About St. Stephen the Martyr · Maurepas, Louisiana
St. Stephen the Martyr is a Roman Catholic parish in the small community of Maurepas, Louisiana, on LA Highway 22 in Livingston Parish. It is a clustered parish paired with nearby St. Joseph Catholic Church in French Settlement, sharing a pastor, parochial vicar, deacons, and parish staff. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Baton Rouge and serves the rural 'River Parishes' area east of Baton Rouge, offering daily and weekly Mass in the Roman (Latin) rite, Reconciliation, Eucharistic Adoration, and a range of lay ministries. St. Stephen the Martyr is the spiritual home of a small but tight-knit community of Catholic families who, together with their sister parish in French Settlement, carry out faith formation, youth ministry, music, pro-life work, and outreach through the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
- Patron
- St. Stephen the Martyr (the protomartyr, first Christian martyr)
- Rector
- Reverend Taylor Sanford
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge
Why belong here
St. Stephen the Martyr offers a welcoming small-parish Catholic community in the Maurepas/French Settlement area with daily and Sunday Mass, a regular Reconciliation schedule, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, and a full stable of lay ministries — liturgical service (altar servers, lectors, Eucharistic ministers, ushers), music, religious education, a Youth Group for 7th grade through high school, a Pro-Life Ministry, and the St. Vincent de Paul Society for service to those in need. Sharing priests and staff with St. Joseph Catholic Church in nearby French Settlement means parishioners have access to two worship sites and a robust sacramental and formation life while still retaining the close-knit feel of a country parish.
Mass times at St. Stephen the Martyr
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:15–3:45 PM (St. Stephen)
Adoration times
- Tuesday: 5:00–6:00 PM
About the Parish
St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic Church sits on LA Highway 22 in the small community of Maurepas, Louisiana, in Livingston Parish east of Baton Rouge. It is a clustered parish paired with St. Joseph Catholic Church in nearby French Settlement, and the two share one pastor, one parochial vicar, two deacons, and parish staff. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Baton Rouge and offers the Sacraments and a full program of lay ministries to the rural Maurepas–French Settlement–Whitehall area.
History and Heritage
The territory now served by St. Stephen the Martyr was historically part of the mission territory of St. Margaret, Queen of Scots in Albany, the mother church of Livingston Parish, which once simultaneously served four mission churches including St. Mary in Bear Island (now closed and absorbed into St. Stephen the Martyr Parish). In 2003, when the mission chapel at Head of Island was closed, St. Joseph Parish in French Settlement was clustered with the then-mission parish of 'St. Stephen in Whitehall' under Father Rubin Reynolds. Groundbreaking for the new St. Joseph worship center was held August 20, 2004, and the new St. Joseph Church was dedicated on February 11, 2006. The cluster has continued to grow under subsequent pastors and today is led by Fr. Taylor Sanford. The Catholic missionary presence in this 'La Côte Française' (French Coast) region goes back to the early 1800s, when priests from St. Bernard in Galveztown and St. Gabriel in Iberville traveled to minister to local families in their homes.
- Mission territory was once part of St. Margaret, Queen of Scots (Albany)
- Clustered with St. Joseph, French Settlement, in 2003
- Father Rubin Reynolds named pastor of the clustered parishes in 2003
- New St. Joseph worship center groundbreaking: August 20, 2004
- New St. Joseph Church dedicated: February 11, 2006
Clergy and Staff
St. Stephen the Martyr shares pastoral leadership with sister parish St. Joseph in French Settlement. Fr. Taylor Sanford serves as pastor of both parishes and is supported by a parochial vicar, two deacons, and a lay staff team handling secretarial, bookkeeping, and maintenance duties.
