LAKE CHARLES — Three seminarians for the Diocese of Lake Charles received their call to candidacy on June 10, 2025. Bishop Glen John Provost accepted Justin Fontenot, Luka Hagen, and Nicholas Poncho to Candidacy for Holy Orders during the 12:05 p.m. Mass in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.
Serving as concelebrants were Rev. Michael Caraway, Director of Vocations; Very Rev. Edward Richard, M.S., V.F., Pastor of Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic Church in Sulphur; Rev. Jeffrey Starkovich, Pastor of St. Pius X Catholic Church in Ragley, and Rev. Luis Tigga, H.G.N., Pastor of Our Lady of LaSalette Catholic Church in DeQuincy.
Very Rev. Joseph Caraway served as Master of Ceremonies assisted by several seminarians.
Bishop Glen John Provost accepted Justin Fontenot, from left, Nicholas Poncho, and Luka Hagen, right, to Candidacy for Holy Orders on June 10, 2026, in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. He is joined by Rev. Michael Caraway, Director of Vocations. The Rite of Admission for Candidacy to Holy Orders is an important step for each seminarian on his journey to the priesthood.
(Photography credit: Victoria Watson)
Referencing the Gospel of Matthew (5:17-19), His Excellency pointed out how God charged his Apostles with fulfilling the law.
Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. … Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”
Just as God expected something from the Apostles, Bishop Provost remarked that God expects something from “each and every one of us.”
“The great challenge of the Christian life is to discover what that expectation is, through our prayer,” he continued, “particularly through our vocation. It is our duty to fulfill whatever God expects of us.”
In the Rite of Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders, the candidate for ordination publicly expresses his intention to receive ordination as a Deacon and subsequently as a Priest.
The rite includes three components: The call to candidacy, the scrutiny of the candidate, and the blessing of the candidate. Bishop Provost accepted Justin, Luka, and Nicholas with the words, “The Church receives your declaration with joy. May God who has begun the good work in you bring it to fulfillment.”
Justin is the son of Kevin and Michelle Fontenot and is a parishioner of St. Pius X Catholic Church in Ragley. Justin began his formation in the Fall of 2022 and graduated with a Bachelor of Philosophy degree at St. Joseph Abbey and Seminary College on May 8, 2026. Justin has been assigned to Pontifical North American College in Rome, where he will begin his theological studies and formation in the Fall.
Luka is the son of Scott and Twila Hagen and is a parishioner of Our Lady of LaSalette Catholic Church in DeQuincy. Luka began his formation at Notre Dame Seminary in the Fall of 2024 after discerning the priesthood for a year at the Vianney House in Lake Charles. He received his Bachelor of Philosophy degree at Notre Dame Seminary on May 14, 2026.
Nicholas is the son of Adrienne Hebert Poncho and the late Jerold Poncho and is a parishioner of Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic Church in Sulphur. Nicholas began his formation in the Fall of 2022 and graduated with a Bachelor of Philosophy degree at Notre Dame Seminary on May 14, 2026.
Both Luka and Nicholas will begin their theological studies in the Fall at Notre Dame Seminary.
Please keep all our seminarians in your prayers as they discern their call from God to the priesthood!