Heavenly Recipes
Story and Photos by Lawrence Chatagnier
Janet brings dessert
Janet Marcel 22 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • March 2022
This month’s heavenly recipe, blueberry tart, comes from Janet Marcel, staff writer and administrative assistant for Bayou Catholic. Janet got the recipe from her sister, Peggy Pitre. Janet says that she doesn’t cook often because she was never part of a traditional family model. “My mother passed away when I was a young child and my grandmother did most of the cooking for us. I was young at that time and didn’t have any desire to learn to cook, and didn’t really have a reason to cook.” While she might not cook much, Janet enjoys preparing desserts for family gatherings and occasional potluck events held at the Pastoral Center where she works. Janet’s daughter Kelsi Mason, is an eighth grade math teacher at Vandebilt Catholic High School in Houma. And she has two grandchildren, Carter and Alayna. Janet has been working for the diocese for the past 23 years. She has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a MBA from Nicholls State University. She began working in the Office of Catholic Schools under the direction of Sister Immaculata Paisant, M.S.C., who was the superintendent at that time. “I enjoyed the interaction between the school personnel, especially the school secretaries and school principals. Sister ‘Mac’ was a great mentor for me. She had a really strong work ethic. I think that inspired me to always want to do my best because I knew that’s what she expected from me. She was also a person I could turn to for advice and support when I went through personal difficulties. I worked in the Catholic Schools Office for 18 years.” While working in the Office of Catholic Schools, Janet began working part-time for the Bayou Catholic as a
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