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. 

Today our community boasts a rich liturgical life known around the diocese. The contemporary and traditional rites of the Roman Liturgy find a home in the noble simplicity of St. Agnes, supported by our altar society, servers, and musicians. The St. Agnes Choir, St. Agnes Schola, and St. Agnes Children's Choir enrich our worship week after week, helping the congregation to praise God with our voices. To all of these we must add our beloved Casavant organ. Msgr. Gillespie, the pastor and mind behind the newly-built St. Agnes campus in the 1950's and 1960's, sought to provide the best of everything for the Lord's house. World renowned organ designers and builders Casavant Freres of Quebec, Canada was selected and in 1965 installed the Opus 2842, which boasts 38 ranks numbering 2055 pipes. Since that time our organ has seen many hot summers and cold winters, countless hymns raised through her pipes, and untold numbers of organists gracing her bench. On this account she has also seen some wear and tear, broken pieces, bent pipes, and leaking airways. In 2021, a thorough assessment of the organ was completed and it was determined that it was time for a full refurbishment. A pricey undertaking, we knew that we could not allow this beautiful instrument to decay any further and so, trusting that the Lord would provide the funds, we agreed to a full refurbishment. 

The Lord has provided much for us. Donations of $270,000 and $50,000 were soon followed by a handful of donations for $10,000 and we were well on our way. Having raised $400,000 without a major campaign, we are praying that the Lord will continue to show His generosity to us through benefactors like you. We are in need of $350,000 more dollars to fully fund the project and are asking for your help. Please pray that the Lord will continue to send benefactors to support the beautiful liturgy that is the trademark of St. Agnes. If you are able to make a financial contribution, we would be immensely grateful. And if you know someone who loves the organ, traditional liturgy and hymnody, has ties to St. Agnes, or simply wants to support our good works, please let them know about our fundraiser. 

Know of our gratitude for your prayers and kindness. May the good Lord keep watch over you and St. Agnes intercede for you!