Former St. Anthony of Padua church making comeback as landmark

The sight of new life in the old St. Anthony of Padua Church in Luling getting new life is a welcome one for Cookie Gomez.

“It’s really beautiful,” Gomez said of the building on Ellington Street that being renovated from a state of disrepair. The people who now own it are keeping the building and its façade, although an earlier buyer endangered the old building when it was announced he planned on building condominiums there.

Gomez’s relationship with the church goes back years.

Although he lives in Willowdale now, Gomez earlier lived next door to the church. He recalls living behind the church and Father Gus coming over for breakfast. Gomez also remembered the many people who came there for the masses, marriages, baptisms and funerals.

Gomez was baptized in the church, as well as was married there.

“The church was a major landmark for old Luling at that time, and it means something to the community along with the closeness of the community,” he said. It remains across from the old Luling Elementary School and is the reason it was purchased by the St. Charles School District at the time to provide kindergarten classroom space and storage for the school in 1974. It later became a book depository and warehouse, and then a woodworking shop.

The late Marilyn Richoux, then president of the St. Charles Museum and Historical Association, called the church one of the parish’s “historically significant structures” and initiated attempts to save it.

With roots dating back to 1877, when it was built among other mission chapels in Luling.

The church was recognized as rare example of the Spanish Colonial Revival style of architecture from the 1920s, which was modeled on missions and houses built by Spanish colonists in Southwest America.

Despite its architectural and historical value, school system officials said it was too costly to preserve it so it was sold.

By 1961, the newly built St. Anthony of Padua got its first pastor.

But the fate of the old church remained uncertain.Over the years, it housed kindergarten students, a book depository, a warehouse and a carpentry shop.

There were even discussions about using it as a welcome center and museum for the parish with its proximity to Monsanto Park and the levee, but this option didn’t work out either.

The church fell into disrepair until one day as Gomez drove by he saw work being done on the old structure exterior. They told him they were restoring the building.

“I’m sure I’m not the only one that enjoys seeing that the old church is still there,” he said. “It’s really beautiful.”