History

Many things have occurred in the life of the Diocese of Lake Charles since the official announcement of the formation of the new diocese on January 29, 1980.

The Most Reverend Jude Speyrer was named as first bishop of the Diocese on that date and his installation came on April 25.  The first priest ordained for the new Diocese was the Rev. Whitney Miller on June 6, 1980 and on September 8 the first class of deacons was ordained. The following day St. Peter Claver was proclaimed the patron saint for the fledgling Diocese.

“Glad Tidings,” the Sunday morning diocesan television program first aired on October 5.

St. Theodore Holy Family School became the first new parochial school in the Diocese on August 1, 1982. In September 100 years of Catholic education was celebrated in the Diocese.

The publication of the first issue of the Catholic Calendar, a twice-monthly page appearing in the Lake Charles American Press, occurred on September 18.

Bishop Speyrer blessed St. Jude Chapel, the first new chapel built in the Diocese, on October 27, 1983 in Dry Creek. Later in 1983 St. Charles Borromeo in Fenton became the first new parish established in the Diocese.

The executive and administrative offices of the Diocese moved to quarters on the fifth floor of the Weber Building in downtown Lake Charles in late 1983.

On April 21, 1985 the offices of the Bishop, Vicar General, Chancellor and Tribunal moved into permanent quarters at the former home of Calcasieu Council 1207 Knights of Columbus and Lady of the Lake Court 695, Catholic Daughters of the Americas building at 414 Iris Street, which was given to the Diocese. The building was dedicated by the Most Reverend (now Cardinal) Pio Laghi, Apostolic Nuncio. Cardinal Laghi died in Rome on January 11, 2009.

The Seafarers Center at the Port of Lake Charles was dedicated on January 15, 1987. Later in the month the first edition of The Southwest Catholic, the diocesan newspaper, was published.

In October 1987 the offices of religious education, Catholic Schools, communications and development moved to quarters located at the site of the former Our Lady of Mount Olivet Benedictine Monastery located at the former Chennault Air Force Base.

In April 1988 Bishop Speyrer made his first “Ad Limina” visit to Rome and Msgr. Irving A. DeBlanc, P.A. marked the 50th anniversary of his ordination.

The Holy Ghost Fathers gave up the care of Sacred Heart Parish in May 1988. Priests of the Society of the Divine Word take over and continue there until 1999, when they too would leave the Diocese.

Msgr. Harry Greig, vicar general and chancellor, was given a three-year assignment  in Rome in August 1988.
  
Bishop Speyrer celebrated Mass on June 4, 1988 in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in observance of the beatification of Mother Katharine Drexel.

In July the Reverend Sam G. Jacobs was appointed the 10th Bishop of the Diocese of Alexandria.
 
In January 1990, Archbishop Francis Schulte of New Orleans presided at the 10th Anniversary Mass of the Diocese. In December 1990 Msgr. Jules Daigle is honored on his 90th birthday and the 65th anniversary of his ordination. Our Lady Help of Christians Parish celebrates its 100th anniversary in January 1992.

In March 1993 the contracts are signed for the construction of Saint Charles Center, located on 69 acres in Moss Bluff. Construction begins in April and on April 1, 1995 the facility is completed.

Two hundred youth of the Diocese attend World Youth Day in Denver in August 1993.

Various buildings at Saint Charles Center are named for Msgr. Hubert Cramers, Father Joseph Peeters, the A. J. M. Oustalet Jr. Family and Dr. W. J. Brulet in January 1995. The Apostolic Pro-Nuncio, Archbishop Agostino Caccivillain dedicates Saint Charles Center on November 5, 1995.

Msgr. Daigle is honored at his 70th anniversary as a priest and his 95th birthday in January 1996 and in March His Eminence, Bernard Cardinal Law, Archbishop of Boston, speaks at the 25th anniversary of St. Louis Catholic High School.

In January 1997 a  three-year pilgrimage to every church parish in the Diocese begins.

In November 1997 the Diocese announces its presence on the World Wide Web.

