Bishop Glen John Provost was ordained to the Episcopacy and installed as the Third Bishop of Lake Charles on Monday, April 23, 2007 in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Bishop of Lake Charles on March 6, 2007. He was born August 9, 1949 to Cyrus and Sadie Marie Blanchet Provost in Lafayette. He received a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from St. Joseph Seminary College in St. Benedict, La., in 1971, studied at the North American College in Rome from 1971 to 1975, received a Sacrae Theologiae Baccaluareus, or Bachelor of Sacred Theology (S.T.B.) from St. Thomas University in Rome in 1974 and continued studies for his Licentiate in Sacred Theology at St. Thomas until 1975. He also earned a Master of Arts Degree in English Literature from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette in 1981.

Continuing education includes work at L'Institute Catholique in Paris (1972) (French language); the University of London (1980) (Victorian language); Don Quichote Institute, Salmancia (1997) (Spanish language); Instututo Santa Maria, Rome (1971) (Italian language); and Archaeological Study Tours to Syria, Jordan and Turkey.

Bishop Provost was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Lafayette by Pope Paul VI on June 29, 1975 in St Peter's Basilica in Rome. His first assignment following ordination was at Our Lady Queen of Heaven in Lake Charles during the summer of 1975. He served as Associate Pastor of St. Mary Magdalene in Abbeville, 1975-1983; served as Pastor of St. Leo in Roberts Cove, 1983-1985 and Pastor of St. John Cathedral, 1985-1998. The Bishop was named a Chaplain to His Holiness with the title Monsignor by Pope John Paul II in 1986. He was pastor at Our Lady of Fatima from 1998 until his appointment as Bishop on March 6, 2007.

He has served as a Judge on the Diocese of Lafayette Tribunal, was a member of the Diocesan School Board, 1987-1996, Vice Chairman of the Council of Priests, 2005-2006; Chairman of the Council of Priests, 1989-1991, 2006-2007; Member of the Council of Priests, 2001-2007; Episcopal Vicar and Dean of the West Lafayette Deanery, a Diocesan Consultor, 1991-2007; and a board member of the Lafayette Catholic Service Center/Opelousas Housing Corporation, 1996-2000. Bishop Provost served as the Bishop's Liaison to the Legal Community, and was an instructor in the Department of Theology for Church History, Aquinas Institute, Holy Cross College, Lafayette/New Orleans.

He is a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, Galvez Chapter; the National Chaplain's Committee for the Sons of the American Revolution; a Knight of The Equestrian Order of the Knights of and Ladies of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem; the Knights of Columbus and Phi Eta Sigma Honor Fraternity.

In addition to English, the Bishop speaks French, Italian and Spanish.


Bishop Provost's Writings
Bishop Provost's Homilies