After a full summer of serving in various church parishes, nine seminarians studying for the Diocese of Lake Charles began the 2026-2027 school year at seminaries in Louisiana, Nebraska, and Rome. Four are in the beginning stages of their seminary formation while five are continuing at different stages of their journeys to the priesthood.
Justin Fontenot will spend the remainder of his formation at the Pontifical North American College in Rome as he enters his first year of Configuration Stage. He is a parishioner of St. Pius X Catholic Church in Ragley.
Returning to Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans are Nicholas Poncho and Luka Hagen, who are beginning their first year of Configuration Stage. Home parishes are Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic Church in Sulphur for Poncho, and Our Lady of LaSalette Catholic Church in DeQuincy for Hagen.
Also returning to Notre Dame is Ezekial Richmond for his second year of Discipleship Stage. He is a parishioner of St. Pius X Catholic Church.
Caden Gaudet of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Catholic Church in Carlyss is a first-year seminarian at Notre Dame beginning the Discipleship Stage.
Four seminarians began their studies at St. Gregory the Great Seminary in Seward, Nebraska.
They are Owen Bailey of St. Pius X Catholic Church, Dylan Dattola of St. John Bosco Catholic Church in Westlake, Paul Perez of Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church in Lake Charles, and Ethan Vaughn, of St. Theodore Catholic Church in Moss Bluff. Bailey, Dattola and Perez are all in formation as First-year Discipleship students, while Vaughn begins his formation at the Propaedeutic Stage.
Earlier this summer on June 10, Bishop Glen John Provost accepted Fontenot, Hagen, and Poncho to Candidacy for Holy Orders.
Please pray for these nine men in seminarian formation for the Diocese of Lake Charles as they discern their call to the priesthood.
For more information on the Office of Vocations, visit www.lcvocations.com or call Rev. Michael Caraway, Director of Vocations and Seminarians, at 337-439-7400, ext. 226, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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