In January 1998, Msgr. Jules Daigle, the oldest priest in the Diocese dies.

In July 1999 the Diocese purchased the building at 411 Iris Street and moved the offices of Evangelization, Catholic Schools, School Food Services, Religious Education and Youth Ministry, Marriage and Family Ministries and Communications from the Chennault campus to that site.

On December 31, 1999 Night Watch ceremonies at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Our Lady of Prompt Succor; St. Philip Neri, Sacred Heart of Creole and Our Lady Help of Christians usher in the Jubilee Year 2000.

On January 28, 2000 a celebration of the 20th anniversary of the first public announcement of the establishment of the Diocese is celebrated with an exhibition of pen and ink drawings of the 36 parish churches in the Diocese. It is held in the Lobby of the Hibernia Bank Tower.

On December 12, 2000, the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, named the Most Reverend Edward K. Braxton as the Second Bishop of Lake Charles succeeding Bishop Speyrer, whose retirement he accepted on the same date.

On February 21, 2001, Bishop Braxton took canonical possession of the Diocese of Lake Charles during Evening Vespers at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

The next day, February 22, Bishop Braxton was installed as the Second Bishop of Lake Charles during Mass at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Church. Channel 7, KPLC-TV, broadcast the two-hour long mass in its entirety and it was preceded by a 90 minute special heralding the 21 years of Bishop Speyrer’s leadership and providing an insight to the new shepherd, Bishop Braxton.

On June 2, 2001, Bishop Braxton ordained the Rev. Anthony Fontenot to the priesthood for the Diocese of Lake Charles.

On December 1, 2001, the Bishop ordained 10 men for the Permanent Diaconate. On May 18, 2002, two more priests, the Rev. Marcus Johnson and the Rev. Charles McMillin were ordained by Bishop Braxton and then on August 17 a third, Rev. Clyde Thomas, who had studied at the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium, was ordained. The three ordinations in a single year are the most since the establishment of the Diocese.

Two new parishes for the Diocese of Lake Charles, Christ the King and St. Martin dePorres, were established by Episcopal Decree on September 30, 2002
 
On July 1, 2003, the Rev. Aubrey Guilbeau was appointed Rector of the Cathedral, Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia as the Rev. Msgr. Harry D. Greig became Pastor of St. Mary of the Lake Parish in Big Lake.

Bishop-emeritus Jude Speyrer was honored on July 25, 2003 on the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

Bishop Braxton’s pastoral letter, “The Shape of the Church to Come,” was issued on June 27, 2004. The letter dealt with vocations, the need to support our priests, and probable closure of some mission chapels. Unfortunately, those closures came on Feb. 13, 2005 when seven chapels closed.

On March 15, 2005, the Holy See announced the appointment of Bishop Braxton as Bishop of Belleville, Illinois. .

The 25th anniversary of the Diocese was celebrated on April 25, 2005 with a special Mass of Thanksgiving in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

On June 22, 2005, Bishop Braxton was installed as the Bishop of Belleville and on June 24, 2005, the College of Consultors of the Diocese elected Msgr. Greig as the Diocesan Administrator to serve until a new Bishop is seated.

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina pounded southeast Louisiana and western Mississippi. While New Orleans was saved from the winds of the hurricane, the levees surrounding the city were breached and tens of thousands were forced to flee their homes. The devastation and horror were chronicled in the national and international media. The Diocese of Lake Charles stepped forward to provide as much assistance to those who had fled the aftermath of the storm with food, shelter and other aid.

Hurricane Rita became the second tropical cyclone to wreak havoc on the state when it hit near the Louisiana-Texas state line on August 24, 2005. The storm’s 100 plus miles per hour winds and more than 15 foot storm surge devastated lower Cameron Parish. The parishes of St. Peter the Apostle in Hackberry, Our Lady Star of the Sea in Cameron, Sacred Heart of Jesus in Creole and St. Eugene in Grand Chenier were nearly wiped out. St. Mary of the Lake in Big Lake was inundated with nearly two feet of floodwaters. The mission chapels of Holy Trinity in Holly Beach, Immaculate Conception in Grand Chenier, and St. Rose of Lima in Creole were destroyed, with the debris carried away by the wind and water. Our Lady of the Assumption Chapel in Johnson Bayou, the closest church to the spot where the eye of the storm made landfall was damaged but was back in operation by Easter 2006.

