Bishop Speyrer Laid to Rest on Saint Charles Center Grounds LAKE CHARLES – His Ex- Tor of the Southwest Louisiana the Episcopacy in 1980
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The Diocese of Lake Charles lcdiocese.org Vol. 39, No. 16 Bishop Speyrer laid to rest on Saint Charles Center grounds LAKE CHARLES – His Ex- tor of The Southwest Louisiana the episcopacy in 1980. cese – Glad Tidings – on Oct. cellency, The Most Reverend Register, the newspaper of the He was very active in the 5, 1980 and he participated in Jude Speyrer, S.T.L., D.D., 84, Diocese of Lafayette. community helping to launch the celebration of 100 years the founding bishop of the In 1964, he became pastor to Abraham’s Tent in 1986. He of Catholic education in Lake Diocese of Lake Charles, was Our Lady of the Lake Catholic was on the Board of Directors Charles on Aug. 1, 1982. interred in New Bethany Cem- Church in Lake Arthur as well for United Way of Southwest He established the publica- etery on the grounds of Saint as administrator of the par- Louisiana for a number of tion of the Catholic Calendar, Charles Center on Wednesday, ish’s St. Maria Goretti Catholic years and served as chairman, initially a single page pub- July 31, following the Mass of elementary and high school. vice chairman and treasurer, lished twice monthly in the Christian Burial in the Cathe- In 1969, he became the the latter on two occasions. He Lake Charles American Press, dral of the Immaculate Con- founding pastor of Our Lady was also instrumental in rais- on Oct. 15, 1982. ception. Bishop Glen John Pro- Queen of Peace Catholic ing awareness and funds for In 1983, Bishop Speyrer es- vost was the celebrant. Church in Lafayette and in the construction of a chapel at tablished the first new parish The Bishop-emeritus died 1974 named a Chaplain to His the Phelps Correctional Cen- in the Diocese of Lake Charles on Sunday, July 21, in Opelou- Holiness Pope Paul VI with the ter in DeQuincy. at St. Charles Borromeo in sas. Bishop Speyrer was con- title Monsignor. There were many high- Fenton and dedicated the first secrated and installed as the Beginning in 1974, he was lights during his 20 years as new chapel - St. Jude Chapel in During the Episcopal Ordination on April 25, 1980 in the first bishop of Lake Charles named – in succession – Chan- Bishop of Lake Charles. On Dry Creek. Lake Charles Civic Center, all of the bishops present, in- on April 25, 1980. Pope John cellor, Vicar General, Vicar Sept. 9, 1980 – the Feast of St. On April 25, 1985, the offices cluding Lafayette’s Bishop Gerard Frey laid hands on Paul II appointed him to lead for the Lafayette Deanery Peter Claver - he named St. of the Chancery were moved Bishop Speyrer’s head. the new diocese on January 29, and Chairman of the Council Peter Claver as the patron of into new quarters at 414 Iris 1980. of Vicars of the Diocese of La- the fledgling diocese. He inau- Street, the building being a gift Bishop Speyrer is survived fayette, working in Chancery gurated the Sunday morning from Calcasieu Council 1207 anniversary of the Diocese from the Lake Charles Chap- by a sister, Alice Louise Finley positions until his elevation to television program of the dio- Knights of Columbus and Cath- took place Jan. 28, 2000 at a ter of the National Confer- of Arnaudville; a brother, Os- olic Daughters of the Americas reception in the Calcasieu Ma- ence of Christians and Jews, car Speyrer and his wife Faye Court Lady of the Lake 695 of rine tower in downtown Lake was named the diocesan Citi- of Opelousas; and a multitude the Cathedral parish. Charles. The anniversary saw zen of the Year by the Fourth of nieces and nephews. Bishop Speyrer initiated the publication of The Visible Degree Knights of Columbus, He was predeceased by his the publication of a monthly Church, a history of the church and presented with the Silver parents, Antoine Speyrer and newspaper for the Diocese, parishes of the Diocese. Beaver Emblem by the Cal- Emelie Quebedeaux Speyrer The Southwest Catholic, in Nov. During his two decades as casieu Area Council of Boy and nine siblings, Aimee Da- 1986. He dedicated the Stella head of the Diocese, Bishop Scouts of America. vid Wyble, Paul Joseph Spey- Maris Seafarers Center at the Speyrer was singled out for The National Council of rer, Daniel Antoine Speyrer, Port of Lake Charles on Jan. numerous honors. In Aug. the Knights of Peter Claver Marie Hayes Mayne, Mildred 15, 1987. conferred upon him its Na- Olivier, Anthony Speyrer, Sr. In April 1988, the Bishop tional Gold Medal of Merit, he Antoine (Rita) Speyrer, Alfred made the first of three ad lim- was named the Distinguished C. Speyrer, and James Phillip ina visits to the Holy See