Upcoming Events ... at a glance - Diocese of Lake Charles

Upcoming events around the Diocese of Lake Charles and beyond:

2025 LENTEN MISSIONS
STATIONS OF THE CROSS and more

For a list of Lenten Missions and Stations of the Cross, CLICK HERE. For a list of Fish Frys around the Diocese of Lake Charles, CLICK HERE.

APRIL 2025

Thursday, April 3: Lenten Mission Concert
JENNINGS — David Kauffman will be featured in a Lenten Mission Concert at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 3. Kauffman is a songwriter, recording artist, and composer of the Mass of Renewal, and many ACTS Retreat songs. Make plans to join Our Lady Help of Christians Parish, 710 N. State Street, for an evening of Song, Story, and Reflection during this Lenten Season of Hope.

Saturday, April 5: Together in Holiness

MOSS BLUFF — Registration is open for the fifth annual Together in Holiness conference in the Diocese of Lake Charles. The cost is $64 per couple and $40 per individual with online registration at togetherinholiness.org/lakecharles

Married and engaged couples are invited to the conference 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturday, April 5, at Camp Karol, 1087 Bozo Road. Hear from national speakers Renzo and Monica Ortega and more as they discuss the family as a school of love.

All adult registrants will receive a box lunch and light breakfast. On-site childcare for ages 2-12 years is available for $5 per child. For more information, contact Jessie Sonnen, conference coordinator, at 208-702-2167 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sunday, April 6: Choral Concert at Cathedral
LAKE CHARLES — The Cathedral Chorale will present a Choral Concert for the Year of Hope at 4:00 p.m. Sunday, April 6, in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 935 Bilbo Street. All are invited. A love offering will be collected.

Sunday, April 6: Via Crucis 2025
LAKE CHARLES — The Saint Henry Catholic Church Community will present the fourth annual "Via Crucis 2025," a live performance of the Luminous and Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary at 2:15 p.m. on Sunday, April 6. Your one chance to watch this amazing and powerful play, with more than 200 International actors from 10 countries will take place behind the Community Center. Chairs will be provided, but you are welcome to bring your own. The length of the play is approximately 90 minutes.

The 203-foot stage will include scenes of the Holy Land, Jordan River, The Last Supper, Sanhedrin, Pontius Pilate’s Palace, Jerusalem’s Market, Mount Tabor, and more. Take a trip back in time and experience in the most real way possible a bilingual theatrical performance (Spanish and English) about the Life and Death of Jesus Christ.

Some of the scenes you will witness include Jesus being baptized in the Jordan River, Jesus calling his Apostles, the Wedding at Cana, the multiplication of the loaves, the Transfiguration, an excorcism, the Triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the Last Supper, the betrayal of Judas, the flagellation and crowning with thorns, the Way of the Cross, the Crucifixion and death of Jesus.

St. Henry Catholic Church is located at 1021 Eighth Avenue, Lake Charles. The live performance is free, however, donations are welcome. For more information, contact Ricardo Ruvalcaba, Spanish Pastoral Assistant, at 337-370-0973.

Sunday, April 6: Sacred Heart of Jesus Easter Egg Hunt
LAKE CHARLES — The Young Adult Ministry and the Junior Daughters St. Rita Court 31 from Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church will host an Easter Egg Hunt from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Sunday, April 6. Age groups and times are: 1-3 years old, 2:30 p.m.; 4-6 years old, 2:45 p.m.; 7-9 years old, 3:00 p.m.; 10-12 years old, 3:15 p.m. Also, a sensory friendly egg hunt will begin at 2:00 p.m. Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish is located at 1100 Mill Street.

Saturday, April 12: Holy Mass and Adoration for Healing
LAKE CHARLES — Come experience the healing power of Christ in the Eucharist on Saturday, April 12, with a Holy Mass and Adoration for Healing at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 2031 Opelousas Street. Rosary and Confession will begin at 9:30 a.m. followed by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass at 10:00 a.m., followed by Eucharistic Adoration with Prayers for Healing, and concluding with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. "By His wounds we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5).

Saturday, April 12: Sisters of Life Day of Recollection
GRAND COTEAU — The Sisters of Life will be in Louisiana on April 12 at Grand Coteau Retreat Center. They are hosting a Day of Recollection from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for single women 18-35 years old. The day includes Mass, conferences, lunch, Eucharistic Adoration and time with the Sisters. A fee of $20 is requested to help cover costs. Register at gcretreats.org/day-of-recollection-sisters-of-life

Sunday, April 13: Live Stations of the Cross
LAKE CHARLES — A re-enactment of Christ’s Walk to Calvary will begin at 3:00 p.m. on Palm Sunday, April 13, at Consolata Cemetery. The Live Stations of the Cross is hosted by Our Lady Queen of Heaven Church. Reflecting on the Passion of Christ is the perfect way to enter into Holy Week. Consolata Cemetery is located at 2300 Country Club Road in Lake Charles.

