About Us
Mission
The Mission of Catholic Charities of Southwest Louisiana is to be Christ’s merciful love to those who suffer.
Mercy is a deep, heartfelt sympathy for the suffering of another—a piercing of the heart—that impels us to serve and comfort our neighbor in need. Catholic Charities is the primary instrument of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lake Charles in fulfilling the works of mercy. As an expression of our faith, we extend our services to individuals of all faiths, or no faith at all.
‘Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ (Matthew 25: 34-36)
Meet the Team
Staff
Sister Marie Josepha Kluczny
RSM- Executive Director
Jessica Watson
Grants and Finance Manager
Juluas Tademy
Prisoner Re-entry Case Manager
Cynthia Julian
Office Manager/ Disaster Case Manager
Carolyn Washington
General Case Manager
Alisa Stevens
Homeless Outreach Coordinator
Marcus Davis
Homeless Outreach Specialist
Gayle Smith
General Case Manager
Carrie Burch
Office and Volunteer Coordinator
Caroline Matt
Receptionist
Joe Torres
Food Bank Manager
Board of Directors
Most Reverend Glen John Provost
President
Very Reverend Ruben Buller
Very Reverend Ruben Buller
Very Reverend Nathan Long
Secretary/Treasurer
Stephanie Rodrigue
Sister Marie Josepha Kluczny
RSM
Advisory Board
Stephanie Rodrigue
Chair
Anthony Bartie
Vice Chairman
Blanche Landry
Secretary
Reverend Monsignor James Gaddy
Oliver “Rick” Richard
Lonny Harris
James Guilbeaux, Sr.
Community Partners
We could not continue our work without the support of our Community Partners. Thank you for helping us be Christ’s merciful love to those who suffer!
Our Bishop
The Most Reverend Glen John Provost, M.A., D.D.
Bishop Provost was ordained to the Episcopacy and installed as the Third Bishop of Lake Charles on Monday, April 23, 2007 in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Bishop of Lake Charles on March 6, 2007. He was born August 9, 1949 to Cyrus and Sadie Marie Blanchet Provost in Lafayette. He received a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from St. Joseph Seminary College in St. Benedict, La., in 1971, studied at the North American College in Rome from 1971 to 1975, received a Sacrae Theologiae Baccaluareus, or Bachelor of Sacred Theology (S.T.B.) from St. Thomas University in Rome in 1974 and continued studies in Sacred Theology at St. Thomas until 1975. He also earned a Master of Arts Degree in English Literature from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette in 1981.
Continuing education includes work at L’Institute Catholique in Paris (1972) (French language); the University of London (1980) (Victorian Literature); Don Quichote Institute, Salmancia (1997) (Spanish language); Institute Santa Maria, Rome (1971) (Italian language) and Archaeological Study Tours to Syria, Jordan and Turkey.
Bishop Provost was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Lafayette by Pope Paul VI on June 29, 1975 in St Peter’s Basilica in Rome. He served as an Associate Pastor at Our Lady Queen of Heaven in Lake Charles during the summer of 1975. He was Associate Pastor of St. Mary Magdalene in Abbeville, 1975-1983; Pastor of St. Leo in Roberts Cove, 1983-1985, Pastor of St. John Cathedral, 1985-1998, and Pastor of Our Lady of Fatima, 1998-March 6, 2007.
He served as a Judge on the Diocese of Lafayette Tribunal, was a member of the Diocesan School Board, 1987-1996, Vice Chairman of the Council of Priests, 2005-2006; Chairman of the Council of Priests, 1989-1991, 2006-2007; Member of the Council of Priests, 2001-2007; Episcopal Vicar and Dean of the West Lafayette Deanery, a Diocesan Consultor, 1991-2007. Bishop Provost served as the Bishop’s Liaison to the Legal Community, and was an instructor in the Department of Theology for Church History, Aquinas Institute, Holy Cross College, Lafayette/New Orleans.
He is a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, Atakapas Chapter; the National Chaplain’s Committee for the Sons of the American Revolution; a Knight of The Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem; the Knights of Columbus and Phi Eta Sigma Honor Fraternity.
The Bishop, since childhood, has studied music, enjoys playing the piano, and served as house organist at the seminaries he attended.
Impact Report
