Our Lady of Mercy, Baton Rouge

From humble beginnings as the Mother of Mercy Mission, Our Lady of Mercy Parish has become both a pillar of faith and a beacon of hope for the city of Baton Rouge. Near Independence Park in a donated building that had once been a nightclub, the mission was created in 1943 to serve the needs of people from the Goodwood area to the Amite River. The altar, originally from St. Joseph Church, was installed on the former bandstand.

In 1947, Our Lady of Mercy became an independent parish with Father Louis E. Marionneaux as the first pastor. In 1948, a surplus army chapel was moved to newly purchased land on Marquette Street. Much of the work was done by volunteers; the altar was relocated and an old locomotive bell was mounted in the steeple. In 1953, an elementary school operated by an all-lay faculty was opened for children of the parish.

Completed in 1956, the second church andschool was dedicated by Archbishop Rummel on September 24. In 1961, four Salesian sisters who had been expelled from Cuba by Castro arrived at Mercy to learn English and help staff the school. The Salesians eventually administered the school, and they remained until 1992.

The current church, dedicated in 1975, features fifty-foot vaulted ceiling of silver wood, along with the “floating roof ” effect created by the high windows, suggest God’s tent. Its beautiful but abstract stained glass windows set the tone for modern yet traditional worship. The four archangels Gabriel, Uriel, Michael, and Raphael guard its tabernacle. An immense Schantz pipe organ which incorporates pipes from Mercy’s 1922 Hillgreen Lane Organ stands adjacent to the altar, signifying music’s tremendous contribution to liturgy. Unfortunately, the church was struck by lightning twice –once in 1976 and again in 1984. In 1982, Our Lady of Mercy began its participation in perpetual adoration, and a separate adoration chapel was built in 1995. Today, Our Lady of Mercy Parish, with its central location and excellent facilities, serves as gathering place for worship and fellowship for many area Catholics, both parishioners and visitors.