FROM THE BISHOP: Plans for the Catholic Center

“THREE YEARS!!!” My how time passes so quickly. I was ordained your bishop now three years. Frequently, people both in Northern Louisiana and in the Diocese of Little Rock where I came from ask me a couple of identical questions. The first comes mostly from Arkansas, “how are they treating you in the Diocese of Shreveport?” I am quick to respond that “they,” meaning YOU – are treating me just fine. I have found a very affirming welcome here, and while I have yet to acquire a taste for boudin – I love the rest of Cajun cuisine. I enjoy my visits to parishes, whether for Confirmation or celebrations, or just visits. Though our schools are small in number, I thoroughly enjoy any visit with our school children. I look forward to any of our PSR groups inviting me as well. So, what I am saying is that I feel right at home here in our diocese, and I thank you for the welcome you have shown me.

There’s a consistent “second question” people have asked me since I became bishop – and it has to do with the Catholic Center. More times than I can count, here is the most frequent question, “bishop, what are you going to do with the Catholic Center?” The asking person usually goes on to tell me the obvious: that the Catholic Center, formerly St. Vincent Academy is such a massive set of buildings, is there a plan? I am happy to tell you of what has already begun, a vision I would like to see carried out, and a schedule – however ambitious. My hope is that when finished, the entire diocese can make use of these facilities to enhance your spiritual lives and those of our Catholic organizations. The Catholic Center houses the central offices of the Diocese, but there is more space than what we use…so here we go:

We are already underway on the renovation of the Chapel at the Catholic Center. When finished we will rededicate it under the name of “St. Vincent’s Chapel” to honor the central feature of the former Academy.

I wanted to start with the Chapel because it IS the central feature for the entire campus. There is a picture of its finished design at the end of this article. The statue of St. Vincent de Paul is central to the new entrance of the Chapel in an alcove surrounded by the stained glass windows from the previous Chapel. Presently the statue is located outside of the East Wing of the Campus buildings. The seating for the Chapel will be around 100 with a large Holy Water font, and space for a piano.

If you can locate the statue of St. Vincent de Paul outside, it is situated on the front of the East Wing. I mention this because long before I arrived here, the East Wing was deemed unsafe to use because of serious foundation issues. Upon the completion of the Chapel, this East Wing will be taken down since these issues make it unusable and too expensive to repair.

If you are familiar with the Chapel, you will note that there is a long hallway which adjoins the Chapel. This Hall, and the supporting rooms along side of it will feature our history from when St. Vincent’s Academy once occupied the space. I am confident that the diocesan family, and especially the St. Vincent alums will be very pleased with the fact that what we enjoy as the Catholic Center, we owe in no small measure to our diocesan history on this campus when it was an Academy, and a place where our Catholic faith was taught for many years.

Travel down that hallway and you will enter “Fairview House.” On either side of that long hallway are two “social rooms,” which were used by the Sisters who occupied the Convent. These two rooms are largely unused, and so the plan is to combine both rooms into one large conference room which will facilitate gatherings for meetings, etc.

To accommodate both the renovation of the Chapel and Fairview House, additional restroom facilities in the entrance of the Catholic Center and in the Conference area will support large gatherings of people.

Such undertakings are not inexpensive, but if we do not answer the second question with a useful plan for our facilities, we are losing a valuable resource for our future, which leads to the dormitory area where the Sisters use to live, and consists of multiple sleeping and bathroom facilities. The plan – at least at this point –is that when the Chapel and the Conference facilities are complete – we move to renovate the sleeping facilities where each bedroom has its own bathroom, and ample overnight and weekend accommodations for retreats. If our resources are sufficient and we are able to complete these three projects, then there is your answer: the vision is to establish a Diocesan

Retreat Center available to parishioners from the entire diocese, with comfortable lodging, meeting facilities, and a beautiful Chapel to spiritually enrich those who make use of the entire facility.

How long? It all depends on our financial resources and donations and gifts from the diocesan Church. My hope is that in sharing this information with you –that you anticipate the spiritual growth of the faithful by providing a place for prayer, worship, spiritual enrichment, and a resource the entire Diocese can enjoy for years to come. Please pray with me that we will be successful, and through the intercession of Saint Vincent de Paul, our efforts will bear fruit to the glory of God and for the good of the entire diocese.