St. Anthony of Padua, Darrow

St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church started as St. Ann de la Crevasse Chapel. The original site is now lost to the Mississippi River and there is no record of when it was built. Prior to 1872, the Lazarist priests from Ascension of Our Lord Church in Donaldsonville ministered to the people of Darrow.

During the administration of Father J.M.T. Massardier at Ascension Church, the St. Ann Chapel was renovated. Father Massardier died in 1916 and when the newly appointed pastor, Father Chambon arrived, he found the mission chapel of St. Ann was no longer a mission of Donaldsonville, but a mission of St. Francis of Assisi, where Father Loots was pastor. According to Roger Baudier, Msgr. Chambon stated: “Fr. Loots tore down the existing chapel because the river was encroaching on that side. He bought an old store that had been a cotton-gin: he had this building rolled to a lot belonging to Mrs. L. Armitage, who gave use of the property but never ownership of the property. The new chapel was called St. Anthony by Father Loots and it was the end of St. Ann’s chapel.”

On May 18, 1937, St. Anthony was established again as a mission of Ascension Church. The building was painted and altars were acquired from the Madames of the Sacred Heart in Convent. Research into the title of the land had been ongoing for many years without success. The church did not have clear title to the land so the decision was made to purchase other property. World War II delayed the process and on May 7, 1948, the current property was purchased on the Darrow-Sorrento Road (now Highway 22).

In 1962, St. Anthony became an independent parish. It is a small parish of approximately 145 families, but there is evidence of growth, especially with the establishment of Pelican Point Golf Community. In July of 1995, St. Anthony was clustered with St. Anne in Sorrento. The clustering has been successful and the future for the parish looks encouraging. There is no doubt that the Holy Spirit is at work among the people of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church.