St. Joseph Chapel &
Martin Luther King, Jr. Student Center, Baton Rouge

In the late 1960s, Father Rawlin B. Enette realized the need for a more visible Catholic presence on the campus of Southern University in Baton Rouge. Father Enette celebrated Masses with the 1500 Catholics at Southern University in a courtroom of the law building.  Working tirelessly towards the goal of a permanent church structure, Father Enette persuaded diocesan officials and overcame several obstacles to create what was then called the Newman Center. Construction on the center began in 1969, after land was donated by a university official.

Staffed by the Josephites, the community was formed due to the tireless dedication and persistence of students, religious and community members. To add visual beauty and serve as spiritual inspiration, several sculptures, a crucifix and some relief works were commissioned by Frank Hayden, then a member of the Southern University Art Department. The Center was renamed the Martin Luther King, Jr. Catholic Student Center.

In 1984, the Jesuit Fathers were invited to staff the center, and these dedicated priests continue to serve at the MLK Center. Today, the stated purpose of the MLK Student Center at Southern University is to serve the university community in faith, hope and love. The Center offers a friendly atmosphere in which students, faculty and staff may pray, reflect, admire the exquisite spiritual artworks of Southern’s own gifted professor, the late Frank Hayden, or simply relax. The center strives to help students in their faith journeys as well as assist each individual to grow in their own giftedness.