Rev. Mark Miley ........................ Pastor

Mrs. Jerry Abshire ...................  Religious Education, Safe Environment Coordinator

Mrs. Darlene Johnson ................. Bookkeeper, Cemetery Manager

Mrs. Angie Saltzman .....Receptionist, Bulletin Editor

Mrs. Olivia Briolo.......Youth Director

History of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Catholic Church

Holy Rosary Parish was established in September, 1896 in Cossinade. Cossinade was at one time the center of commerce in the area. In 1896 a Chapel was built; Archbishop Hanssens of New Orleans dedicated Chapel and placed it under the invocation of the Blessed Virgin Mother, with the title of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary.

In 1902 the railroad came through Vermilion Parish and bypassed Cossinade and the settlement quickly shrank. 1903 plans were made to move the church building to Kaplan. On the eve of the move the church was destroyed by a fire. The Cossinade cemetery is all that remains at the original Church site.

Father Maltrait then the pastor of the parish started work on a new church which was soon destroyed by a storm. Again Fr. Maltrait started work on a new church. This Church served the people of God for 51 years, until the new Structure was completed in January 18, 1955. The Church was designed by Lionel Abshire of Baton Rouge a native of Kaplan.

From its humble beginnings, Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Catholic Church has serve the faithful of Kaplan and the surrounding area. Through its one hundred years, the parish and its priest have played an invaluable role in the development of the community and its inhabitants.

 

History of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Catholic Church

On April 4, 1944 the Bishop of Lafayette donated $1,000 to help start the Mission Church in Kaplan, which was under the guidance of the Holy Ghost Fathers and Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Abbeville, La. 
In 1944 an old Army Chapel was dismantled from an army base in Mississippi and was moved to Kaplan, and the Mission of St. Frances Cabrini Church was built.

In 1955 Bishop Jeanmard donated funds to help purchase the adjacent property to the Church. In July of 1955 Fr. A.D. Ray (Our Lady of Lourdes) is appoint the first pastor of the Mission of St. Frances Cabrini.  During this time a building program was proposed for a parish hall and rectory.

Between 1958 and 1962 St. Frances Cabrini was destroyed by a fire and the convent and rectory were destroyed by a tornado. In October 1962 the new Church buildings were complete. In March of that year the Bishop Schexnayder received a letter from The Holy Ghost Father asking that St. Frances Cabrini be placed under the jurisdiction and care of the territorial church of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary. In 1971 Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Abbeville donated the property of St. Frances Cabrini to Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary.