St. Philomena Catholic Church

Diocese of Baton Rouge  
Labadieville, LA

St. Philomena Church, 1975

In April of 1842, the first mission was held at Brule Labadie, (currently Labadieville) by Father Charles Menard, who kept a journal written in French, of his missionary journeys down Bayou Lafourche from Labadieville to the Gulf of Mexico.  Father Menard became known as "The Apostle of Bayou Lafourche".  Father Menard began to solicit pledges to build a chapel in Labadie in 1847.  Work on the chapel began on September 18, 1847.  The chapel, blessed on March 28, 1848, was then served three times a month... first Thursday, first and third Sunday of the month.  By 1853 a parish rectory had been completed.

Father Cyprian Vennisat became  the first Pastor of St. Philomena.  St. Philomena parish was established in 1855.  Father Vennisat then built the first brick church in 1860.   Father Vennisat also sought to obtain religious sisters to take charge of a parochial school for St. Philomena Parish.  This was impossible.  Encouraged by Archbishop Perche, he decided to form a religious community of native daughters.  The Religious Community of the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception was founded.  The parish was marked with the disaster of the Civil War and the yellow fever epidemic.  These tragedies helped to open the eyes of many who then sought more frequent communion and religious education instruction.

The present church building dates from 1888.  The side transcepts of the church were added in 1908 by Father A. F. Ravoire.

The cemetery is a present reminder of days gone by... the founder of "Labadie" is buried there and a monument to those who died of yellow fever during the epidemic still exists.  As the cemetery reached capacity, mausoleums were built to accommodate the need of the parishioners.

Nestled along Bayou Lafourche on Highway One, St. Philomena Church is currently under going restoration.  The present day parishioners, as did the very first parishioners of St. Philomena, cherish their Catholic faith.

Established 1847

Altar of St. Philomena Church

We are pleased with our newest addition...

Calvary on the Bayou