to re- Citizen by the Calcasieu Area Speyrer. port to the Holy Father on the Council of Boy Scouts of Amer- The Bishop-emeritus Diocese. ica, awarded the diocese’s St. served as the shepherd of the A project near and dear to Vincent de Paul Humanitar- local church of Southwest his heart began on April 1, 1995 ian Award, and presented the Louisiana until Dec. 12, 2000, with the start of construction Gold Palm of Jerusalem from when Pope John Paul II ac- of Saint Charles Center, the the Equestrian Order of the cepted his request for retire- diocesan spirituality/retreat Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. ment. He was named Admin- center on Sam Houston Jones The Pontifical Knights of istrator of the Diocese by the Parkway in Moss Bluff. Shortly the Diocese awarded him College of Consultors after his after the establishment of the their inaugural Clergy Lead- retirement, serving until Feb. Diocese, Bishop Speyrer had ership Award, and the Su- 21, 2001, when his successor, called his priests together to preme Knight of the Knights Bishop Edward K. Braxton, discuss the most important of Columbus gave him a Medal was installed. needs for the new diocese. of Commendation. The Loui- Bishop Speyrer was born While many topics were dis- siana District of the Fourth on April 14, 1929 in Leonville, cussed, the item that came up A 24-year old Father Jude Speyrer on the day of his Degree Knights of Columbus La. – one of 12 children of repeatedly was the need, at gave him the Pope John XXIII Emelie and Antoine Speyrer. some time in the future, for a priestly ordination – July Award for Ecumenism, and he retreat center for the Diocese. He entered St. Joseph Semi- 25, 1953. received the Award of Honor nary College in St. Benedict, After years of planning and by the Sacred Military Con- La. at the age of 13 and gradu- fundraising, the project was 1980, he was invested as a stantinian Order of St. George ated in 1947 with an associate begun. Knight Commander of the Or- for his spiritual and moral of arts degree. He then en- In Jan. 1995, Bishop Spey- der of the Fleur de Lis, in Oct. leadership. He received the tered Notre Dame Seminary rer welcomed to Lake Charles, 1981 as a Knight Commander in New Orleans and received The Most Reverend Agostino with Star of the Equestrian inaugural H.E. Chevalier his Bachelor of Arts degree in Cacciavillan, the Apostolic Order of the Holy Sepulchre Truman H. Stacey Award for May 1949. In Sept. 1949, he was Nuncio to the United States for of Jerusalem and in 1994 as the Promotion of Ecumenism sent to the Pontifical North The newly consecrated and installed Bishop Jude Spey- the dedication of Saint Charles an Ecclesiastical Knight Com- from the Imperial Calcasieu American College in Rome for rer, the founding bishop of the Diocese of Lake Charles Center and its Tabor Retreat mander of Grace in the Sacred Cadre of the Order of St. Laza- further studies, transferring to stands with his crozier on April 25, 1980. House and Katharine Drexel Military Constantinian Order rus of Jerusalem. the University of Fribourg in Conference Center. of St. George. In 2008, he established The Switzerland in 1950. He was Acting upon Pope John Paul Over the years, he was Bishop Jude Speyrer Fund in ordained to the diaconate in II’s 1994 apostolic letter Ter- recognized by many organi- Honor of Monsignor Gouaux 1953 and graduated from the Bishop Provost speaks on tio Millennio Adveniente to the zations for his dutiful ser- with the Community Founda- University of Fribourg with a world’s bishops, clergy, and vice, receiving the St. George tion of Southwest Louisiana. Licentiate in Sacred Theology lay faithful on preparation for Emblem from the National Distributions from the Fund in May 1953. Lafayette Auxilia- the death of Bishop Speyrer the Jubilee of the Year 2000, Committee on Scouting and are to be used exclusively for ry Bishop Maurice Schexnay- Bishop Speyer initiated in Jan. named Clergyman of the Year tuition assistance for clergy of der ordained him to the priest- “We are all saddened by in the faith that we shared 1997 a 36-month pilgrimage by Msgr. Cramers Assem- the Diocese of Lake Charles hood on July 25, 1953 in St. the death of Bishop Speyrer with Bishop Speyrer in the to each parish of the diocese. bly Fourth Degree Knights seeking further education. John Cathedral in Lafayette. who served our Lord Jesus victory over death accom- The monthly pilgrimage be- of Columbus, and Knight of Contributions to the this fund He celebrated his first mass so devoutly and fulfilled the plished in Jesus Christ and gan at the youngest parish – St. the Year by District VI of the or directly to the Diocese for in his hometown church of St.