The ecclesiastical administration of the five civil parishes of Southwest Louisiana has been under the Diocese of Quebec, 1699-1762; the Diocese of Santiago de Cuba, 1762-1780; the Diocese of Havana, 1780-1793; the Diocese of Louisiana and East and West Florida, 1793-1803, the Diocese of Baltimore, 1803-1815, the Diocese of Louisiana, 1815-1826, the Diocese of New Orleans, 1826-1918, the Diocese of Lafayette, 1918-1980 and, since 1980, the Diocese of Lake Charles.
THE MOST REVEREND GLEN JOHN PROVOST, D.D.
Bishop 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); Institute 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. He served as an Associate Pastor at Our Lady Queen of Heaven in Lake Charles during the summer of 1975. He was Associate Pastor of St. Mary Magdalene in Abbeville, 1975-1983; Pastor of St. Leo in Roberts Cove, 1983-1985, Pastor of St. John Cathedral, 1985-1998, and Pastor of Our Lady of Fatima, 1998-March 6, 2007. He 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, Atakapas 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. The Bishop, since childhood, has studied music, enjoys playing the piano, and served as house organist at the seminaries he attended.
THE MOST REVEREND EDWARD K. BRAXTON, Ph.D., S.T.D.
Born June 28,1944 in Chicago, III. Educated at Quigley Preparatory Seminary, Niles College Seminary of Loyola University and St. Mary of the Lake Seminary, Mundelein, III. Archdiocese of Chicago, (BA, MA, S.T.B. and S.T.L.). Ordained a priest May 13, 1970 of the Archdiocese of Chicago by John Cardinal Cody. Associate Pastor of a number of Chicago parishes, 1970-1973. Graduate student at University of Louvain in Belgium (Ph.D. in Religious Studies, S.T.D. in Systematic Theology), 1973-1975. Faculty of Theology at Harvard University, the University of Notre Dame and the Catholic University of America, Special Assistant for Theological Affairs for the Archdiocese of Washington, DC, 1976-1982. Scholar in Residence, North American College, Rome, 1983. Director of Calvert House, Catholic Student Center at the University of Chicago, 1983-1986. Official Theological Consultant, William H. Sadlier, Inc., New York City, 1986-1992. Pastor, St. Catherine of Siena Parish, Oak Park, III., 1992-1995. Appointed Titular Bishop of Macomades Rusticiana and Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis by Pope John Paul II, March 28, 1995, ordained May 17, 1995, by Archbishop Justin Rigali in St. Louis. Vicar General, Archdiocese of St. Louis, 19952001. Appointed Bishop of Lake Charles, by Pope John Paul II, December 12, 2000. Installed, February 22, 2001. Faculty of Theology at Harvard University, the University of Notre Dame and the Catholic University of America. Member committees on Doctrine, Scripture Translation, Implementing the Mandatum (Ex Corde Ecclesiae), Evangelization, and International Policy. Chairman, Committee for the American College at the University of Louvain. Bishop Braxton was named the Bishop of Belleville, Ill in March 2005 and was installed the eighth Bishop of Belleville in June, 2007.
THE MOST REVEREND JUDE SPEYRER, S.T.L., D.D.
(Founding Bishop) Born April 14, 1929, in Leonville, La. Educated St. Joseph Seminary, St. Benedict, La., 1942-1947; Notre Dame Seminary, New Orleans, 1947-1949; North American College, Rome, 1949-1950; University of Fribourg, Switzerland, 1950-1953. Ordained a priest of the Diocese of Lafayette, July 25, 1953 by Bishop Jules B. Jeanmard. Assistant Pastor, St. Landry Parish, Opelousas. Assistant Chaplain, Our Lady of Wisdom Chapel, University of Southwestern Louisiana; Associate Editor, Southwest Louisiana Register, Pastor, Our Lady of the Lake Parish, Lake Arthur. Founding pastor, Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, Lafayette. Chancellor and Vicar General, Diocese of Lafayette. Vicar, Lafayette City Deanery. Chairman Council of Vicars. Appointed first Bishop of Lake Charles by Pope John Paul II, January 29, 1980. Ordained and installed Bishop of Lake Charles, April 25, 1980. He laid the foundation of the Diocese, created the infrastructure and built Tabor Retreat House and Katharine Drexel Conference Center at Saint Charles Center, which provide the Diocese with a spiritual center. He is admired and respected not only in the Catholic Community but in the larger community as well. Retired December 12, 2000. Administrator, Diocese of Lake Charles December 13, 2000-February 21,2001. In 2005, Bishop Speyrer celebrated his 25th anniversary of elevation to the episcopacy.