History
Since its founding as a mission of St. Joseph Church (now the Cathedral of the Diocese of Baton Rouge) on May 27, 1912 and its establishment as an independent parish on February 9, 1917, St. Agnes Parish has been a vibrant sign of the presence of Christ in His Church. Seated on the edge of historic Beauregard Town, between Downtown Baton Rouge and Louisiana State University, St. Agnes Parish has proudly served the local community in a variety of fashions. For decades the Dominican Sisters staffed St. Agnes School. After the closing of the school, the Missionaries of Charity, founded by Mother Teresa, set up in its place a women’s shelter and soup kitchen to serve the poor in our area. To these we can also add the Mercedarian Sisters and the Holy Ghost Fathers, together with numerous other diocesan priests, to the ranks of clergy and religious who have ministered in this community that has from its foundation been a beacon of hope and a witness of faith. May God bless each and every person who visits our campus and may He continue to pour out abundant blessings upon St. Agnes Parish, that we may truly live the Catholic faith and pass it on, in its fullness, to the next generation.
May 1912, authorization to form a second parish in Baton Rouge is given by New Orleans Archbishop James Blenk.
November 1912, three lots are purchased for a new mission of St. Joseph Church in Baton Rouge. The purchased property is located between St. Maximilian Street and East Boulevard, in the block currently bounded by South Blvd and Myrtle Ave., in the area known then as Swart Hill,
October 1913, a frame chapel is erected for the new St. Agnes mission and assigned to the Father Francis Rombouts. In 1916, Father Rombouts is assigned to St. Francisville, and Father Vincent Prats takes his place at St. Agnes.
February 9, 1917, St. Agnes is established as an independent parish by Archbishop Blenk. Father Edward Rombouts, brother of Father Frances Rombouts, is assigned as first pastor.
July 3, 1918, the new church is partially destroyed by fire but is rebuilt and enlarged to accommodate the growing congregation.
1920, a church hall is erected to use as a meeting place and for catechetical classes.
October 1934, Father Lucien J. Caillouet becomes the second pastor of St. Agnes. Later he is made a monsignor and vicar general of the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
January 1936, an entire city block located two blocks north of the church is purchased. Three wood frame buildings are erected to serve as a school and convent.
August 1936, Dominican Sisters arrive from New Orleans to staff the school.
September 8, 1936, St Agnes Parochial School opens. Sister Mary Clare, O.P., is the first principal.
June 1938, Father Patrick Gillespie becomes the third pastor of St. Agnes.
February 1942, St. Agnes celebrates its silver anniversary, free of all debt.
1946, properties bordered by East Boulevard, Europe Street, and South 10th Street are purchased for the building of a gymnasium.
December 14, 1947, the new gymnasium is dedicated.
September 5, 1948, a new school building for St. Agnes is dedicated, located on the northeast quadrant of the block bound by East Boulevard, Europe Street, South 10th Street, and Mayflower Street. It is two stories high and 18,000 square feet in area, containing 12 classrooms, library, cafeteria, principal’s office and antechamber.
January 1949, the $250,000 cost of building and furnishing the gymnasium and school is paid in full.
December 18, 1949, Father Gillespie is invested as a Domestic Prelate of the Holy Father and given the title of monsignor at St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans.
December 21, 1949, construction bids are delivered for a new 13,600 square-foot Romanesque style church, rectory and garage, convent, and covered walkway, all to be built on the same block as the school.
February 20, 1950, a contract is signed with Caldwell and McCann to build the new structures at a cost of $490,110. St. Agnes would be the first church in the Archdiocese of New Orleans to be air conditioned.
September 24, 1950, the cornerstone of the new church is laid.
November 4, 1951, the new church is dedicated by New Orleans Archbishop Joseph Francis Rummel.
1954, a new cafeteria and addition to the school are built.
June 25, 1955, the geographic area of St. Agnes Parish is divided to create the new parish of St. Aloysius.
1961, the Diocese of Baton Rouge is formed. Reverend Robert E. Tracy is appointed the first bishop.
June 14, 1965, St. Agnes’s new Casavant Organ Opus 2842 is dedicated by Bishop Robert Tracy.
1966, a Montessori school for children is opened in St. Agnes School, the first of its kind in the diocese. In 1970 it becomes a parent-owned corporation, and in 1971 it moves to a new location.
February 9, 1967, St. Agnes’s Golden Jubilee.
May 1972, St. Agnes School closes.
September 1972, St. Agnes Vocational Rehabilitation Center opens in the former school building. It closes in May 1984.
1974, associate pastor Father John Spriggs introduces the Legion of Mary to St. Agnes and to the Diocese of Baton Rouge.
August 1974, Reverend Joseph Sullivan is appointed the second bishop of Baton Rouge.
May 30, 1982, Monsignor Gillespie dies.
January 18, 1983, Auxilliary Bishop of New Orleans Stanley J. Ott is appointed the third bishop of Baton Rouge.
August 1, 1983, Father John Spriggs is made the fourth pastor of St. Agnes Parish.
June 1985, Mother Teresa of Calcutta visits Baton Rouge and selects St. Agnes as the location for a new house of ministry for the Missionaries of Charity.
1986, the last two remaining Dominican sisters depart from St. Agnes after the order’s 50 years of service to the parish.
April 1988, through its Legion of Mary, St. Agnes becomes the vanguard for promoting the Divine Mercy devotion in Baton Rouge.