St. Patrick Chapel in Sweetlake, a mission of St. Mary of the Lake, became the hub for parishioners of the three parishes in lower Cameron. Rev. Joseph McGrath, pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus, has served to faithful of those three communities from St. Patrick, which had only minimal wind damage which was repaired rapidly.

Every parish in the Diocese was damaged to some extent by the storm, some more than others, but all began work as soon as possible to make repairs, reopen and more importantly to care for those people who came to their doors for help. The Catholic schools of the Diocese also sustained damage, particularly Sacred Heart of Jesus/Saint Katharine Drexel. The main building of the school, a former convent for the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, who once staffed the school, had to be gutted. The elementary students there were forced to move to the site of the former Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic School on Cherry Street.

The occasion of Bishop Provost’s ordination and installation brought back the Diocese’s first two ordinaries – Bishop Speyrer and Bishop Braxton – for the festivities.

Bishop Provost’s first official act as Bishop found him making a number of appointments, confirmations and affirmations to provide for the needs of the Church entrusted to his care. On April 23, he confirmed Deacon George Stearns in the office of Chancellor, re-established the Presbyteral Council as well as noted that the College of Consultors continues to function according to the laws of the Church. He also decreed that the Deans of the three deaneries of the Diocese, Rev. Archimandrite Herbert J. May in the East Deanery, the Very Rev. William Miller in the Central Deanery, and the Rev. Msgr. Vincent Sedita in the West Deanery would continue to fulfill the offices entrusted to them. 

He also confirmed Rev. Msgr. Jace Eskind as Judicial Vicar, Rev. Albert Borel as Adjutant Judicial Vicar and Rev. Archimandrite May as Judge in the Diocesan Tribunal. The Bishop also decreed that all other diocesan officials, committees, and commissions were to fulfill the mandate issued them by his predecessor. 

The Bishop conducted his first Confirmation on April 25 at Immaculate Conception Church in Maplewood.  

He also ordained his first priest on May 25 in the person of Rev. Derek Covert. The ordination took place in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. 

On June 1, 2007, hurricane season began and the Bishop wrote in the Catholic Calendar a letter to the people of the Diocese asking for their prayers during this time of potential peril. He invoked the prayer composed by Bishop Maurice Schexnayder of the Diocese of Lafayette following Hurricane Audrey in 1957, noting 2007 was the 50th anniversary of the devastation and death caused by Audrey, particularly in Cameron Parish, where hundreds were killed. 

He gave the 2007 keynote address at the graduation of 129 students from St. Louis Catholic High School. 

On June 15, he named the Very Reverend Daniel Torres as Vicar General of the Diocese and appointed a number of priests as Secretaries to various Secretariats in the Diocese - Rev. Msgr. Harry D. Greig, Secretary of the Ministry of Administration, the Very Rev. Aubrey Guilbeau, Secretary of the Ministry of Clergy and Religious, Rev. Henry Mancuso, Secretary of the Ministry of pastoral Services, and Rev. Whitney Miller, Secretary of the Ministry of Christian Formation. Father Miller was also named Associate Director of Saint Charles Center and Rev. Marcus Johnson became Rector of St. Louis Catholic High School. 

He also appointed three priests as “Vocation Recruiters” in his plan to more actively seek out men who are being called to the priesthood – Rev. Wayne LeBleu, Rev. Derek Covert, and Rev. Johnson.  

Bishop Provost re-dedicated the Church of St. Eugene in Grand Chenier on June 16, blessing the facility, which had been severely damaged by Hurricane Rita, nearly two years before. A mural of the Crucifixion painted on the wall behind the altar of the church was repainted by local artists Pat and Elton Louviere. 

