On the west side of Lafayette, Louisiana, along a stretch of West Congress Street that mixes homes, schools, and small businesses, Saint Edmond Catholic Church has served Catholic families since 1974. The parish identifies itself with the phrase "At the Corner of Mercy and Love" and, half a century after its founding, draws together three distinct language communities - English, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese - under one roof. Members of the Diocese of Lafayette, Saint Edmond worships in a setting where weekday Mass, perpetual Adoration, youth ministry, men's and women's retreats, and a parish-wide catechetical program all share the same campus.
Weekend and Weekday Masses
Weekend Masses are celebrated Saturday at 4:00 pm in English and at 6:00 pm in Spanish, and on Sunday at 8:00 am, 11:00 am, and 5:00 pm in English. A bilingual Chinese-English Mass is offered on the first Sunday of each month at 1:30 pm, with the homily preached in both Mandarin and English and bilingual handouts provided.
Weekday Masses follow a simple rhythm, with no Mass on Monday. Tuesday and Thursday Mass is at 6:30 am, Wednesday Mass is at 12:10 pm, and Friday Mass is at 8:30 am. The First Friday of each month brings an additional Spanish Mass at 8:00 pm, followed by an overnight Vigil of Adoration that ends at the First Saturday Mass at 8:30 am.
Confessions are heard Tuesday and Thursday from 6:00 to 6:20 am, Wednesday from 11:40 am to 12:00 pm, Friday from 8:00 to 8:30 am, Saturday from 3:00 to 3:45 pm, and on Sunday before each Mass: 7:30 to 7:50 am, 10:30 to 10:50 am, and 4:00 to 4:45 pm.
A Parish of Three Language Communities
Saint Edmond's identity as a multilingual parish is one of its most distinctive features. The English-speaking congregation forms the heart of parish life, but two growing communities share the same campus.
The Comunidad Hispana gathers for the Saturday 6:00 pm Mass, the First Friday 8:00 pm Mass, and the Monday night Hora Santa - a Holy Hour with praise music from 6:00 to 7:00 pm in the church. Spanish-language faith formation for children and youth runs alongside the English CCD program, with catechism classes for First Communion beginning in second grade and Confirmation preparation beginning in eighth grade. Baptism, marriage, quinceañeras, adult sacraments through the Spanish RCIA process, and annulments are all prepared in Spanish. America de Los Rios Daigle serves as Spanish Liaison, and Deacon José Luna-Becerra assists Spanish-speaking families throughout the sacramental life of the parish.
The 华人团体 (Chinese Catholic Group) celebrates its bilingual Mass on the first Sunday of each month at 1:30 pm, with fellowship and refreshments in the administration building atrium afterward. The community is served by Fr. David M. Rozas, a priest of the Diocese of Lafayette who is pastor of St. Joseph Church in Parks but ministers to Chinese Catholics across the diocese. Baptisms and other sacraments in Mandarin can be arranged through him.
Adult English classes for beginners and advanced students meet on Monday evenings in the parish library, opening the parish to neighbors whose first language is neither English nor Spanish.
Adoration and Parish Rosary
The Blessed Sacrament is exposed in the Adoration Chapel Monday through Friday from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm. The chapel sits next to the Family Center, giving the parish a quiet place for prayer throughout the workday. On First Fridays, Adoration continues overnight in the main church from 9:00 pm until the 7:00 am hour, drawing together the First Friday and First Saturday devotions to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
The Parish Rosary is a regular part of prayer life at Saint Edmond, complementing the chapel hours and the daily Mass schedule.
Sacraments: From Baptism to Anointing
Saint Edmond prepares parishioners for every sacrament of the Catholic Church.
Baptism. Parents seeking baptism for an infant begin with a private preparation session taught by Deacon Frank Cormier or Fr. Joe Campion; godparents are required to attend. Baptisms are usually celebrated on Sunday after the 11:00 am Mass. Adults preparing for baptism enter the OCIA process (formerly RCIA).
First Communion and Confirmation. Children in second grade and older prepare for First Communion through the parish CCD program, with a separate track for children who do not yet speak English. Confirmation preparation begins in eighth grade and includes catechetical sessions, retreats, and service hours. Spanish-language Confirmation preparation runs alongside the English program.
Reconciliation. The sacrament is offered at the times listed above. Children preparing for First Communion learn to celebrate the sacrament as part of their formation.
