The History of St. Jane de Chantal Parish

The history of this parish can be traced to 1825 when missionaries began visiting Abita Springs.  St. Jane’s official founding date is September 7, 1887; on that date a wooden Mission church was dedicated under the patronage of St. Jane de Chantal.  In 1920, St. Jane became an independent body and Fr. Martin Barre’, O.S.B., was named administrator.  It was under his leadership that the present brick church was built in 1924, (at a cost of $35,000.00).  St. Jane de Chantal was elevated to the status of a parish in June 1949; Fr. Athanasius Brugger, O.S.B., became the first pastor.

The Benedictines (Order of St. Benedict, O.S.B.) from St. Joseph’s Abbey began assisting at St. Jane in 1902, serving as administrators and pastors until 2003, when they could no longer supply a full time member of their community.  Pastoral care was then transferred to the Archdiocese of New Orleans.  Fr. Robert Cavalier is our first Archdiocesan pastor.

Deacon Frans Labranche, Jr. has served this parish since his ordination in 1981.  Deacon Mark Coudrain was ordained and assigned to St. Jane in 2006.

Because of the geographical size of our parish, Fr. Francis Sander, O.S.B., established a Mission church in Bush, LA on August 2, 1981 under the patronage of St. Michael the Archangel.  Deacon Don Bourgeois has served as manager of St. Michael’s since 1996.

St. Jane Parish operates as one parish with two pastoral centers.  Mass and Religious Education Classes are held at both sites and parishioners are welcomed at either location.

Facilities in Abita Springs include the church, rectory, St. Jane Hall, St. Joseph Hall, and the Martin Barre’ Parish Center.  The new parish center contains administrative offices, meeting rooms (that serve as classrooms), a library, kitchen, and restrooms.

Our Patron
Saint Jane de Chantal

Jeanne-Francoise Fremyot (1572-1641) was not only an exemplary nun, who under the direction and inspiration of St. Francis de Sales, founded an entirely new religious order in the Church (Order of the Visitation).  She was also an exemplary Christian woman in every other state of life to which a woman can be called: virgin, wife, mother (of six), and widow.  Thus, the story of this multi-faceted woman should have an appeal to people in every walk of life.   While being an exemplary practical woman, she reached, at the same time, such a state of sanctity that St. Vincent de Paul called her “one of the holiest souls I have ever met on this earth”.  Living in the eastern region of France, she became the Baroness of Chantal upon her marriage to Christophe de Rabutin in 1592.  Following his death in 1601 and making provisions for her children, she began her new life as a religious founder at Annecy in 1610.  At the time of her death there were eighty-seven (87) convents of the Order of the Visitation.