Work was continuing on the reconstruction of other churches in Cameron Parish, which         had been devastated by Rita, including Our Lady Star of the Sea in Cameron, Sacred Heart of Jesus in Creole, and St. Peter the Apostle in Hackberry. 

St. Mary of the Lake in Big Lake, which had been inundated with more than 18 inches of Rita’s floodwaters, had reopened in January 2007 having been blessed by its pastor, Rev. Msgr. Greig.  

On June 27, the anniversary of Hurricane Audrey, Rev. Joseph McGrath, pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Creole, celebrated Mass in the nearly completed Our Lady Star of the Sea Church in Cameron 

On July 1, 2007, Bishop Provost, blessed two mass graves containing more than 150 unidentified victims of Hurricane Audrey located at Combre Memorial Park and Highland Memory Gardens.   

Deacon Edward Lavine led a delegation to the National Black Catholic Congress X in Buffalo, New York from July 12-15. 

Nine members of the Diocesan Youth Ministry Core Team, along with their adult leaders, attended “One Bread, One Cup”, a youth liturgical leadership conference on the campus of St. Meinrad School of Theology in July. 

Bishop Provost wrote his first pastoral letter to the faithful of the Diocese of Lake Charles on August 4, the Feast of St. John Vianney, asking them to join him in a year of prayer specifically for vocations to the priesthood in the Diocese. On August 25, the Bishop ordained Ruben Buller and Nathan Long to the transitional diaconate. Bishop noted that the year of prayer for priestly vocations would culminate in the celebration of the ordination to the priesthood of the two deacons at Pentecost in 2008. 

He also instituted a program among the parishes of the Diocese of 40 Hours of Devotion before the Blessed Sacrament to promote vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Each month churches in a specific deanery would hold 40 hours of adoration. 

Tony Melendez, the celebrated Nicaraguan-born musician, was the headliner for the Second Annual Proud2BCatholic Music Festival, sponsored by the Office of Youth Ministry. Melendez, who was born without arms due to his mother’s taking of the drug Thalidomide, came to international fame following his performance for Pope John Paul II in 1987. More than 1,800 people participated in the daylong event held in Sulphur. 

Catholic Schools of the Diocese opened on August 16 with an enrollment of 2,707, an increase of 60 students over the previous year’s opening day total. 

Bishop Provost led a prayer service on September 9, the Feast of St. Peter Claver, the patron saint of the Diocese, in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.  

The celebration of the Extraordinary Form of the Liturgy in Latin began in the Diocese on September 14, 2007 following Pope Benedict XVI’s motu proprio entitled “Summorum Pontificum,” allowing  “any priest competent in Latin and in the rite itself to celebrate the Mass of Pope Pius V, in the form published by Blessed John XXIII.” Previously, the celebration of what had come to be known as the “Tridentine Mass” required special permission from the Bishop of the Diocese. A number of priests, including Rev. Roland Vaughn, Rev. Joe McGrath, and Rev. Rommel Tolentino, began a regular schedule of Sunday afternoon celebration of the Extraordinary Form in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and at St. Peter the Apostle in Hackberry.  

St. Peter the Apostle had been badly damaged by Hurricane Rita but the church was completed and Mass was once again being celebrated. 

Ten men were studying for the priesthood at the beginning of the 2007-2008 academic year.  

The second anniversary of Hurricane Rita came on September 24. The Diocese, through the auspices of the Relief Effort of Catholic Social Services, aided more than 3,900 families, distributing assistance totaling nearly $2.5 million. The new offices for Catholic Charities, located in the former rectory of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Lake Charles, were blessed by Bishop Provost.   

The Bishop, along with 101 other new Bishops from around the world, met with the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, during a weeklong event in Rome in September.  

The Catholic Calendar, the page purchased in various secular media of the Diocese, celebrated its 25th anniversary on October 15. The original page was a newspaper printed by the Rev. Cornelius Van de Ven, pastor of the Immaculate Conception Church in Lake Charles, begun in 1897 

In November 2007, Bishop Provost instituted the “First Friday Men’s Prayer Breakfast” which is held in the Ave Maria Hall of the Cathedral office building, located at the corner of Kirby and Bilbo streets. 

