28th Annual Red Mass Honors COVID Strike Team

On May 6, 2022, the annual Red Mass, sponsored by the Diocese of Shreveport and the Shreveport Red Mass Society, took place at Holy Trinity Catholic Church. This year’s honoree was the LSU Health Science Center Covid-19 Strike Teams under the direction of John A. Vanchiere, MD, PhD. These individuals have worked tirelessly alongside community partners since March of 2020 to administer almost 650,000 Covid-19 tests across North Louisiana including 89 nursing homes in North Louisiana, achieving one of the lowest infection rates in congregate settings in the United States. The Strike Team continued its work in 2021 partnering with the Louisiana Department of Education to deliver Covid-19 testing in our public schools, offering testing to more than 10,000 students since January 2021. Approximately 123,500 Covid-19 vaccines have been administered by this strike team at over 320 community sites, including the first large scale vaccination site in the State of Louisiana held at the Louisiana State Fair Grounds. Under the direction of Dr. John Vanchiere, pediatric infectious disease physician at LSU Health Science Center, these efforts have saved lives and made a tremendous difference in the general health and wellbeing of our community during these difficult times. In years past, such honorees as Supreme Court Justice Anton Scalia, Edward Cardinal Egan, Archbishop of New York, and Bishop Michael Coleman of Port Elizabeth, South Africa have attended the Red Mass here in Shreveport, Louisiana. In addition, local honorees including the men and women of Barksdale Air Force Base, the sisters and staff of Holy Angels, the generosity of the Community Foundation, and the good work among the disadvantaged of our community by the Society of St. Vincent De Paul have been highlighted. According to Larry Pettiette, Red Mass Chairman: “This year’s honoree adds to the strong legacy of the Shreveport Red Mass. To honor a group such as the LSU Health Shreveport COVID-19 Strike Team, locally based with national and international significance, which has done so much to help so many during a very difficult time, is indeed one of the highlights of our 25year history. To have Dr. Vanchiere and his group celebrating with us will make this year’s Red Mass particularly meaningful.” Significantly, Holy Trinity Catholic Church is the parish with stained glass windows memorializing the five Roman Catholic priests who died in the yellow fever epidemic of 1873 in Shreveport, Louisiana. These priests have recently been declared Servants of God, which is the first step to sainthood in the Catholic Church. A fitting venue to honor the modern local heroes who work the front lines of vaccination and testing during the Covid-19 pandemic.

LAWRENCE W. PETTIETTE, JR. is the Chairman of the Shreveport Red Mass Society.