Jesuits of the New Orleans Province and invited guests gathered to honor eighteen priests, celebrating milestones of service, with the long-standing tradition of the Jesuit Jubilee. Festivities began with a special Mass at Immaculate Conception Jesuit Church in New Orleans on Sunday, July 29, 2012 at 3:00 p.m. After Mass, there was a reception for honorees and guests.
This year’s Jubilarians have contributed a combined total of 980 years of service to the Church.
You may wish to view some photos of the Jubilee celebration.
| Celebrating 75 years in the Society | ||||
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Rev. A. Gerard Fineran, S.J., is a retreat director and minister in his 42nd year of missionary work in Brazil, where he has worked in both Indaiatuba and Campinas. An alumnus of Jesuit High School of New Orleans, he earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Spring Hill College and a Licentiate of Sacred Theology from St. Albert de Louvain in Belgium. Before his time in Brazil, he was a minister and teacher at St. Charles College in Grand Coteau, La., and for four years he was secretary for the U.S. Assistancy of the Society of Jesus at the Jesuit Curia in Rome. Fr. Fineran has also served the province as socius, vice provincial and pastoral assistant to the provincial. | |||
| Celebrating 70 years in the Society | ||||
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Rev. Rodney T. Kissinger, S.J., is originally from New Orleans. He entered the Society of Jesus after receiving his bachelor's degree in chemistry from Loyola University New Orleans. He then studied philosophy at Spring Hill College before earning a Licentiate of Sacred Theology from St. Mary's College. For 10 years, he was in pastoral ministry at parishes in Key West, Tampa, Dallas and Shreveport. His retreat house ministry has included assignments at Montserrat Retreat House in Lake Dallas, Texas, Immaculata Retreat House in Liberty, Mo., Our Lady of the Oaks Retreat House in Grand Coteau, La., and Manresa House of Retreats in Convent, La. Fr. Kissinger spent 14 years at Jesuit High School of Tampa where he was a retreat director and was involved in parish and radio ministry. He is currently a member of the Ignatius Residence community and spends much of his time writing and giving online retreats. He is also auxiliary chaplain at Our Lady of Wisdom nursing home. |  | Rev. Louis A. Poché, S.J., is an alumnus of Jesuit High School of New Orleans. After entering the Society of Jesus, he earned bachelor and master degrees in education from Woodstock College, a bachelor's degree in theology from St. Mary's College, and a master's degree in theology from the University of San Francisco. He taught theology for 13 years at Loyola University New Orleans, where he also served as chaplain of the pharmacy and music schools and eventually as university chaplain. He was associate pastor at Immaculate Conception Church in New Orleans and pastor at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Grand Coteau, La., and he was later director of Our Lady of the Oaks Retreat House and the Jesuit Spirituality Center, both in Grand Coteau. For five years he was superior of Ignatius Residence in New Orleans, after which he became the pastoral minister in residence at Sacred Heart and St. Joseph Parishes in Gramercy and Paulina, La., respectively. He is now praying for the Church and Society at Ignatius Residence in New Orleans. | |
| Celebrating 60 years in the Society | ||||
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Rev. Christopher A. Billac, S.J., is originally from New Orleans and an alumnus of Jesuit High School. After entering the Society of Jesus, he earned a bachelor's degree in education from Spring Hill College and master degrees in theology and the classics from Spring Hill College and Loyola University Chicago. He also earned a Licentiate of Sacred Theology from St. Mary's College and a doctoral degree in Latin literature from Pacific Western University of California. In 1967 he began teaching Latin and theology at Strake Jesuit College Preparatory in Houston, and in 1982 he was missioned to Jesuit High School of Tampa where he was a teacher, chaplain and rector for 9 years. He then returned to Strake Jesuit College Preparatory, where for the next 20 years he worked as a teacher, alumni director and alumni chaplain. Fr. Billac is currently praying for the Church and Society at Ignatius Residence. |  | Rev. John N. Folzenlogen, S.J., an alumnus of Jesuit High School of Dallas, has been a science teacher and guidance counselor at Strake Jesuit College Preparatory of Houston for 30 years. After entering the Society of Jesus, he earned bachelor and master degrees in biology from Fordham University and a Licentiate of Sacred Theology from St. Mary's College. He taught theology and biology at Jesuit High School of Shreveport for 15 years, after which he was missioned to Strake Jesuit College Preparatory in Houston, where he continues to counsel students and assists with pastoral activities. | |