The blessing of the newly refurbished Our Lady Star of the Sea Church in Cameron took place on November 18 and was done by Bishop Provost.  The church was the second to be brought back into full operation following Hurricane Rita 

Also in November, Bishop Provost continued the long time tradition of honoring deceased members of the Companions of Honor, an organization of Catholic clergy, including Monsignori, religious and lay people who have been decorated by the Holy See or the Diocese of Lake Charles, plus those Catholic members of internationally recognized Orders of Chivalry residing in the Diocese. 

The Louisiana Catholic Conference, of which the Diocese of Lake Charles is a member, became the Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops on January1, 2008 in a move that would help identify the conference as a direct representative of the Catholic Church with its authority coming from the bishops. 

Also during the month of January, 85 local teens along with their adult leaders, joined more than 20,000 other Catholics at the National Catholic Youth Conference in Columbus, Ohio. 

 In January, Rev. Henry Mancuso, Secretary of the Ministry of Pastoral Services, released a national report indicting that the issue of poverty cannot be responsibly addressed without addressing the impact of racism. “I propose that the two –poverty and racism are intertwined,” Father Mancuso said He also proposed a wide-ranging course of action to minimize and work to eliminate poverty and racism in the Diocese. 

Also during that month, the Catholic Calendar’s redesigned and full-color masthead was introduced. 

Bishop Provost introduced his first Lenten Pastoral on Feb. 8, speaking to the faithful about the importance of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  

On the weekend prior to the beginning of Lent, the Bishop celebrated the closing Mass at the Diocesan Youth Conference for more than 300 youth, young adults, adult chaperones, and staff.  

In March, Bishop Provost blessed the construction project at Sacred Heart Saint Katharine Drexel Catholic School, necessitated by Hurricane Rita, as the school began its 100th anniversary year. 

Later in the month, the Bishop celebrated the Sacred Triduum – Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil, and Easter Sunday in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. 

In April, the Bishop along with priests and laity of the Diocese were present at various venues during the Pastoral Visit of Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the Washington, DC and New York City.  

The Bishop celebrated the first anniversary of his consecration as a bishop and his installation as the Third Bishop of Lake Charles. Later in the week the Diocese celebrated its 28th anniversary of formal establishment. 

On May 23, 2008, Bishop Provost ordained two men, Ruben Buller and Nathan Long to the priesthood and another, Scott Conner, to the transitional diaconate. Rev. Long and Rev. Buller were the second and third priests ordained by Bishop Provost. 

Father Buller was assigned as Parochial Vicar at St. Henry Church while Father Long was named as Parochial Vicar at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Church.  

The Very Rev. Daniel Torres, Vicar General of the Diocese and pastor of St. Henry Church, led the annual Abrazando Cristo mission trip to Nicaragua in July 2008. 

Noted lecturer, Christopher West, was the guest speaker at the annual convocation for priests of the Diocese in June. 

Bishop Provost honored couples of the Diocese who had been married 25 or 50 years with a special liturgy on June 1 in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. 

On June 11, 2008, Bishop Provost announced the beginning of the “Year of St. Paul” in the Diocese to begin on June 28, corresponding to the worldwide celebration called for by His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI.  The Bishop designated St. Paul Church in Elton as the pilgrimage site for the Diocese, as it is the only church in the Diocese named for St. Paul. 

Days of pilgrimage to St. Paul Church during the special year included June 29 in both 2008 and 2009, November 18, the anniversary of the Dedication of the Basilica of St Peter and St. Paul; January 25, 2009, the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul; January 26, 2009, the Feast Day of St. Timothy and St. Titus; April 25, 2009, the anniversary of the establishment of the Diocese; and June 11, 2009, the Feast Day of St. Barnabas.  