Marriage. Couples contact the pastor at least six months before their desired wedding date. The process begins with a Prepare and Enrich program and continues with one of three marriage preparation tracks chosen with the priest. Weddings at Saint Edmond are usually celebrated on Saturday at 1:00 pm, with occasional permission for a 6:00 pm Saturday wedding. Registered parishioners may reserve a date up to 18 months in advance.
Anointing of the Sick. Fr. Joe teaches the congregation about Apostolic Pardon, a part of this sacrament, in a recorded episode of the parish's video series.
Holy Orders. The parish provides information for young men discerning a vocation, with contact numbers for both Fr. Joe and the diocesan Vocation Director, Fr. Blake Dubroc.
Faith Formation: Catechetical Ministry and Vacation Bible School
The Catechetical Ministry, directed by Karolyn Comeaux, oversees religious education for children in public school. CCD classes for grades 1 through 7 meet each week, with First Communion and Confirmation preparation as separate tracks. Adult Catholics who have not received all the sacraments of initiation enroll in OCIA (the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), which meets on Mondays at 7:00 pm in the parish office and runs from September through May. The course is free, and donations for materials are appreciated.
Each June, Vacation Bible School welcomes children ages five and up to a half-day program of Bible stories, songs, games, science experiments, and treats. The week is staffed by teen and adult volunteers who can earn service hours.
Saint Edmond also participates in the Steubenville South youth conference, sending teens each summer to the Catholic youth event in Springfield, Missouri.
LIFT, PULSE, and Young Adult Life
Two programs carry Saint Edmond's name for its younger members.
LIFT (Living In Fellowship and Truth) is the parish youth group for students in grades 6 through 12. It meets for food, fellowship, and faith formation in a setting where teens can be transparent about their beliefs and grow in friendship with one another. The program is led by Director of Youth Ministry Douglas Gauthier.
PULSE (Pursuing Ultimate Love through Scripture and Evangelization) gathers young adults aged 18 to 30 twice a month on Sunday evenings for "Sanctified Sundays," combining scripture study and roundtable discussion. Open to parishioners and non-parishioners alike, PULSE invites young adults to gather in fellowship, grow in their faith, give of their talents, and prepare to be the hands and feet of Jesus in daily life.
Bible Study, That Man is You, and the ACTS Retreats
Bible Study groups meet throughout the year at Saint Edmond, giving parishioners a place to read and discuss Scripture together.
That Man is You is the parish men's program, an apostolate for the spiritual formation of men that meets weekly.
The ACTS Retreats draw their name from Adoration, Community, Theology, and Service. The Men's ACTS Retreat is offered each spring and the Women's ACTS Retreat each fall, each running from Thursday evening through Sunday Mass at the parish. Both retreats are presented by lay Catholics with a Spiritual Director and have a $335 fee; financial concerns do not prevent anyone from attending. Parishioners are given priority, and space is limited.
The Beautiful Mercy Women's Prayer Group meets at 6:30 pm on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month in the Family Center Meeting Room. No registration is required.
Pietra Fitness, a stretching and strengthening program that incorporates Christian prayer in the Catholic tradition, is open to all women inside and outside the parish. Classes are held several mornings a week, with participants asked to bring an exercise mat.
Our Catholic Faith: A Parish Video Series
One of the more unusual offerings at Saint Edmond is Our Catholic Faith, a long-running YouTube series hosted by Bill Vidacovich with Fr. Joe Campion as the spiritual teacher. Episodes cover the Mass, the Eucharist, the sacraments, the Old Testament, Purgatory, indulgences, marriage, the Anointing of the Sick, addiction and sin, angels, saints, the role of the Magisterium, and many other topics submitted by the Saint Edmond community. New episodes are added regularly, and parishioners are invited to submit questions online.
Music Ministry
Music is provided by three organized choirs serving the 9:00 am (note: this may have changed), 11:00 am, and 5:00 pm Masses, each led by a coordinator. The 8:00 and 11:00 am choirs rehearse on Thursdays from 6:00 to 7:30 pm, and the 5:00 pm choir rehearses on Wednesdays at 6:00 pm. The Ministry of Music welcomes new voices and instrumentalists throughout the season.
Pastoral Care, Outreach, and Other Groups
Saint Edmond's outreach ministries serve both parishioners and the wider community.
The Nursing Home Ministry brings Holy Communion to sick and homebound parishioners who cannot attend Mass, with a coordinator organizing volunteers.