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Rev. James L. Lambert, S.J., is an alumnus of Jesuit High School of Tampa. After entering the Society of Jesus, he earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Spring Hill College, a doctoral degree in organic chemistry from Johns Hopkins University and a Licentiate of Sacred Theology from Woodstock College. He was a teacher and campus minister at Spring Hill College for 27 years, where he also served as academic dean and chair of the chemistry department for 11 years. Fr. Lambert became pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in 1996. After four years, he was appointed as the provincial's assistant for parish and retreat ministry and continued to serve Our Lady of Guadalupe Church as associate pastor for five years. In 2005, he was missioned to St. Charles Borromeo Church in Grand Coteau, La., where he has been pastor for the last seven years. | |||
| Celebrating 50 years in the Society | ||||
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Rev. Wayne D. Herpin, S.J., an alumnus of Jesuit High School of Dallas, is currently pastor of St. Jude Mission in Almogordo, N.M. Prior to this assignment, he served on the staff at Ignatius Residence, was associate pastor of St. Rita Church in Dallas, and chaplain at Noreen McKeen Retirement Residence in West Palm Beach, Fla. Fr. Herpin has also worked as chaplain at Texas Medical Center in Houston, associate pastor and minister of St. Ann Rectory in West Palm Beach, and minister of the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University in Berkley, Calif. He also taught for many years at Jesuit College Preparatory School in Dallas, Strake Jesuit College Preparatory in Houston and Jesuit High School of New Orleans. Fr. Herpin has a bachelor's degree in philosophy and English from Spring Hill College, a Master of Education from Loyola University New Orleans, a Master of Divinity from St. Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and a Bachelor of Sacred Theology from Collège de L'Immaculée Conception in Montreal. |  |
Rev. Peter S. Rogers, S.J.,is a native of Jeanerette, La. For over 20 years, he has been a professor of French at Loyola University New Orleans, where he is also the rector of the university's Jesuit community. After entering the Society of Jesus, he earned academic degrees in French from Spring Hill College and the Université d'Aix-Marseille. He obtained a master's degree from Middlebury College and doctoral degrees from the Université de Paris-Sorbonne and Columbia University. He also earned a master's degree in theology from the Centre Sèvres in Paris. He taught at Jesuit high schools in New Orleans and Tampa, and over the years Fr. Rogers has been a visiting professor at Wake Forest University and Texas A&M University. Fr. Rogers translated the autobiography of Gabriel Marcel and has written book-length studies of the work of Marcel Proust and Gustave Flaubert's "Madame Bovary: moeurs de province." His most recent translation is that of Paul Beauchamp's "Fifty Biblical Portraits," a reading of Old Testament characters. | |
 | Rev. Edward Salazar, S.J., is a retreat director at Montserrat Retreat House in Lake Dallas, Texas. After entering the Society of Jesus he earned a bachelor's degree in Spanish from Spring Hill College, a master's degree in Latin-American literature from Universidad Ibero Americana in Mexico City, and a Master of Divinity from the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University in Berkley, Calif. His pastoral assignments have included St. Joseph Parish in Houston, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in San Antonio and Sacred Heart Church in El Paso. He has worked as an episcopal vicar for Hispanics within the Archdiocese of Atlanta and was president of the National Association of Hispanic Priests. He also spent several years in Hispanic ministry for parishes in Alabama, Florida and Georgia. For nine years he was chaplain for the Christus Spohn Health System in Corpus Christi. Fr. Salazar is originally from San Antonio. | |||
| Celebrating 60 Years in the Priesthood | ||||
 | Rev. John J. Heaney, S.J., originally from Corry, Pennsylvania, grew up in Albuquerque, N.M. After entering the Society of Jesus he earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Spring Hill College and theology degrees from De Nobili College and St. Mary's College, both in India. He spent 22 years in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) – 14 of those teaching at St. Joseph College in Trincomalee and eight years as director novices for the Ceylon vice province. Afterward, he returned to the U.S. to work as a teacher at Corpus Christi Minor Seminary in Corpus Christi, Texas, and at Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas. For a time, he was a vicar for priests at Holy Trinity Seminary in Irving, Texas. He was also pastor of St. Rita Church in Dallas for eight years and a retreat director at Montserrat Retreat House in Lake Dallas, Texas, for two years. After brief periods of service to Immaculate Conception Church in Albuquerque and All Saints Church in Dallas, he returned to work at St. Rita Church for seven years. He is currently praying for the Church and Society at Ignatius Residence in New Orleans. | |||
| Celebrating 50 years in the Priesthood | ||||