- Reverend Taylor Sanford — Pastor (St. Joseph, French Settlement / St. Stephen the Martyr, Maurepas)
- Rev. Augustine Michael Puthumana, IMS — Parochial Vicar (St. Joseph, French Settlement / St. Stephen the Martyr, Maurepas)
- Deacon James Little — Pastoral Associate / Deacon Assistant
- Deacon Leon R. Murphy, Jr. — Pastoral Associate / Deacon Assistant
- Brittany Cormier — Secretary (St. Stephen)
- Laura Wutke — Secretary/Bookkeeping (St. Stephen)
- Lisa Cates — Bookkeeping (St. Stephen)
- Jason Cates — Maintenance
Mass and Worship Schedule
St. Stephen the Martyr offers a weekly schedule of daily and Sunday Mass, a regular time for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and a weekly hour of Eucharistic Adoration. The Saturday Vigil and one Sunday Mass are celebrated at St. Stephen's, while additional Masses (Sunday evening, daily Mass on other days) are celebrated at the sister campus of St. Joseph in French Settlement.
- Saturday Vigil Mass — 4:00 PM (St. Stephen)
- Sunday Mass — 10:30 AM (St. Stephen)
- Monday Daily Mass — 8:00 AM
- Tuesday Daily Mass — 8:00 AM
- Holy Day Mass — 7:00 PM
Sacraments
Beyond the celebration of daily and Sunday Mass, the parish regularly schedules the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Penance) and Eucharistic Adoration. Reconciliation is offered every Saturday afternoon before the Vigil Mass, and additional times can be arranged by appointment.
- Reconciliation: Saturday 3:15–3:45 PM (and by appointment)
- Eucharistic Adoration: Tuesday 5:00–6:00 PM
- An Examination of Conscience (adult and child versions) is linked on the parish website
Parish Ministries (Ways to Serve)
The parish website lists six core ministry areas under its 'Ways To Serve' page. Parishioners of both clustered parishes are invited to participate as liturgical ministers, musicians, catechists, youth ministers, pro-life advocates, and Vincentian volunteers.
- Liturgical Ministries — Altar Servers, Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Ushers
- Music Ministry
- Pro-Life Ministry
- Religious Education Ministry
- St. Vincent de Paul Ministry
- Youth Group Ministry
Youth Group
The cluster Youth Group is open to any 7th-grade-through-high-school student from public, private, parochial, or homeschool who is a parishioner of St. Joseph or St. Stephen the Martyr. A Teen Mass is usually celebrated on the last Sunday of the month. Youth members participate in a packed calendar of service projects, fellowship, fundraisers, and trips.
- Open to 7th grade through high school from any school background
- Teen Mass: usually the last Sunday of the month
- Hosted the Baton Rouge Diocese World Youth Day celebration on October 27, 2013
- Annual activities include: Amazing Bible Race, BINGO, Gumbo & Jambalaya Sales, Garage Sale, Zoo Field Trip, Youth Group Mass, Socks for Soldiers, 5M Day, Easter Egg Hunt, Banquet, Disney World Trip, Senior Center Visits, French Settlement Christmas Parade, Grandparents' Breakfast, 'All Saints' Halloween Project, Prisoner Outreach, homebound visits (soup, pumpkin bread), Mardi Gras Parade Field Trip, Children's Hospital Christmas gifts/visit, Milk Pie Sales, Movies, and helping at the Creole Festival, Winter Wonderland, and St. Joseph Altar
- Contact: Selena, 225-698-6503
Parish Office and Contact
The clustered parish office for St. Joseph and St. Stephen the Martyr is staffed Monday through Thursday mornings and early afternoons. Correspondence, calls, and in-person visits are handled through the French Settlement office.
- Parish office address (mailing): 15710 La Highway 16, French Settlement, LA 70733
- Phone: 225-698-3110
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://stjosephststephen.weconnect.com/
- Office hours: Monday–Thursday 8:00 AM–3:00 PM (closed for lunch 12:00–1:00 PM); closed Friday
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Rubin Reynolds2003–
Named pastor of the clustered parishes when St. Joseph in French Settlement was clustered with the then-mission of St. Stephen in Whitehall in 2003; oversaw groundbreaking for the new St. Joseph worship center (Aug 20, 2004) and its dedication (Feb 11, 2006).