About St. Rose of Lima · Cecilia, Louisiana
St. Rose of Lima is a small Catholic mission parish located in Cecilia, Louisiana, in St. Martin Parish along the Bayou Teche. Established in 1944 for the African American Catholic community of Cecilia with the assistance of the Josephite Fathers and Rev. Roderick Auclair, it is administered as a mission of nearby St. Joseph Parish in Cecilia and shares its pastor and parish staff. The parish belongs to the Central Deanery of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana, and it remains a beloved, family-sized worship community serving its members with Sunday Mass and weekday liturgies in a quiet rural setting on Bushville Highway.
- Established
- 1944
- Patron
- St. Rose of Lima
- Rector
- Fr. Gregory P. Cormier
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana (Central Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Rose of Lima offers a close-knit, family-sized Catholic community in rural St. Martin Parish where members know one another by name. The parish celebrates Sunday Mass at 9:00 a.m. along with weekday Masses on Monday, Tuesday, and First Saturday, giving parishioners regular access to the Eucharist in a peaceful Bayou Teche setting. As a mission of St. Joseph Parish-Cecilia, it shares an active faith-formation program, sacramental preparation, and outreach ministries — including a beloved Thanksgiving meal ministry that cooked and delivered 100 meals to those in need in the community. Visitors and newcomers are warmly welcomed into a worshipping community rooted in nearly 80 years of history (founded 1944) and in the wider diocesan family of the Diocese of Lafayette.
Mass times at St. Rose of Lima
Weekly Mass schedule
About St. Rose of Lima Parish
St. Rose of Lima is a Catholic mission parish in Cecilia, Louisiana, founded in 1944 to serve the African American Catholic community of this small Bayou Teche town. It belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana and is one of the parishes of the Central Deanery, which encompasses Lafayette and upper St. Martin Parishes. Today the mission is administered together with nearby St. Joseph Parish-Cecilia and shares its pastor, staff, and offices.
- Location: 2184 Bushville Hwy., Cecilia, LA 70521
- Mailing Address: P.O. Box 126, Cecilia, LA 70521
- Diocese: Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana (Central Deanery)
- Parish type: Mission of St. Joseph Parish-Cecilia
History of the Parish
Cecilia — known in earlier times as La Grande Pointe or La Punta — has been served by St. Joseph Parish since 1890, when Rev. Augustin Blanc became the first pastor and ministered for more than 38 years. By the mid-20th century the African American Catholic faithful of Cecilia had grown enough to warrant their own parish, and in 1944, with the assistance of the Josephite Fathers (a religious institute devoted to African American Catholic ministry) and of Rev. Roderick Auclair, St. Rose of Lima Church was established. The parish has continued that founding mission for nearly 80 years and remains a treasured worship community in the Diocese of Lafayette.
- 1944 — St. Rose of Lima Church established for the African American Catholic community of Cecilia.
- Founded with the assistance of the Josephite Fathers and Rev. Roderick Auclair.
- Parish records begin in 1944 (per the SW Louisiana Records index).
- Sister parish in mission: St. Joseph Parish-Cecilia (records beginning 1894).
Parish Staff & Clergy
Because St. Rose of Lima is a mission of St. Joseph Parish-Cecilia, its clergy and staff are shared. The pastor oversees both communities, and a deacon and parish secretary support the day-to-day life and sacramental ministry of the mission.
- Pastor: Fr. Gregory P. Cormier
- Deacon: Kenneth Soignier
- Parish Secretary: Anna C. Auguillard
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious education for children in Pre-K through 7th grade is offered through St. Joseph Parish-Cecilia in collaboration with St. Rose of Lima. Families register each year, and sacramental preparation for First Communion and Confirmation is coordinated through the shared Faith Formation office.
- Faith Formation for grades PK–7
- Director of Faith Formation: Heidi Robin ([email protected])
- Annual registration required; automatic admission to the next grade level for those enrolled
- Admissions policy in effect since May 2022
Outreach & Charity
St. Rose of Lima parishioners are well known in the community for their hands-on outreach, especially during the Thanksgiving season. The parish continues to feed and serve the people of Cecilia through coordinated meal ministries and local charity efforts.
- Thanksgiving meal ministry: parishioners cook and deliver 100 meals to those in need each Thanksgiving.
- Scriptural inspiration cited by the parish: 'For I was hungry and you gave me food…' (Matthew 25:42-43).
- Recognition: Martin Luther King, Jr. Award presented by St. Rose of Lima Parish to Geraldine Calais and Brenda Rossyion for community service.
Sacraments
Arrangements for the sacraments are made through the parish office, which is shared with St. Joseph Parish-Cecilia. Faith Formation and sacramental preparation for children are coordinated through the shared Faith Formation office.
- Baptism — contact the parish office
- Marriage — contact the parish office
- First Communion & Confirmation preparation — through Faith Formation (grades PK-7)
Visit, Contact & Office Hours
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone, mail, or email during regular office hours. The mission church is located on Bushville Highway between Cecilia and Arnaudville in St. Martin Parish.
- Parish Office: (337) 667-6555
- Fax: (337) 667-6555
- Email: [email protected]
- Mailing Address: P.O. Box 126, Cecilia, LA 70521
- Physical Address: 2184 Bushville Hwy., Arnaudville/Cecilia, Louisiana
- Office Hours: Monday–Thursday, 7:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.