Immaculate Conception Parish is located in Marrero, Louisiana on the West Bank of the Mississippi River across from New Orleans.
At Easter 1919, under the care of Msgr. Peter Wynhoven, the first church for the community of Marrero was formally dedicated under the invocation of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On July 12, 1924, Archbishop Shaw formally established the current Parish of Immaculate Conception of Marrero, appointing Rev. Joseph Wester as the first pastor. The same year, to serve the Catholic population of 4,000, the first two-story building of Immaculate Conception School was dedicated, and placed in the charge of the Sisters of the Most Blessed Sacrament until 1939, when the school came under the guidance of the Sisters of Notre Dame for the next 40 years.
Rev. Armand Kerlec assumed the pastorate in 1939, serving Immaculate Conception Parish until 1949 when he went to Harvey as the first resident pastor. Monsignor Paul Gaudin was appointed pastor in March 1949 and within 8 months presented Archbishop Rummel with plans for a new parish plant. Over the next 7 years, the school was expanded, a convent erected, and the need for a Catholic high school was met in 1956 with the establishment of Immaculate High School, the first Catholic high school in Jefferson Parish. On April 18, 1957, the present-day church was formerly dedicated by Archbishop Rummel.
After 20 yrs, Msgr. Gaudin was reassigned to Sacred Heart Church in Lacombe, and Father (later Monsignor) Charles Pagliughi became the fourth pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish. In his first year, he began a monthly newsletter, which would record the vibrant history of the parish community under his leadership. Msgr. Pagliughi strongly encouraged lay leadership as promoted by Vatican Council II and the Parish Council, established by Msgr. Gaudin, would flourish under Msgr. Pagliughi’s guidance.
With the growth of school attendance, Notre Dame Hall was constructed in 1978, providing a Learning Center and a high school library. The following year, in 1979, the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco accepted responsibility for both parish schools. In 1982, an elementary school administration wing was added, followed by a new complex for Immaculata High School, which included a chapel that served both the parish at large and the high school.
Father Douglas Brougher, who had been serving as Co-pastor since 1983, became interim pastor when Msgr. Pagliughi died suddenly on February 15, 1986. Priest Personnel Director for the Archdiocese of New Orleans, Monsignor Ray Hebert, was named as pastor on August 29, 1986. Within the next year, the Hispanic Catholic community on the Westbank would find a home in Immaculate Conception Parish through the invitation of Msgr. Hebert. On Sunday, July 5, 1987, the first Mass in Spanish was celebrated by Msgr. Hebert, and the newly assigned Father Salvador Galvez. In addition to high school classroom expansions and church renovations, two Pre-K classrooms, a playground (1993), and a multi-purpose building (1995) were erected under Msgr. Hebert’s pastorate.
Msgr. Hebert retired in 2002, and Fr. Warren Cooper assumed administration of the parish. Fr. Cooper would weather Hurricane Katrina, the damage from which would result in repairs and renovations to the church and schools. In August of 2007, Immaculata High School and Archbishop Blenk High School merged, establishing Academy of Our Lady, remaining on the former Immaculata campus.
In 2011, Father Damian Hinojosa was assigned as pastor until 2014 when he began teaching at St. Joseph Seminary College. Transferring from St. Jerome Parish in Kenner, Father James Jeanfreau began his pastorate at Immaculate Conception Parish in 2014. Just months after, Academy of our Lady moved to a newly built high school complex situated on 22 acres next to Archbishop Shaw High School in Marrero and was no longer under the administration of the parish. With the additional room resulting from the vacated high school campus came the establishment of an early childhood development program on the former elementary campus and admission was expanded to include infancy to 7th grade. The Salesian Sisters remained at Immaculate Conception School until the Fall of 2017, when Mrs. Kim DiMarco became the school’s first lay principal.
Father Jimmy was an advocate for the Hispanic community and shared his missionary spirit with the parish. He saw the parish through the Covid pandemic, instituting a robocall system to keep parishioners updated with recorded messages. Like most parishes during that time, he recorded Masses live when possible. He also encouraged the praying of the Liturgy of the Hours and the Rosary daily and would broadcast these live also. School or church staff would accompany him from a safe distance, as well as his every-present canine companion, Mac. Barely through the pandemic crisis, Hurricane Ida struck in August 2021, doing minor to moderate damage around the school campus, rectory, and church. Father Jimmy kept parishioners updated through social media and remained thankful and hopeful during the cleanup. Father Jimmy’s most important work was as humble servant and he looked forward with zeal at planning Immaculate Conception Parish’s centennial. However, parishioners were left shocked and broken-hearted when Father Jimmy’s plans and life were tragically cut short due to an accident in his woodworking shop on November 28, 2022. A Funeral Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Gregory Aymond on December 6, 2022 at Immaculate Conception Church.
On January 15, 2023, the Archdiocese assigned Fr. Stephen Leake as temporary Parish Administrator. On July 1, 2023, Fr. Leake was installed as Pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish.