About St. Stephen · Berwick, Louisiana
St. Stephen Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish located in the small Atchafalaya Basin town of Berwick, Louisiana, in St. Mary Parish. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana and is served today by Fr. Sal Istre as pastor. Parish records at St. Stephen's begin in 1950, and the parish has long been a worshipping presence along Second Street in Berwick, offering three Sunday Masses, weekday noon Masses, daily Confession before Mass, an almost 24-hour Thursday Eucharistic Adoration, and a vibrant music ministry with organ, choir, and cantors. In recent years the parish completed a $1.4 million restoration of its historic church and is now raising funds for a new rectory.
- Established
- 1950
- Patron
- St. Stephen
- Rector
- Fr. Sal Istre
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana
Why belong here
St. Stephen's is a small, traditional Catholic parish with a strong liturgical life — three Sunday Masses (spoken, solemn with choir, and organ), weekday noon Masses four days a week, and one of the more distinctive devotional offerings in the area: a nearly 24-hour Thursday Eucharistic Adoration held in the Souby Baptistery, ending with a procession of the Blessed Sacrament and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. The parish welcomes parishioners into active service through a wide range of lay ministries — Altar Servers, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Readers, Sacristans, Ushers, and the St. Joseph Altar Team — and operates a St. Stephen Early Learning Center along with faith formation for children and high-school students, making it a true community hub for Catholic families in Berwick.
Mass times at St. Stephen
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:00 PM – 3:50 PM
- Sunday: 30 minutes before all Masses
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday: 30 minutes before all Masses
- First Saturday Holy Hour (9:00 AM – 10:00 AM): Confessions available
Adoration times
- Thursday: 7:00 AM through Friday 6:30 AM (approximately 24 hours) — held in the Souby Baptistery until 6:00 AM Friday, then Procession of the Blessed Sacrament back into the church, followed by the Chaplet of Divine Mercy
- First Saturday: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM Holy Hour (with Confessions available)
About St. Stephen Catholic Church
St. Stephen Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish located at 3217 2nd Street in Berwick, Louisiana, in the Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana. It is part of the Catholic life of St. Mary Parish in the Atchafalaya Basin region. The parish is served by Fr. Sal Istre and is staffed by a small team including a Director of Religious Education, Parish Secretary, Parish Assistant, Parish Organist and Cantor, a 4 PM Cantor, an Early Learning Center Director with a Music Instructor/Safe Environment Coordinator, a High School Faith Formation Coordinator, and a Church Caretaker and Rectory housekeeper.
- Pastor: Fr. Sal Istre
- Diocese: Lafayette in Louisiana
- Address: 3217 2nd St, Berwick, LA 70342
- Phone: (985) 385-1280
- Email: [email protected]
Our History
Catholic sacramental records at St. Stephen's in Berwick begin in 1950, the year most commonly cited as the founding of the parish. The parish's own literature emphasizes a longer Catholic heritage in the region, noting that 'the priests and staff of St. Stephen's have helped to build up the faith of St. Mary Parish for 127 years.' In more recent years the parish has invested heavily in its physical plant — completing a $1.4 million restoration of the church to address termite damage, water damage, and mold, and launching a $500,000 Rectory Campaign to replace an aging rectory that had been plagued for 40 years by mold, water damage, and an ongoing rat infestation.
- Parish records begin in 1950
- $1.4 million church restoration recently completed
- $500,000 Rectory Campaign underway, designed by architect Josh Hoffpauir
- New rectory will include a 1,200 sq. ft. priest's residence and 700 sq. ft. staff office
Holy Day & Holy Week Schedule
St. Stephen's publishes a full annual Holy Day schedule each year. The most recent published Holy Week schedule featured a 6 PM Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday, a 3 PM Liturgy of the Lord's Passion on Good Friday, an 8 PM Easter Vigil with organ, choir, and violin, and Easter Sunday 7 AM Organ & Cantor Mass and 10 AM Solemn Mass with choir and string quartet.
