News - August 2020 RSS Feed

My Brothers and Sisters, As we know Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana are in for a rough go. As we face the next 24 hours, please join me in interceding for the lives and safety of all. Homes, parishes, and schools we can rebuild, as we have done before, but the precious gift of life must come first.

Newly ordained and installed Bishop David Toups celebrated the vigil Mass at St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica, Beaumont, Aug. 22 and began with knocking on the doors of the Cathedral Basilica. In his homily Bishop Toups asked all to remember three letters R, I, M – relationship, identity, mission.

So how does a self-described “stereotypical frat boy” go from that college beginning to become the Bishop of a small Catholic diocese in Southeast Texas? Probably the best place to find that answer is to talk to the people who knew him “way back when.” Way back before he was a “fraternity man.” Way back before he was the gregarious high school freshman who never met a stranger.

ETC’s Karen Gilman had the opportunity to have a phone interview with Bishop David Toups while he was at his family home in Florida preparing for his move to Southeast Texas and his ordination to the episcopacy.

Congratulations to our sixth bishop of the Diocese of Beaumont, Bishop David L. Toups! The ordination and installation of Bishop Toups took place Aug. 21 at St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica, Beaumont.

Janice Pate Arceneaux, wife of retired Deacon Jude Arceneaux, passed away on Aug. 14. Her husband Jude served as deacon at St. Anne, Beaumont, from 2006 to 2011. The couple moved to Florida in 2011 following Jude’s retirement.

By Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Church teaching on giving priority to the well-being of the poor and marginalized is not a political or ideological choice; it lies at the very heart of the Gospel, Pope Francis said.

Students, faculty and staff of our five Catholic schools returned for the first day of school Aug. 17. Everyone was eager and ready to return. Safety procedures, including temperature checks and facial masks, were put into place due to COVID-19.

By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — The coronavirus pandemic has shed light on other, “more widespread social diseases,” particularly attacks on the God-given human dignity of every person, Pope Francis said.

You’re invited to the virtual celebration of the Episcopal ordination and installation of Bishop-elect David Toups as the sixth Bishop of Beaumont at 2 pm, Friday, August 21, 2020. Watch a live-stream on the Diocese of Beaumont YouTube channel as well as on 12NewsNow.com.

By Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis has sent 250,000 euros ($295,000) to Lebanon to help the Catholic Church and Catholic charitable organizations assist people impacted by the massive explosion Aug. 4 in Beirut.

By Catholic News Service WASHINGTON — The president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the chairman of its Committee on International Justice and Peace expressed solidarity with Lebanon and joined Pope Francis in his call for prayers for the nation following the deadly Aug. 4 explosion in Beirut.

In Southeast Texas, it is tradition to begin the new Catholic school year with prayer and guidance from the Holy Spirit.

By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — An author with a long and close relationship to retired Pope Benedict XVI told a German newspaper that the 93-year-old retired pope is “extremely frail.” Peter Seewald, the author who has published four wide-ranging book-length interviews with the retired pope, was quoted in the Aug. 3 edition of the Bavarian newspaper Passauer Neue Presse.