial Vicar Succession
The parish's clergy history page lists a long line of parochial vicars and deacons who have served the people of God in Metairie over the decades.
- Rev. James Martin Nobles, OP (2025–present)
- Rev. Edward Kofi Owusu-Ansah (2022–2025)
- Rev. Michael Kettenring (2018–2022)
- Rev. Kyle Sanders (2016–2018)
- Rev. Steve Bruno (2014–2016)
- Rev. Kurt Young (2012–2014)
- Earlier vicars: Susamarian, Jacques, Roughneen, Hayden, Counahan, Bourg, Clark OSB, Gallagher, O'Donnell, Cooper, Ginart, Sontheimer, McCusker, Clement, Taormina, Caluda
Permanent Deacons
Deacons assigned to the parish over the years.
- Deacon Tommy Lotz (present)
- Deacon Paul Hauck (2010–2015)
- Deacon John LeDoux
- Deacon Edward Cannon
Parish Staff
Lay staff run the day-to-day operations of the parish alongside the priests, with directors for administration, liturgy, religious education, and the parish school.
- Director of Parish Administration: Mrs. Staci M. Gelpi
- Director of Liturgy & Evangelization: Angela Evans
- Director of Religious Education: Ruby Kirsch
- School Principal: Angelle Bourgeois
Liturgical Ministries
The parish runs a full complement of liturgical ministries for Mass, Adoration, and the church environment, with training provided for each role.
- Adult Choir (11:00 AM Sunday Mass; Thursday 7:00 PM rehearsal)
- Altar Servers (3rd grade and up)
- Lectors (typically one Sunday a month)
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (21+, practicing Catholics registered in the parish)
- Hospitality Ministry (ushers, offertory, Communion flow)
- Ministry to the Homebound (Communion visits)
- Eucharistic Adoration volunteers
- Altar Guild (plants, flowers, vestments, seasonal decorating)
- Church Cleaning
Faith Formation
Faith formation at St. Philip Neri includes a Parish School of Religion (PSR) for public-school children in grades K through 11, and OCIA — the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, formerly called RCIA — for adults seeking full communion with the Catholic Church.
- Parish School of Religion (PSR) – grades K–11, Monday evenings 6:00–7:30 PM in the school
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) – Sunday mornings, weekly two-hour sessions from early September through Easter, held in the Parishioners' Center
- Sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation
Service & Outreach
Service to those beyond the parish walls is a major part of St. Philip Neri's identity, with ministries reaching the homeless, the elderly, the homebound, and the less fortunate at Christmas.
- Feed the Homeless – cooks ~100 meals once a month with Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish; served at the St. Jude Center on N. Rampart St. on the second Saturday of each month; funded by the St. Philip Neri Men's Club
- MetaIrie Health Care – Tuesdays at Metairie Healthcare Center (Riverside Dr., behind the church); visits residents, sets up the altar, assists at Mass/Communion service, distributes the Eucharist
- Adopt an Angel – collects Christmas gifts (toys, food, blankets, gift cards) for the less fortunate; partners with Catholic Charities, CASA of Jefferson, Covenant House
Counseling, Support Groups & Recovery
The parish supports a network of confidential groups for grief, addiction, and family support, including archdiocesan and locally-led apostolates.
- SPN Grief Support Group
- My House Men's Group (Catholic men's purity/chastity group; [email protected] or 504-430-3060)
- The Pearl Ladies Group (for wives of men struggling with pornography/sex addiction)
- Courage (international Catholic apostolate for persons with same-sex attractions; archdiocesan local chapter)
- Recovery programs
St. Philip Neri Catholic School
The parish school, St. Philip Neri Catholic School, shares the Kawanee Avenue campus. Founded alongside the parish in the early 1960s (it opened on the Kawanee campus in 1963 under founding principal Mrs. Olga L. Neyrey), the school today serves infants through two-year-olds in a dedicated Early Learning Center, and PK3 through seventh grade on the main campus, with three sections in PK3 through 4th grade and two sections in each Middle School grade across three school buildings. Its mission is to provide a Catholic community where all stakeholders share the responsibility of developing each child spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, socially, and physically.
- PK3–7th grade on the main campus; ELC for infants through 2-year-olds
- Current Principal: Angelle Bourgeois (with Assistant Principal Charlotte Shelley)
- Athletic Director: Richard Hill
- Counselor: Rhonda Tortorich; Technology Coordinator: Wendy Paladino
- Office Manager: Crystal Vaccaro; Business Manager: Evie Vollenweider
- Pastor (canonical): Rev. Andrew Rudmann; Parochial Vicar: Rev. James Martin Nobles, OP
- School Office: (504) 887-5600; Fax: (504) 456-6857
- School website: stphilipneri.org
Sacraments
The parish prepares members for and celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. Sacramental preparation for children flows through the Parish School of Religion; adults seeking Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist enter through OCIA. The homebound are visited with Holy Communion, and the anointing of the sick is available by appointment.
- Baptism – through parish preparation
- First Reconciliation & First Communion – via PSR
- Confirmation – preparation for teens and adults
- Marriage – contact the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick – by appointment; extended to homebound
- OCIA (formerly RCIA) – for adults seeking full communion
Visit & Contact
The parish office is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, at 6500 Kawanee Avenue, Metairie, LA 70003. The current pastor, Fr. Andrew Rudmann, invites visitors and newcomers in his welcome message: 'I hope St. Philip truly is your welcoming home. I pray you will feel the spirit of Christ that is so alive and abundant here, not only in the buildings but in the people you meet.'
- Parish Office: (504) 887-5535
- Parish Office Fax: (504) 885-6259
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: 6500 Kawanee Avenue, Metairie, LA 70003
- Website: spnparish.net
- Facebook: facebook.com/spnchurch
Festivals & Parish Life
The annual 'Phil-Fest' is the parish's signature community celebration, held on the Sunday nearest the May 26 feast of St. Philip Neri — most recently featuring an 11:00 AM Mass followed by a picnic and family fun until 3 PM, with the parish moving festivities under a white tent in case of weather.
- Phil-Fest – 3rd annual, around the May 26 feast of St. Philip Neri
- 11:00 AM Mass followed by picnic and family activities
- All parishioners and visitors welcome
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Msgr. A. Charles Kenney1960–1991
Founding pastor; celebrated the first Mass on July 3, 1960 in 'The Tent' and built up the parish through its first three decades.
- Rev. Lee Saloy1991–2011
Oversaw a major era of facility expansion: modular buildings, the school fence, parking lot extension, Porte Cochère, and renovation of School Building 1.
- Rev. Msgr. Harry Bugler2011–2022
Guided the parish into its sixth decade.
- Rev. Andrew Rudmann2022–present
Current pastor.