- Holy Thursday: 6 PM Mass of the Lord's Supper
- Good Friday: 3 PM Liturgy of the Lord's Passion
- Holy Saturday: 8 PM Easter Vigil (Organ, Choir, Violin)
- Easter Sunday: 7 AM Organ & Cantor Mass; 10 AM Solemn Mass with Choir and String Quartet
Music & Liturgy
Music is central to the life of St. Stephen's. The parish employs a Parish Organist and Cantor along with a dedicated 4 PM Cantor, and supports a parish Choir that sings at the 10 AM Solemn Mass. The 4 PM Saturday Vigil features Cantor and Organ, the 7 AM Sunday Mass is spoken, the 10 AM Sunday Mass is solemn with choir and organ, and the 5:30 PM Sunday Mass features the organ.
- Saturday Vigil: Cantor and Organ
- Sunday 7 AM: Spoken Mass
- Sunday 10 AM: Solemn Mass with Choir and Organ
- Sunday 5:30 PM: Organ Mass
- Easter Vigil: Organ, Choir, and Violin
- Easter Sunday Solemn Mass: Choir and String Quartet
Parish Ministries & Service
St. Stephen's has a wide range of lay ministries for parishioners who wish to serve at the altar and in the liturgy. New servers, readers, and ministers are welcomed and trained. In addition, the parish operates an Early Learning Center and faith formation programs for children and high-school students.
- Altar Servers (any student parishioner who has made First Holy Communion; trained yearly and mentored by apprentice servers)
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (serve at 4 PM Vigil, 10 AM Solemn, and 6:30 PM Evening Masses)
- Readers (Lectors) at Holy Mass
- Sacristans and Ushers
- St. Joseph Altar Team
- Parish Choir and Music Ministry
Faith Formation & Education
The parish supports the religious education of children and youth through a Director of Religious Education (DRE) and a High School Faith Formation Coordinator, and operates the St. Stephen Early Learning Center on or near the parish campus, which also employs a Music Instructor who serves as the parish's Safe Environment Coordinator.
- Director of Religious Education (DRE)
- High School Faith Formation Coordinator
- St. Stephen Early Learning Center (with Director and Music Instructor)
- Safe Environment Coordinator
Parish Cultural Life
The parish honors the strong Sicilian-American Catholic heritage of south Louisiana through its annual St. Joseph Altar. The altar is built and viewed on the Sunday after March 19, and the celebration includes the traditional Tupa-Tupa ritual at the conclusion of the 10 AM Mass, followed by a spaghetti lunch and viewing in the Parish Hall. Marian devotion is also marked each year on Mothers' Day weekend with the Crowning of Our Lady at the Saturday Vigil and the Sunday Solemn Mass.
- Annual St. Joseph Altar (Sunday after March 19) with Tupa-Tupa ritual
- Spaghetti Lunch and Altar Viewing in the Parish Hall
- Marian May Crowning on Mothers' Day weekend (Saturday 4 PM and Sunday 10 AM Masses)
New Rectory Campaign
Following on the success of the $1.4 million church restoration, the parish has launched a $500,000 campaign to demolish its aging, mold- and pest-damaged rectory and build a new one. The design by local architect Josh Hoffpauir includes a two-bedroom, two-bath priest's residence of 1,200 sq. ft. and a 700 sq. ft. office for the parish's three staff members. The pastor was forced to live off-property during the interim. More information is available from Fr. Istre or the parish staff at (985) 385-1280.
- Projected cost: $500,000
- Designed by architect Josh Hoffpauir
- Includes a 1,200 sq. ft. priest's residence and 700 sq. ft. staff office
- Continuing the spirit of the recent $1.4 million church restoration
Weekly Bulletin & News
St. Stephen's publishes a weekly parish bulletin that carries announcements, the liturgical calendar, ministry schedules, and reflections. Bulletins are hosted on the parish website under the bulletins page.
- Weekly parish bulletin posted at ststephenberwick.org/bulletins
- Includes Sunday readings, announcements, and ministry schedules