The Ride to Church Ministry provides transportation to parishioners who would otherwise be unable to attend Mass or parish events.
Boy Scout Troop #162 meets at the parish, giving scouts a long-standing presence on the campus.
The Suicide Survivors Ministry, partnered with the Jacob Crouch Suicide Prevention Services and the diocesan Office of Marriage and Family Life, offers a support group facilitated by a licensed counselor for survivors of suicide over the age of 18, meeting two evenings a month.
The parish also lists Project Rachel for those affected by abortion, an Integrity of the Heart resource for those struggling with pornography, and the DesOrmeaux Foundation for crisis pregnancy support, in cooperation with the Diocese of Lafayette.
The Knights of Columbus council and the Ladies KC Auxiliary sponsor fundraisers, including an annual BBQ. The Ladies Altar Society cares for the sanctuary and its appointments.
Ushers, Lectors, Sacristans, Altar Servers, and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion round out the liturgical ministries. Altar servers are open to boys and girls in third grade and above, as well as to adults.
FORMED, the Catholic streaming service from the Augustine Institute and Ignatius Press, is available to parishioners through the Saint Edmond parish account, with access to films, audio talks, family-friendly children's programs, and e-books.
Safe Environment
Saint Edmond follows the Diocese of Lafayette's Safe Environment program. Adult volunteers in any ministry involving children - including Religious Education, Vacation Bible School, the youth choir, and youth group - must complete an initial training session before serving. Annual recertification is offered through VIRTUS Online.
Online Giving and Parish Registration
Parishioners can set up one-time or recurring electronic giving to the General Offertory, Building Fund, Assistance to the Needy, Religious Education, or Youth Groups through the parish's online giving portal. New parishioners can register online through OSV Hub, and current parishioners are encouraged to update their records as part of the parish census.
The Patron Saint and Parish History
The patron of Saint Edmond Catholic Church is Saint Edmund Rich, Archbishop of Canterbury, who died in 1242 and whose feast day is celebrated on November 20. The saint was a brilliant scholar at Oxford and Paris, a devoted student of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the author of The Mirror of the Church, a spiritual treatise on contemplation. The name of the Lafayette parish was changed from "Edmund" to "Edmond" in honor of Mr. Edmond Orgeron, on whose land the present church was built.
The parish itself was established in 1974. In 2024 it marked its Golden Jubilee with a year of celebrations culminating in a Mass celebrated by Bishop Douglas Deshotel and a parish gala. The jubilee committee produced a pictorial directory of parishioners, gathered interviews with former pastors, and invited the community to reflect on the verse chosen as the jubilee theme: "Jesus Christ is the Same Yesterday, Today, and Forever."
The Master Plan: A Vision for the Next Fifty Years
In the fall of 2026, the parish launched a Master Plan Discovery process with a series of information sessions designed to align the physical campus with the pastoral mission. The proposal focuses on three initiatives: a sacred space dedicated to Eucharistic Adoration, including a proposed new Adoration Chapel; improvements to existing buildings for safety, beauty, accessibility, and functionality; and new spaces and amenities to support parish life for every generation. Recordings of the sessions, supporting materials, and an evaluation form are available for parishioners and community members to review and provide feedback.
Parish Leadership
Saint Edmond is pastored by Rev. Joseph "Fr. Joe" Campion, with two deacons: Deacon Frank Cormier, who leads baptismal preparation, and Deacon José Luna-Becerra, the Spanish Deacon. Karolyn Comeaux directs the catechetical program. Terri Frederick coordinates Discipleship Formation, including Pietra Fitness and the Women's Prayer Group. Douglas Gauthier directs Youth Ministry, overseeing both LIFT and PULSE. America de Los Rios Daigle serves as Spanish Liaison. The Music Ministry is led by Gabrielle Hildestad (8:00 and 11:00 am choirs) and Clark Alderman (5:00 pm choir).
Office Hours and Location
The parish office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm and from 12:30 pm to 4:00 pm, and on Friday from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm. The office can be reached at (337) 981-0874; the fax line is (337) 989-1417. The church is located at 4131 West Congress Street, Lafayette, Louisiana 70506.
Mass is livestreamed on the parish's YouTube channel, where recordings of the Our Catholic Faith video series, recent homilies, and parish events are also posted. Weekly bulletins, the parish calendar, and the most recent issue of the parish newsletter are available online.