News and Press

By Pamela Seal
Diocese of Lake Charles

LAKE CHARLES — On the first of his visits for the 2026-2027 school year, His Excellency, Bishop Glen John Provost celebrated Mass on Tuesday, August 25, at St. Louis Catholic High School. The annual visit coincided with the Feast Day of Saint Louis IX, King of France, patron of the school.

When asked by a student what message he had for everyone in the room, the bishop answered, without hesitation, “Love God, practice virtue. You cannot go wrong. Everything else is complicated.”

WASHINGTON – Marking the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America, Pope Leo XIV addressed a letter to the American people on July 3, 2026. The U.S. bishops are grateful to the Holy Father for his inspiring message, and for his prayers as we commemorate this milestone anniversary of our nation. All are invited to read Pope Leo XIV’s message which may be found here.

New beginning for youngest parish
in Diocese of Lake Charles

By Pamela Seal
Diocese of Lake Charles

RAGLEY — The little Catholic church on Highway 171 will soon be the big Catholic church on the hill.

The much-anticipated groundbreaking for St. Pius X Catholic Church took place at 6:00 p.m. Friday, August 21, 2026, as several hundred people gathered for a new beginning, despite the triple-digit temperatures. It was the largest single crowd on record at St. Pius and the largest crowd the architect and contractor had ever seen at a groundbreaking.

By Pamela Seal
Diocese of Lake Charles

There was never a doubt in Whitney Derise’s mind that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with his wife, Lois. “She is my everything. If I don’t see or hear her for a few minutes, I start whistling for her,” he said. “I have a fear of her not being there. We still say our prayers every night holding hands.”

The still-very-much-in-love couple will celebrate 75 years of marriage on October 9, 2026. Parishioners of St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church in Lake Charles, and before that at Our Lady Queen of Heaven, the Derises were among 142 spouses honored during the 11:15 a.m. Mass on Sunday, June 14, in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

All are invited to be a part of new church

RAGLEY — It is an exciting time at St. Pius X Catholic Church as parishioners count the hours until they can break ground on their new church at 16816 Highway 171. The much-anticipated ceremony is set for 6:00 p.m. Friday, August 21, 2026, on Feast of St. Pius X and the 12^th anniversary of the parish’s founding.

LAKE CHARLES — Three seminarians for the Diocese of Lake Charles received their call to candidacy on June 10, 2026. 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.

By Pamela Seal
Diocese of Lake Charles

TEAM SEMINARIANS held on to their championship title for the fourth year in a row claiming a 23-12 victory over TEAM PRIESTS during the 2026 Bishop’s Invitational Wiffle Ball Classic.

By Pamela Seal
Diocese of Lake Charles

LAKE CHARLES — In solidarity with U.S. bishops, The Most Reverend Glen John Provost, Bishop of Lake Charles, consecrated the United States to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on Thursday, June 11, 2026, in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The Diocesan Consecration Mass took place at 6:00 p.m. in what is considered an historic moment in the life the Church as the United States of America commemorates the 250^th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence this year.

LAKE CHARLES — Several clergy and parishioners from the dioceses of Lake Charles and Lafayette were among those honored during the Venerable Fr. Augustus Tolton Prayer Breakfast on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church Founders Hall. The special event was sponsored by the Tolton Ambassadors & Associates – Louisiana.

June 12, 2026
The Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

“Heart Speaks to Heart”

My dear People of God,

On the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, I could turn to many sources to examine the rich significance of this Catholic devotion.   I think of the encyclical of Pope Pius XII, Haurietis Aquas [Athirst for the Waters] (May 15^th, 1956), written to commemorate the centennial of the feast’s institution, or Annum Sacrum [the Holy Year] (May 25^th, 1899) of Pope Leo XIII which spoke of consecrating the human race to the Sacred Heart.   We could also stretch back to St. Bonaventure’s (1217-1274) Lignum Vitae or St. John Eudes who wrote the prayers for the first office honoring the Sacred Heart, for which reason Pope Leo XIII, in proclaiming his virtues heroic in 1903, gave him the title of "Author of the Liturgical Worship of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Holy Heart of Mary."