Wednesday, April 16: Chrism Mass
LAKE CHARLES — Everyone is invited to attend the Chrism Mass at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, April 16, in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 935 Bilbo Street. Bishop Glen John Provost will gather with all of the priests of the diocese to bless the Sacred Oils to be used in the coming year. There is also a renewal of priestly promises during the Chrism Mass.

This annual Mass has been celebrated in the Catholic Church for more than 1,000 years and is marked by the ceremonial blessing of the Oil of Catechumens (used during the Sacrament of Baptism), the Oil of the Sick (used during the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick), and the consecration of the Oil of Chrism (a mixture of oil and balsam), which are all used throughout the year. After Mass, the oils are distributed to representatives of each parish. The oils are taken back to the parishes and used for the Sacraments.

Friday, April 18: Good Friday Meditations
MOSS BLUFF — Come spend the morning hours of Our Lord’s Passion at Saint Charles Center in Moss Bluff from 7:00 a.m. to noon on Good Friday, April 18. Several short meditations will be given by Deacon Brian Soileau periodically throughout the morning. Participants will be allowed to use the entire grounds for quiet contemplation.

This is an annual event that has become a tradition at Saint Charles Center. If you have never experienced this event before, it is a truly a peaceful and respectful way to begin Good Friday. It is the perfect preparation before attending the Good Friday Liturgy at your church parish in the afternoon.

There is no charge for the event, however, registration is required by calling 337-855-1232 before April 17. Saint Charles Center is located at 2151 Sam Houston Jones Parkway.

Friday, April 18: Seven Church Walk
LAKE CHARLES — The Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Michigan, will host the fifth annual Seven Church Walk on Good Friday beginning at 8:15 a.m. April 18 at their convent, 1414 Martha Street. Based off a Holy Week tradition begun in Rome in the 16th century, the nine-mile walk will include stops at:

Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church
Sacred Heart Catholic Church
St. Henry Catholic Church
St. Margaret Catholic Church
St. Louis Catholic High School chapel
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

The origin of the walk, dating back to around 1553, is credited to St. Philip Neri. The tradition is still practiced today by Catholics around the world as a way for friends and family to worship together while seeing churches they might not otherwise visit.

The walk will conclude at approximately 1:00 p.m., with bus transportation available from the Cathedral back to the convent at the conclusion of the pilgrimage. For more information or to RSVP, contact the Religious Sisters of Mercy at 337-564-0030 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Wednesday, April 30: Faithful Citizenship Day
BATON ROUGE — The Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops will sponsor the fourth annual Catholic Faithful Citizenship Day at the State Capitol in Baton Rouge on Wednesday April 30, 2025. It is an opportunity to learn of the work that the Catholic bishops do on behalf of the Catholic Church with the Legislature.

The event will begin at 8:45 a.m. in the St. Joseph Cathedral Parish Hall, 412 North Street, Baton Rouge. There will be opportunities throughout the day to attend committee hearings, meet legislators, visit House and Senate Chambers for bill debates, and celebrate Mass. There will be time set aside for evaluation before departing at 3:30 p.m. For more information, email Susan Wolf at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.or call 225-344-7120.

MAY 2025

Saturday, May 3: Cowboy Catholics Crawfish Boil & Auction

LAKE CHARLES — Get ready for a Night at the Races with Cowboy Catholics at their annual Crawfish Boil & Auction on Saturday, May 3, 2025. This year, they are bringing the Kentucky Derby to McNeese with a night full of boiled crawfish, live music from The ZYDECANE Band, and an auction a the McNeese Alumni Grove and Robert Noland Alumni Pavilion, located near the Stream Alumni Center at McNeese State University.

Every ticket purchased, every sponsorship secured, every auction bid helps Cowboy Catholics continue its mission — to provide retreats, small groups, spiritual guidance, and a faith community that changes lives. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets. For more information, contact Kyle Dupre at 337-477-1434 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

AUGUST 2025

Saturday, August 23: Loving Through Loss Workshop

RAGLEY — Red Bird Ministries, in partnership with St. Pius X Catholic Church, will present Loving through Loss, a couples workshop for grieving families of the loss of a child from pregnancy through adulthood. The workshop will take place on Saturday, August 23, at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 16816 Highway 171. Check-in will begin at 8:15 a.m. and the workshop will conclude with 4:00 p.m. Anticipated Sunday Mass. Free registration is required for material preparation. Families will be grouped by age of loss. For more information, please contact St. Pius X Parish Office at 337-725-3719 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

