About St. Therese of the Child Jesus · Sulphur, Louisiana
St. Theresa of the Child Jesus is a Roman Catholic parish serving the community of Carlyss, an unincorporated area within Calcasieu Civil Parish near Sulphur, Louisiana. Established in 1970, it belongs to the West Deanery of the Diocese of Lake Charles and ministers to approximately 250 registered families. The parish celebrates the Roman (Latin) Rite, offering daily and Sunday Masses, Eucharistic Adoration, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and a vibrant calendar of youth, faith-formation, and family ministries. Each September the parish hosts the well-known Cajun Bon Ton Festival, a beloved three-day community fundraiser on the church grounds.
- Established
- 1970
- Patron
- St. Thérèse of Lisieux (Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face), French Discalced Carmelite nun, Doctor of the Church, and patron saint of missionaries
- Rector
- Rev. Sibi Kunninu, M.S.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lake Charles (West Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Theresa of the Child Jesus offers a complete rhythm of Catholic life on a personal, small-parish scale: four weekend Masses, daily Mass Monday through Friday, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, and two regularly scheduled times for Confession. The parish runs a full faith-formation program through its Coordinator of Religious Education, plus a Mother's Day Out preschool and a tiered youth ministry (Life Teen for high schoolers, The Edge for middle schoolers). Active devotion—rosary before every weekend Mass and following weekday Masses—and the long-running Cajun Bon Ton Festival each September make this a tight-knit community where Catholic families can worship, learn, and serve together.
Mass times at St. Therese of the Child Jesus
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday, 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Saturday, 2:45 p.m.
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Wednesday 8:30 a.m. through Thursday 7:30 a.m. (overnight)
- First Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
About St. Theresa of the Child Jesus
St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Catholic Church is a Roman (Latin) Rite parish in Carlyss, Louisiana, an unincorporated community within Calcasieu Civil Parish near the city of Sulphur. The parish belongs to the West Deanery of the Diocese of Lake Charles and serves approximately 250 registered families. Its patroness is St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the Carmelite "Little Flower" who is a Doctor of the Church and patron saint of missionaries.
- Roman Rite parish in Carlyss, Calcasieu Civil Parish, Louisiana
- Member of the West Deanery, Diocese of Lake Charles
- Approximately 250 registered families
- Patroness: St. Thérèse of Lisieux (Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face)
History & Founding
The parish was formally established on August 22, 1970, after the Carlyss community had been ministered to for years as a mission of Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic Church in Sulphur. Bishop Maurice Schexnayder of the Diocese of Lafayette (the predecessor see from which the Diocese of Lake Charles was later carved) appointed Father John C. McDonald, M.S., as the founding pastor. The parish marked its 40th anniversary of establishment on August 22, 2010. Decades ago, parishioners began the now-famous Cajun Bon Ton Festival specifically to fund construction of the present church building on Carlyss Drive.
- Established August 22, 1970
- Originally a mission of Our Lady of Prompt Succor Parish, Sulphur
- Founding pastor: Rev. John C. McDonald, M.S.
- Named by Bishop Maurice Schexnayder, Diocese of Lafayette
- 40th anniversary celebrated August 22, 2010
- Current church building funded in part by the Cajun Bon Ton Festival
Clergy, Staff & Parish Leadership
The parish is currently served by a Missionary Society (M.S.) priest and a permanent deacon, supported by a small office and program staff listed in the Diocese of Lake Charles 2024–2025 Directory.
- Pastor: Rev. Sibi Kunninu, M.S. ([email protected])
- Deacon: Keith Ellender
- Bookkeeper: Kim Foreman
- Receptionist / Secretary: Diane Guillory
- Coordinator of Religious Education / Safe Environment: Angela Clark ([email protected], 337-583-4010)
- Youth Ministry — Life Teen (High School): Brittny Menard ([email protected])
- Youth Ministry — The Edge (Middle School): Rachel Link ([email protected])
- Director of Mother's Day Out: Kim Campbell
- Maintenance: Russell Warner
- Choir Director: Renee Lainez
Mass & Sacrament Schedule
St. Theresa's offers one of the more generous weekly Mass schedules in the deanery, with four Sunday Masses, a daily morning Mass, and special Masses on First Friday, First Saturday, and Holy Days. Confession is offered at two regular times each week, and Eucharistic Adoration is held overnight Wednesday into Thursday plus extended hours on First Friday.
- Saturday anticipated Mass: 4:00 p.m.
- Sunday Masses: 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 4:00 p.m.
- Weekday Masses: Monday–Friday 8:00 a.m.
