August 14, 2020

To the Dear Faithful of the Diocese of Beaumont

“Peace be with you!” These are the words of the Risen Lord Jesus on Easter morning as he greets the fearful disciples locked in the Upper Room after the horrors of Good Friday. These are also the words with which the bishop greets the community at the beginning of Mass that I look forward to proclaiming at each of our parishes in the coming months. The peace of Christ is certainly what we need in our minds, hearts, and world at this time of unprecedented global pandemic and civil unrest, and I pray that my new apostolic ministry to our diocese will be marked by peace as we journey together through these difficult days.

As I mentioned in my opening remarks on June 9^th when it was announced that Pope Francis appointed me to be the sixth Bishop of the Diocese of Beaumont, “I am all yours!” Though the ordination on August 21^st will not be what we were all hoping for regarding a large diocesan celebration, in its simplicity it will be exactly what God has planned for us. Despite the restrictions due to the coronavirus, I indeed am all yours as the bishop’s ring will be placed on my finger by Cardinal DiNardo symbolizing the unity of the bishop with the diocese. I promise to spend myself in your service and together build up the Kingdom of God in Southeast Texas. And though we can’t all be together for the ordination on August 21^st, we can all spiritually participate! I humbly ask each of you to join us virtually online or on TV as we pray for the Holy Spirit to descend upon me in a new and profound way as I am ordained and installed as your new bishop.

An incredible reality for me is that at every Mass offered in our diocese I will now be prayed for by name in the Eucharistic Prayer. That is probably the best “fringe benefit” a guy could get with a new job offer! “Remember, Lord, your Church, spread throughout the world, and bring her to the fullness of charity, together with Francis our Pope and David our Bishop and all the clergy” (EP II). For those daily prayers at each of our altars I am eternally grateful! Notice that the office of bishop is linked to love and charity. It is my desire to be a source of love, healing, and reconciliation for all of our peoples, both inside our faith community and in our secular society. I will strive to build on the great work of my predecessor and your beloved bishop of twenty years, Bishop Curtis Guillory. Thank you Bishop Guillory for your welcome and guidance to me these past months and for loving and shepherding our diocese for the past twenty years!

The other interesting note about the prayerful remembrance of the bishop at the Mass is what the bishop himself says when celebrating the Mass. The Church puts on the lips of the bishop not his own name, but the following words: “for me your unworthy servant.” To some this may sound overly pious or smack of false humility, but in reality it is the recognition that God has called me to Southeast Texas, not because of my worthiness, but simply because in mystery He has called me to serve you. As Jesus says, “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain” (John 15:16). This young bishop is conscious that as I pray that prayer, it is by God’s grace and not of my own worthiness that I come to serve you. As your new bishop I come as a stranger into your midst, but I want you to know that I come striving to minister with love and humility in my heart. I also pray that we won’t be strangers for long!

God has called me here at this moment in time to love and serve you, and I look forward to doing so for many years to come. We can’t truly understand the days in which we are living, but we know that God is with us even in the chaos. This is why both Bishop Guillory and I have chosen Romans 8:28 to define our ministry in this diocese: “For those who love God, we know that all things work together for the good.” May we lean on this scriptural promise and trust the Lord, who is the Good Shepherd, to lead us through this dark valley to greener pastures of refreshment and comfort (cf. Psalm 23). As we place our trust in Him, “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Bishop David L. Toups