SAINT CHARLES CENTER

SILENT RETREATS
• Good Friday Meditations — for men and women, April 18, 2025, 7:00 a.m. to noon

• Don't Let the Sun Set on Your Anger — for men and women, April 25-26, 2025; partial silence

• Journey Toward God — for men and women, August 29-31, 2025

• Saint Francis DeSales Oratory — Women's Silent Retreat - November 20-23, 2025

To register for any retreats at Saint Charles Center or for more information, please call the office at 337-855-1232 during business hours 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

D.E.E.P. RETREATS
• Women — Wednesday, May 14, through Saturday, May 17, 2025
• Teen — Wednesday, June 11, through Saturday, June 14, 2025
• Men — Wednesday, July 23, through Saturday, July 26, 2025
• Women — Wednesday, September 17, through Saturday, September 20, 2025
• Women — Wednesday, April 5, through Saturday, April 18, 2026
• Teen — Wednesday, July 8, through Saturday, July 11, 2026
• Women — Wednesday, November 11, through Saturday, November 14, 2026

For more information or to register, contact Saint Charles Center at 337-855-1232.

GRIEF TO GRACE RETREATS
Grief to Grace - Healing the Wounds of Abuse is a five-day spiritual and psychological retreat program for anyone who has suffered degradation or violation through physical, emotional, sexual, or spiritual abuse. It is appropriate for those who have endured sexual abuse, rape, incest, or other forms of traumatic violation in childhood, adolescence, or as an adult. It is also suitable for those who have suffered abuse by a member of the clergy. Upcoming retreat dates are:
• 2025: Tuesday, April 1 through Saturday, April 5
• 2025: Tuesday, September 23 through Saturday, September 27

• 2026: Tuesday, April 21 through Saturday, April 25
• 2026: Tuesday, September 15 through Saturday, September 19

For more information or to register, contact Mrs. Marjorie Long at 337-489-2473.

RACHEL’S VINEYARD RETREATS
Rachel's Vineyard weekends for healing after abortion are offered throughout the year in locations across the United States and Canada, with additional sites around the world. Rachel’s Vineyard is a ministry of Priests for Life. Upcoming retreats at Saint Charles Center are:
2025: Friday, October 17 through Sunday, October 19

2026: Friday, February 13 through Sunday, February 15
2026: Friday, November 6 through Sunday, November 8

For more information or to register, contact Mrs. Marjorie Long at 337-489-2473.

TRUE PRESENCE RETREATS
The True Presence Retreat emphasizes the powerful effect of the Sacraments, contains frank and open sharing, and offers loving service to every retreatant. Additionally, the retreat incorporates from the very beginning, strong catechesis of key points of the Catholic Faith with special emphasis on typology of the Word, and the core reality of Christ's Real Presence in the Eucharist. Upcoming retreats are:

True Presence Retreats in 2025:
Men: November 6-9
Women: Spanish: December 4-7

True Presence Retreats in 2026:

Men: February 26 - March 1
Women: May 14 - 17
Men: Spanish: September 24 -27
Women: December 10-13

To Register: Call the Saint Charles Center during business hours Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m to 4:30 p.m., at 337-855-1232.

OFFICE OF VOCATIONS

• COME and SEE RETREAT at Saint Joseph Abbey and Seminary College is open to young men ages 15-25 the weekend of April 11-13, 2025. Join Father Michael Caraway, Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Lake Charles, and other young men from our area for a weekend of prayer and discernment at the seminary. The deadline to register is April 3.

For more information or to register, contact Father Michael Caraway at 337-439-7400, Ext. 226, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Online registration is available at https://lcvocations.com/ Camp Karol is located at 1087 Bozo Road in Moss Bluff.

PILGRIMAGES

Marian Pilgrimage
Father Rommel Tolentino will lead a pilgrimage to the Marian shrines of Portugal, Spain and France, April 21-May 4, 2025. The theme for Jubilee Year 2025 is "Pilgrims of Hope." Our Lady's apparitions offer a message of hope and a testament of her motherly love. Learn about Our Blessed Mother's messages of love, hope, and warning in the various places she visited, such as Fatima, Garabandal, Lourdes, La Salette, Rue de Bac in Paris, plus a number of other holy sites — Santarem, Santiago de Compostela, Loyola, Ars, Paray-le-Monial, etc. For more information, call Sara Edwards at 504-258-7282 or visit www.trinitytourtravels.com/fr-rommel-tolentino

