About St. Thomas Mission Chapel · Palmetto, Louisiana
St. Thomas Mission Chapel is a small Catholic mission chapel located at 340 East Railroad Street in the village of Palmetto, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. It is administered as a mission of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in nearby Melville (founded 1913), within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette. The mission serves the small Catholic population of Palmetto with a weekly Sunday morning Mass and is currently pastored by Rev. Stephen C. Ugwu, a Nigerian-born priest who also serves as Administrator of the parent parish in Melville.
- Patron
- St. Thomas (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Rev. Stephen C. Ugwu (Administrator of parent parish, St. John the Evangelist, Melville)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana
Why belong here
St. Thomas Mission Chapel is a close-knit rural mission that brings the Eucharist to the Catholics of Palmetto every Sunday morning. As a mission of St. John the Evangelist in Melville, it shares in the priestly ministry of the Diocese of Lafayette and welcomes anyone seeking a quiet, traditional Sunday Mass in St. Landry Parish.
Mass times at St. Thomas Mission Chapel
Weekly Mass schedule
St. Thomas Mission Chapel — Palmetto, Louisiana
St. Thomas Mission Chapel is a Catholic mission chapel serving the village of Palmetto in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. Located on East Railroad Street, it is administered as a mission of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in nearby Melville. The chapel offers a single weekly Sunday Mass at 8:00 AM and shares pastoral ministry with the parent parish in Melville.
- Type: Mission chapel
- Parent parish: St. John the Evangelist, Melville
- Diocese: Lafayette in Louisiana
- Sunday Mass: 8:00 AM
Affiliation & Diocese
The mission falls within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana, one of the largest dioceses in the Gulf South. As a mission of St. John the Evangelist in Melville, St. Thomas shares its pastor, sacramental ministry, and parish registration with the Melville church rather than operating as an independent parish.
- Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana
- Listed in the diocesan parish finder at diolaf.org/parishfinder
- Mailing contact via parent parish: PO Box 256, Melville, LA 71353-0256
Pastor & Parish Leadership
The mission is served by the Administrator of St. John the Evangelist Church in Melville. As of the most recent diocesan directory, that role is held by Rev. Stephen C. Ugwu, a priest from Nigeria incardinated in the Diocese of Lafayette. All sacramental inquiries (baptisms, weddings, funerals, RCIA) for the mission are directed through the Melville parish office.
- Rev. Stephen C. Ugwu — Administrator, St. John the Evangelist, Melville
Visitor Information
Visitors are warmly welcomed at St. Thomas Mission Chapel. The mission has no dedicated office or parish secretary on site; for inquiries, contact the parent parish office at St. John the Evangelist in Melville by phone. The mailing address for the parent parish is PO Box 256, Melville, LA 71353-0256.
- Address: 340 E. Railroad St., Palmetto, LA 71353
- Parish phone (Melville office): (337) 623-4957
- Diocesan parish finder: diolaf.org/parishfinder