Century of Love News of the Centennial of the Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana June, 2018 www.diolaf.org The Diocese Comes of Age: Diocese. His persistence paid off, and 18 years Growth of the Church after his installation, the Discalced Carmelites established a home in the city of Lafayette in 1936. As Jules Jeanmard was formally installed Bishop of Bishop Jeanmard saw this powerhouse of prayer the Diocese of Lafayette on December 12, 1918, the as a “lightning rod” for the Diocese. Still today, the 39-year-old Bishop wasted no Carmelites continue their support and prayer for time in setting forth his vision the work of the Church in the Diocese of Lafayette. for growth. The most notable expansion in the early years of Jeanmard’s pride and joy was St. Mary’s Home, an the Diocese of Lafayette was in orphanage located only a few blocks from the its number of parishes and Cathedral and the Bishop’s home. Jeanmard priests. While the Diocese of worked diligently to open this home in 1923, which Lafayette represented a would be run by the Sisters of Charity of the Incar- sizable land area, the popula- nate Word. Bishop Jeanmard was a true father tion west of the Atchafalaya figure to the boys and girls who lived there. Every River was only 25% of the afternoon, he would walk over to the home for population of the Archdiocese games of baseball and recreation with the children. of New Orleans. Lafayette, its In time, St. Mary’s Home would care for over 1,100 biggest city, had well under 10,000 residents. The children. After 52 years of operation, the orphan- new Diocese consisted of 48 church parishes and a age was closed in 1975. total of 72 priests in the area, 27 of which were religious (Jesuits, Early in his episco- Josephites, etc.). pacy, Jeanmard Forty years later, desired to open a the Diocese of seminary in Lafay- Lafayette more ette. Jeanmard, a than tripled its native of Breaux number of priests, Bridge, was the with 241 priests first Louisiana serving Southwest priest to be made a Louisiana in 1956. bishop, and he Bishop Jeanmard was a strong advo- himself would establish around 60 new parishes in his cate for developing a Diocese of native vocations time as Bishop, a rate of over 1.5 new parishes a year. rather than relying on priests from Europe or Canada. In fact, Jeanmard’s very first Pastoral Many other significant moments marked the growth Letter to the people of the Diocese of Lafayette was of a small rural area into a robust Diocese of Catho- on the topic of native vocations. His work to estab- lic activity. An early goal of Bishop Jeanmard was to lish a seminary was initially unsuccessful for finan- bring a cloistered Carmelite community to the cial reasons. But on December 8, 1948, the 30th Century of Love News of the Centennial of the Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana June, 2018 www.diolaf.org anniversary of his consecration as bishop, he laid Archdiocese of New Orleans, to be the auxiliary the cornerstone for Immaculata Minor Seminary. Bishop of the Diocese of Lafayette. Bishop Schex- nayder would spend the Bishop Jeanmard worked next five years as the auxil- to establish a place of iary bishop, assisting prayer for the lay faithful Bishop Jeanmard. In time, of the Diocese of Lafay- Bishop Schexnayder took ette in the form of a on more responsibilities retreat center. In 1938, and public events as Jeanmard opened Our Jeanmard’s health began to Lady of the Oaks Retreat decline. Jeanmard retired Center in Grand Coteau, at the age of 76 in 1956, which still serves the spir- and Schexnayder was itual needs of men and St. Mary’s Home appointed the second women through- out the Bishop of Lafayette. The Diocese by providing Diocese of Lafayette looked retreats. In 1942, Jean- very different than it did mard oversaw the creation almost 40 years earlier. of a Catholic Student The actions of Bishop Jean- Center on the grounds of mard, Bishop Schexnayder, Southwestern Louisiana clergy, religious, and lay Institute (now the Univer- faithful alike, marked an sity of Louisiana at Lafay- incredible period of growth ette). Our Lady of Wisdom within the Diocese. has grown into one of the largest Catholic Student One month after the Our Lady of the Oaks Retreat Center Centers in the country and Diocese of Lafayette continues to serve the celebrated 40 years since the students and faculty on the installation of its first bishop, the campus. Bishop Jeanmard Bishop of Rome, Pope St. John also oversaw the creation of XXIII, shocked the world when Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic he called for an ecumenical hospital in the city of Lafay- council on January 25, 1959. ette, which opened its doors The Second Vatican Council in 1949. began in 1962 and guided the Diocese of Lafayette through On December 11, 1950, Pope the decades to come. Pius XII appointed Fr. Maurice Schexnayder, a priest of the .