Treasures of Italy Jubilee Pilgrimage
Celebrate the Jubilee Year of Hope with Monsignor Daniel Torres as he leads an 11-day pilgrimage July 14-24, 2025, to Florence, Assisi, Lanciano, San Giovanni Rotondo, Monte Sant' Angelo, Sorrento, Pompeii, Monte Cassino, and Rome in Vatican City with the Holy Doors. The theme is "Treasures of Italy Jubilee Pilgrimage." Cost is $5,499 per person from Houston. For more information, call Nawas International Travel Service Inc. at 650-322-1818, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.nawas.com. You can also direct questions to Monsignor Torres at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Sacred Italy Jubilee Pilgrimage
Father Carlos Garcia, Pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Vinton, will lead an 11-day Jubilee Pilgrimage of Hope to Italy October 27-November 5, 2025. Destinations include Milan, Padova, Venice, Florence, Assisi, and Rome. Cost is $5,399 per person from Houston. For more information, call Nativity Pilgrimage at 832-406-7050 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. You can also visit trip.nativitypilgrimage.com/st-joseph-vinton.

ONGOING

Communal First Saturday Devotions at Cathedral

LAKE CHARLES — Communal First Saturday Devotions to Our Lady of Fatima with the intention of making reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary will be offered on the first Saturday of each month at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 935 Bilbo Street. Schedule includes: 7:20 a.m. – Devotion Prayers; 7:30 a.m. – Rosary; 8:00 a.m. – Mass, receive Holy Communion; 8:30 a.m. – 15-minute meditation on the Mysteries of the Rosary.

Although confession will not be available before Mass, one can make a good confession eight days before or after with the intention of offering reparation for the offenses against Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart, provided you are in the state of grace upon receiving Holy Communion.

Catholics Returning Home

LAKE CHARLES — If you are a Catholic who has been away from the Church for a while, Catholics Returning Home could be just what you need to help find your way back. No matter how long you have been away and no matter the reason, St. Henry Catholic Church invites you to consider renewing your relationship with the Catholic Church.

Informal listening sessions and an update of the Catholic faith, facilitated by former non-practicing Catholics, will begin soon. For more information, call Brittany or Ricardo at 337-436-7223.

Eucharistic Adoration in St. Bernadette Oratory

LAKE CHARLES — The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception will have Eucharistic Adoration in the St. Bernadette Oratory on Fridays during the school year — each Friday following 7:00 a.m. Mass until 8:00 a.m. Everyone is invited to come and spend time with our Lord and pray for the protection of our children and safety of our families.

Holy Hour of Reparation at IHM
LAKE CHARLES — A Holy Hour of Reparation is held weekly on Thursday night, 11:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 2031 Opelousas Street. This is the hour in which Our Lord agonized over our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane. It is the same hour prescribed by the Sacred Heart of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary: “Make reparation for the ingratitude of men. Spend an hour in prayer to appease divine justice, to implore mercy for sinners, to honor Me, to console Me for My bitter suffering when abandoned by My apostles, when they did not WATCH ONE HOUR WITH ME.”

'Together for Life' marriage prep classes

LAKE CHARLES — “Together for Life,” the marriage preparation day hosted by the Office of Marriage and Family Life, announces dates for classes through June 2025: Classes scheduled so far are June 21, July 19, August 16, September 20, October 25, November 15, and December 13.

For more information, contact the Office of Marriage and Family Life at 337-439-7400 ext. 220, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Melchizedek Project: Vocation discernment groups

The Melchizedek Project hosts meetings for young men in high school and college in an environment where they can freely consider God's plan in their life. The vocation discernment groups meet bi-weekly, and food will be provided. For more information on meeting times and locations, visit http://lcvocations.com/discernment-groups

Adoration/Divine Mercy at Saint Charles Center
MOSS BLUFF — Deacon Brian Soileau, director of Saint Charles Center, presides over Eucharistic Adoration and Divine Mercy at 7:00 p.m. every Tuesday in the Chapel of the Assumption. Saint Charles Center is located at 2151 Sam Houston Jones Parkway. Please check the Saint Charles Center website calendar, Facebook, or call the office at 337-855-1232 to check for change of venue due to retreats during the week or some unforeseen situations.

Saturday Rosary at Cathedral

LAKE CHARLES — Join the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 935 Bilbo Street, to pray the Rosary every Saturday morning at 7:30 a.m. before 8:00 a.m. Mass.

Religious Sisters of Mercy monthly gathering

LAKE CHARLES — Join the Religious Sisters of Mercy for a small group ENDOW study on St. John Paul II's Letter to Women. The group study, for single women ages 18-35, meets on the first Tuesday monthly for dinner and discussion at the Sisters’ convent, 1414 Martha Street. ENDOW (Educating on the Nature of and Dignity of Women) seeks to educate women toward are more profound understanding of their God-given dignity through study in small groups of faith and friendship. Please contact the Religious Sisters of Mercy to register or for more information: Call 337-564-0030 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..