Just as the Holy Father granted a Plenary Indulgence to those who participate in the Year of St. Paul by pilgrimage to the Basilica of St. Paul in Rome, the same indulgence can be achieved by pilgrimage to St. Paul in Elton in addition to other specific acts or conditions. Bishop Provost also provided to the clergy of the Diocese as well as Religious Educators a Recommended Bible Study Resources List in observance of the Year of St. Paul. 

The annual long running Christian Leadership Institute, a weeklong two track program, sponsored by the Office of Youth Ministry drew the highest attendance in recent history during June. 

The Bishop celebrated the 50th anniversary year of St. Henry Church with Mass while Catholic Charities of the Diocese named Patricia Trejo as its new Director.  That announcement was made by the  Rev. Henry Mancuso, Secretary of the Ministry of Pastoral Services. 

Once again a group of young people represented the Diocese at the “One Bread, One Cup” youth liturgical leadership conference in St. Meinrad, Ind., in July. 

The final figures for the 2007-2008 Bishop’s Services Appeal came to nearly 90 percent of its goal. The generous faithful of the Diocese contributed $537,627.84 to aid in the operation of many of the ministries and programs of the local church. 

A $100,000 contribution established the Msgr. Irving A. DeBlanc Seminary Burse. The gift, which was made through the Villa Maria Retirement Center, brought the amount of money invested for the educational expenses of seminarians for the Diocese to more than $750,000. 

Catholic schools in mid August 2008 with 2,722 students in attendance, a slight increase over the previous year’s opening day figure. 

The majority of the area dodged severe damage from Hurricane Gustav, which made landfall on September 1 to the southeast of the Diocese. 

Less than three years after Hurricane Rita severely damaged the Catholic churches in Cameron Parish, Hurricane Ike provided more of the same as it is made its landfall in Southeast Texas. The September 13, 2008 storm destroyed the physical plant of the Chapel of the Assumption in Johnson Bayou, which had escaped with easily repairable damage following Rita. Restoration work, which had been done to the churches of St. Eugene in Grand Chenier, Our Lady Star of the Sea in Cameron, Sacred Heart of Jesus in Creole and St. Mary of the Lake in Big Lake, was devastated. Only Sacred Heart of Jesus had not been fully reopened to use prior to Ike’s landfall. 

As soon as was possible Bishop Provost, along with the vicar general Father Daniel Torres and others made trips into the devastated areas to provide aid and spiritual comfort. 

Work began very quickly on restoring the damage facilities. 

In the aftermath of the storm to provide pastoral care for the faithful in Cameron Parish, Bishop Provost announced that St. Patrick Chapel in Sweetlake would serve as the site for Masses of those parishioners from lower Cameron Parish, with Rev. Vincent Vadakkedath of St. Eugene, Rev. Joseph McGrath of Sacred Heart and Our Lady Star of the Sea along with Msgr. Harry D. Greig of St. Mary of the Lake celebrating the liturgies. Father Vadakkedath and Father McGrath would have offices at the Chapel while Msgr. Greig would maintain his office in the Chancery building of the Diocese. 

St. Peter the Apostle Church in Hackberry was also inundated with floodwaters as were the other buildings of the parish – new church office, parish hall and religious education classroom. Father Rommel Tolentino would be living and working out of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Church Carlyss. 

Bishop Emeritus Jude Speyrer, in an act of great generosity and a show of love for a longtime friend, established the Bishop Speyrer Fund in Honor of Monsignor (Fernand) Gouaux. Msgr. Gouaux served more than half his priestly ministry in four parishes of what is now the Diocese of Lake Charles – Our Lady of the Lake in Lake Arthur, St. John Vianney in Bell City, St. Margaret of Scotland in Lake Charles, and Our Lady Help of Christians in Jennings. 

Proceeds from the Fund, which must reach $1 million before grants can be expended, will provide financial assistance to ordained clergy of the Diocese who are undertaking courses of study leading to advanced degrees in church studies. 

