Seminary and National Shrine Grotto News

APPOINTED FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST IN DIOCESE OF LAFAYETTE

REV. JASON MOUTON, S’92, was appointed the first African American Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Lafayette. He currently serves as pastor and spiritual director at Saint Martin de Tours Catholic Church, the third oldest Catholic Church in the diocese and one of the oldest in the nation, in Saint Martinsville, Louisiana. Founded in 1765 by a group of Acadian exiles, the church was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in April 1972 and recognized as the Mother Church of the Acadians.

Mouton studied chemistry at the University of Southwestern Louisiana from 1982 to 1985 and graduated from St. Joseph Seminary College in 1987 with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy. From 1987 to 1988 he spent a year at Sacred Heart in Ville Platte with Rev. Michael Jarrell, Gil Dutel and Jay Voorhies.

Mouton came to Mount St. Mary's Seminary in 1988, received a Master of Divinity degree in 1991, and by 1992 graduated summa cum laude, receiving his master’s degree in systematic/ dogmatic theology. During his time at Mount St. Mary’s he was awarded the Hamilton-Mitchell full academic scholarship for three consecutive years.

That summer he was ordained by Bishop Harry Flynn, who would later appoint him as pastor of Our Lady, Queen of Peace where he served for 13 years. Mouton’s first pastoral assignment was as parochial vicar of Holy Rosary-Cabrini church in Kaplan. In 1995, Bishop O’Donnell appointed him Diocesan Master of Ceremonies and Director of the Office of Worship, a position he held for 10 years. For seven years he served as Chancellor of Holy Family Catholic School in Lafayette.

In 2006 Queen of Peace parish awarded him the Martin Luther King Jr. award for outstanding service to the church parish and greater community. His home parish is St. Anne’s, Youngsville, where he served as pastor for twelve years from 2007-19.

Learn more

All this information and more available at saintmartindetours.org.

Visit the Grotto's Online Store!

National Shrine Grotto’s St. Bernadette’s Shoppe Open Online

ST. BERNADETTE’S SHOPPE, located inside the Miller Family Visitors Center at the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, was founded in 2013. Now friends, visitors and pilgrims can find a variety of Catholic books, art, jewelry and sacraments available for purchase online. “While we invite everyone to visit our shrine in person, we realize not everyone is able to make the trip. In order to spread the faith more widely, we offer a selection of high-quality products for sale online,” said Director of the Grotto Dawn Walsh, C'83.

Online shoppers can choose from a selection of art, chaplets, crosses and crucifixes, grotto gifts, jewelry, Lourdes water, medals, statues and rosaries. Items for yourself or a loved one can be shipped anywhere in the continental U.S. and free shipping is offered on orders of $75 or more.

“We aim to make products available to people which will help them grow in the Catholic faith and move ever closer to the hearts of Jesus and Mary," Walsh explained. Questions about orders or offerings? Call 301-447-5444.