- First Friday: 8:00 a.m.; First Saturday: 8:00 a.m.
- Holy Days: anticipated 6:00 p.m.; day 8:00 a.m. & 6:00 p.m.
- Confession: Wed. 5:00–6:00 p.m.; Sat. 2:45 p.m.; by appointment
- Adoration: Wed. 8:30 a.m. through Thu. 7:30 a.m.
- Adoration: First Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Devotions
Devotional life centers on the Rosary, prayed in common before each weekend Mass and after each weekday Mass, and on extended Eucharistic Adoration that bridges from Wednesday morning into Thursday morning each week.
- Rosary 30 minutes before every weekend Mass
- Rosary following every weekday Mass
- Weekly overnight Adoration (Wednesday morning through Thursday morning)
- First Friday extended Adoration (8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Theresa's is led by Angela Clark, the parish Coordinator of Religious Education and Safe Environment Coordinator. Children enrolled in the parish's CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) program attend weekly religious-education classes to prepare for the sacraments and to grow in Catholic knowledge and practice.
- CCD / Religious Education program (K–12)
- Coordinator: Angela Clark — [email protected], 337-583-4010
- Safe Environment training and coordination
- Sacramental preparation for First Communion and Confirmation
Youth Ministry
St. Theresa's runs a two-track youth ministry designed to reach middle-school and high-school teens with age-appropriate programming, fellowship, and faith formation. Both programs operate under the parish's Safe Environment umbrella.
- Life Teen — high school youth ministry, led by Brittny Menard ([email protected])
- The Edge — middle school youth ministry, led by Rachel Link ([email protected])
Mother's Day Out Preschool
A Mother's Day Out program operates under the parish, giving parents of young children a regular daytime break while providing little ones an early socialization experience in a parish environment. The program is led by Director Kim Campbell.
- Mother's Day Out program
- Director: Kim Campbell
Liturgical Music
Music for the parish liturgies is led by Choir Director Renee Lainez, working with volunteer cantors and musicians to support the four Sunday Masses and the weekday and Holy Day celebrations.
- Choir Director: Renee Lainez
- Music provided at all Sunday and weekday Masses
Sacraments
St. Theresa's celebrates the seven sacraments according to the normal diocesan norms. Baptism and Marriage both require parishioner registration; couples are asked to contact the parish a full six months before a wedding to allow time for marriage preparation with the pastor.
- Baptism: call the parish office; registration required
- Marriage: contact the parish 6 months in advance for the initial pastor interview; registration required
- Penance (Reconciliation): Wed. 5–6 p.m., Sat. 2:45 p.m., or by appointment
- Eucharist: daily and Sunday Mass, plus Eucharistic Adoration
- Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick: contact the parish office
Cajun Bon Ton Festival
Each September, St. Theresa's hosts the Cajun Bon Ton Festival on its Carlyss Drive grounds — a three-day community fundraiser that has run for nearly five decades. Originally started to raise money to build the current church, today's proceeds help pay for parish operating costs, insurance, the CCD religious-education program, and youth ministries. The festival features Louisiana Cajun and zydeco live bands, carnival rides, a vendor market of more than 90 booths, bingo, a cornhole tournament, a petting zoo, karaoke, a 5K run, live and silent auctions, and a wide range of Louisiana foods and sweets.
- Held annually on the parish grounds at 4822 Carlyss Drive
- Three-day weekend in September (Friday evening through Sunday)
- Live Cajun, zydeco, and dance-band music (e.g., Jamie Bergeron, Hunter Courville & Cajun Fever, Zydecane, Boomerang, Mark Reeves, Twistex X)
- Carnival rides, vendor market, bingo, cornhole tournament, petting zoo, karaoke
- Live and silent auctions, garage sale, bake sale, cake walk, 5K run
- Proceeds support parish operations, CCD, and youth ministries
- Free admission and parking; ride bracelets available
Visit, Contact & Office Hours
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone, fax, email, or in person during posted office hours. The church is located in Carlyss, just south of Sulphur off I-10, with simple driving directions from the interstate.
- Address: 4822 Carlyss Drive, Sulphur, LA 70665
- Phone: 337-583-4800 — Fax: 337-583-4818
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Monday–Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Friday 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
- Directions: From I-10, go south on LA-27 ~2½ miles, right on Tara Drive ~1½ miles, church on the right
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John C. McDonald, M.S.1970 (founding)
Named first pastor by Bishop Maurice Schexnayder of the Diocese of Lafayette; previously served the Carlyss mission community out of Our Lady of Prompt Succor in Sulphur.