Bishop Speyrer and Msgr. Gouaux were close friends in school and served together at Our Lady of the Lake. Bishop Speyrer has also made provisions for the house and property where he lives near Carencro, which he and Msgr. Gouaux bought together more than 30 years ago, be sold at his death and the proceeds go into the Fund as well. The Fund is being administered through the Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana. 

Eight men began the academic year studying for the priesthood for the Diocese of Lake Charles.  Three were attending the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, one at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, one at Catholic University of America in Washington, DC and three at St. Joseph Seminary College in St. Benedict, LA.  

Bishop Provost, in a column in the Catholic Calendar, in October, wrote about the U.S. Bishops’ document “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship.” The document addressed Catholics “political and social questions by helping them to develop a well formed conscience “ prior to the November Presidential Election. 

On Monday, October 13, Columbus Day, Bishop Provost celebrated the Red Mass for judges, attorneys, and other government officials on the opening of the judicial year. The event is hoped to become an annual celebration. 

The inaugural Bishop’s Charity Golf Classic raised more than $36,000 for the seminarian education fund and the priest’s retirement fund of the Diocese.  

On Nov. 4, Bishop Provost inaugurated the Women’s Prayer Luncheon and a huge crowd turned on for the first ever event. It was held in the Buccaneer Room of the Lake Charles Civic Center.  It had been postponed from September due to Hurricane Gustav and Hurricane Ike. 

Also in November, Bishop Provost announced the appointment of Rev. Arturo Lozano, S.J., as Director of Hispanic Ministry for the Diocese. Father Lozano would have offices in St. Henry parish. One of his first jobs was the organization of the Guadalupean Torch Run, which came through Lake Charles Nov. 11-12, on its way from Mexico City to New York City.  A large crowd attended the special Mass celebrated at St. Henry while the Torch remained in the Diocese. 

On Dec. 12, Bishop Provost celebrated the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. Henry. Father Lozano gave the homily in both Spanish and English. 

Father Henry Mancuso, pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Lake Charles and Secretary of the Ministry of Pastoral Services, was honored with the National Family Advocacy Award. The award was given in recognition of Father Mancuso’s service as a community activist and advocate for those who have no voice; speaking and out taking action on their behalf at the local state and national levels. 

On January 1, Mrs. Deborah Frank became President of St. Louis Catholic High School. 

During the month of January, Bishop Provost, in coordination with his brother Bishops around the country, urged the faithful to participate in a postcard campaign to provide members of the U.S. Congress with their failings about the potentially damaging Freedom of Choice Act. The bill, if passed, would create a right to abortion that the government could not limit and would bring about a national abortion policy far worse than the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v Wade decision. 

On Jan. 22, the anniversary of Roe v Wade, a March for Life was held from the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception to the Parish Courthouse sponsored by the offices of Pro-Life and Youth Ministry of the Diocese and New Life Counseling. 

Prior to the march, a Rosary was recited in the Cathedral followed by an Ecumenical Prayer Service for Life led by Bishop Provost. More than 700 people attended the prayer service and then marched by candlelight to the courthouse to hear speakers talk about the sanctity of life. 

At the beginning of the spring term the Diocese added a ninth man studying for the priesthood as John B. Huckaby, a native of Eunice, began his second year theology classes at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. 

On January 31, Bishop Provost celebrated Mass with the people of St. Eugene in Grand Chenier following the completion of the second restoration of their church in three years. Work continued on the rectory and parish hall at St. Eugene. 

The church of St. Mary of the Lake in Big Lake was also completed so that Mass could once again be celebrated. Work was nearly finished on the religious education classrooms and would then begin on the parish hall. The church offices would have temporary quarters in one of the classrooms. 

Work was nearly complete at Our Lady Star of the Sea in Cameron and was within a few months of completion at Sacred Heart of Jesus in Creole. 

In the parish of St Peter the Apostle, mass was being celebrated at noon on Sundays for the Catholic faithful of Our Lady of the Assumption Chapel in Johnson Bayou in the Community Center located on Highway 82. Work neared completion on the office at St. Peter the Apostle with work to continue on the religious education classrooms and the church itself.