St. Agnes Church Celebrates New Beginnings with Day-Long Celebration

When Father Brent Maher arrived at St. Agnes Church in 2020, the staff quickly took him to the church’s cafeteria and said, “We need a roof.”

“That was evident by the garbage cans and buckets interspersed through the building,” said Father Maher.

He and the St. Agnes community worked on a plan to renovate the building. The renovations on the building were almost complete when a gas leak explosion occurred on April 25, 2022.

“I was over in the rectory just next door to the cafeteria at the time,” recalls Father Maher.

“I was about to walk outside, and I felt the building shake and I heard a ‘boom’ and glass shattering. My initial thought was that an 18-wheeler took a turn too high on the interstate and dumped off the side of it. I walked outside and the neighbors were saying ‘fire!’ and pointed at our building. I looked over and, sure enough, there was fire coming out of the window from the blast, smoke, glass, and things all over the place. “

Two people were injured, which included a St. Agnes employee. 

Top right photo: Father Brent Maher ends a Eucharistic procession at the new adoration chapel. Photos provided by Father Brent Maher

Above photo: Father Maher sprinkles holy water to bless the parish hall.

 

Parishioners were upset because the building held memories for them, such as First Communions and wedding receptions, meals, and parish social life. 

St. Agnes was advised not to clean up the debris for two weeks for insurance purposes, such as documentation of damage, etc. 

“I felt like it was a dystopian movie I was walking through,” said Father Maher. 

From this distressing situation arose a spirit of perseverance and prayer in the St. Agnes community. The Missionaries of Charity continued their outreach to the poor and the master planning committee developed another plan. There were listening sessions with the community to gather input on how they could rebuild. Parishioners reviewed the plans and layout.

St. Agnes restructured the building to make it a parish hall by enlarging gathering spaces and restrooms and restructuring the kitchen, according to Father Maher. The parish hall has an outdoor patio to accommodate an overflow of people during events.


Alongside the work being done on the building, St. Agnes also refurbished its Casavant Opus 2842 organ. Casavant Freres organ company of Quebec, Canada, built the organ in 1965.

Father Maher blesses St. Agnes’ refurbished Casavant Opus 2842 organ. aption

The organ is regarded as one of the best in Baton Rouge. It has 2,087 pipes and three keyboards. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, graduate students in LSU's organ program used St. Agnes's organ for learning, practicing, and giving recitals, according to St. Agnes.

“Monsignor Gillespie, the pastor and mind behind the newly built St. Agnes campus in the 1950s and 1960s, sought to provide the best of everything for the Lord's house,” said Father Maher.

The organ was sent to the company that made it for a $750,000 yearlong refurbishment.

St. Agnes went for 15 months without the Opus organ. Father Matthew McCaughey, pastor of St. Theresa of Avila Church in Gonzales, loaned his digital pipe organ to St. Agnes during that time. 

Because of the intricate details of the organ, it took several months to reassemble the Opus organ when it returned. Father Maher pointed out that its largest pipe was 16 feet tall and the shortest is about a couple of inches tall.

Through God’s orchestration, the completion dates of both projects were close enough together that St. Agnes celebrated the completion of them both on June 1. Father Maher blessed the parish hall and attendees enjoyed an afternoon of eating a potluck lunch, visiting, and engaging in recreational activities.

“We had all the kids running around, life as a parish. It was a beautiful thing. We had older parishioners, little parishioners, and individuals. It was like being a family again,” Father Maher said.

He added, “People who were long-time parishioners walked into the building and started crying. They were overwhelmed by the beautiful space that

Bishop Michael G. Duca gives liturgical commands to “wake up” the organ.

it is.”

At 3 p.m., the hour of mercy, Father Maher led a eucharistic procession, which included an exposition and benediction.  Father Maher brought the monstrance to the new adoration chapel, located in the parish hall building. Father Maher then closed the doors of the adoration chapel so people could spend quiet time with the Lord.

At 4 p.m., the people gathered in the church for the rite of a blessing of an organ and solemn vespers. Bishop Michael G. Duca officiated and Todd Wilson, director of the Cleveland Institute of Music, played the organ. Wilson has performed at major venues throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan. 

“Vespers is something we've been trying to renew and encourage in our parish community and something that the faithful have come to really appreciate and enjoy,” said Father Maher.

Renowned organist Todd Wilson and other musicians provide music during the Blessing of an Organ and Solemn Vespers Service.

Father Maher incensed and sprinkled holy water on the organ as Bishop Duca prayed a prayer of blessing. The bishop then gave liturgical commands that prompted the organ to “awake” and respond musically. After the service, parishioners, again, came to Father Maher with tears down their cheeks speaking about the beautiful, robust tones of the organ.

“We have certainly one of the highest quality organs as we did before, but it is polished and updated and good for another 60-plus years,” Father Maher said.

The most important thing to celebrate about the improved facilities and refurbished organ, said Father Maher, is St. Agnes’ renewed mission of serving others corporally and spiritually.

“It's my hope that with so many things that have been drawing a lot of our energy (completed), we can enjoy that now by being able to do that greater work of outreach and community,” Father Maher said.