 | Rev. Clair M. Cazayoux, S.J., is originally from Baton Rouge. After entering the Society of Jesus he earned bachelor and master degrees in chemistry from Spring Hill College and Louisiana State University, respectively. He spent six years in the missions, where he taught at St. Michael's College in Sri Lanka and was associate pastor and vicar general at St. Mary's Cathedral in India. He then served as chaplain at Catholic High School of Baton Rouge, the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women, the Baptist and DePaul Hospitals in New Orleans and at Southeast Louisiana State Hospital in Mandeville, Louisiana. He taught for several years at Jesuit High School of New Orleans and Strake Jesuit Preparatory of Houston. His pastoral assignments have included Holy Family Church in Deming, N.M., Immaculate Conception Church in Albuquerque, Sacred Heart Church in Tampa, Holy Name of Jesus Church in New Orleans and St. Charles Borromeo Church in Grand Coteau, La. Fr. Cazayoux has also been assistant director of Ignatius Retreat House in Atlanta. He is currently a member of the Ignatius Residence community in New Orleans. |  | Rev. Martin L. Elsner, S.J., is currently a spiritual director at Assumption Seminary in San Antonio. Prior to this assignment, he spent 22 years in pastoral ministry at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in San Antonio. Fr. Elsner was also pastor of St. Joseph Church in Houston for eight years and served as the province assistant for pastoral ministry for two years. He spent nine years in El Paso – four of those as rector, principal and president of Jesuit High School of El Paso and five years as a teacher at Riverside Public School. He also spent four years as assistant principal of Jesuit High School in Shreveport. Fr. Elsner has a bachelor's degree in English from Spring Hill College and a Master of Education from Loyola University New Orleans. He is originally from St. Louis, Mo., and attended Jesuit High School of Dallas. | |
 | Rev. Ernest C. Ferlita, S.J., is an alumnus of Jesuit High School of Tampa. His studies at Spring Hill College were interrupted by service in the U.S. Army, after which he completed his bachelor's degree in English at Spring Hill College. He then entered the Society of Jesus and earned a Licentiate of Sacred Theology from St. Mary's College. He also completed drama studies at Yale University. Fr. Ferlita spent 32 years teaching drama and speech at Loyola University New Orleans, where he also chaired the department of drama and speech for 18 years, was professor emeritus of drama, and where an outstanding drama award bears his name. He was also a chaplain for the Poor Clares of New Orleans. In 1980, Fr. Ferlita visited the Universidade de Paraná in Curitiba, Brazil, as a Fulbright scholar, and he spent one year as a visiting professor at Boston College. Fr. Ferlita is currently praying for the Church and Society at Ignatius Residence. |  | Rev. Donald J. Martin, S.J., is originally from New Orleans and is an alumnus of Jesuit High School. After entering the Society of Jesus he earned a bachelor's degree in physics from Spring Hill College, a Licentiate of Sacred Theology from St. Mary's College and a doctoral degree in liturgy from the University of Notre Dame. Fr. Martin has since worked as an instructor of theology at Loyola University New Orleans and Spring Hill College, where he was also rector of the Jesuit community in Mobile. He was also a retreat director at Ignatius House of Retreats in Atlanta. His pastoral assignments have included ministry at Holy Name of Jesus Church in New Orleans and as the province assistant for parishes and retreat houses in the New Orleans Province. This year he completed two twelve-year terms as a professor of sacramental theology and liturgy at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. | |
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Rev. Bert Mead, S.J., entered the Society of Jesus after serving in the National Guard. He earned a bachelor's degree in Latin from Spring Hill College, a Licentiate of Sacred Theology from St. Mary's College and a doctoral degree in psychology from Loyola University Chicago. He is currently involved in pastoral ministry in and around New Orleans. Prior to this assignment, Fr. Mead taught at both the high school and university levels and had a variety of pastoral assignments inside and beyond the New Orleans Province, serving as a counselor and pastor. Beyond his great pastoral and counseling experience, Fr. Mead has also served as a chaplain at prisons and hospitals. |  | Rev. Hervé Racivitch, S.J., is a native New Orleanian who earned both a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws from Tulane University before entering the Society of Jesus. Afterward, he earned a Licentiate of Sacred Theology from Faculté Theologique de Lyon in France. He was a teacher at Jesuit High School of New Orleans for eight years and later served as chaplain of Marquette University. Fr. Racivitch is currently praying for the Church and Society at Ignatius Residence. | |
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Rev. Thomas J. Tierney, S.J., a native of Minnesota, entered the Society after serving in the U.S. Army. He earned his bachelor's degree in sociology from Spring Hill College and a master's degree in theology from the University of San Francisco. After serving as a counselor at Jesuit high schools in both New Orleans and Shreveport, he was assistant pastor at St. Agnes Church in Baton Rouge, Gesù Church in Miami, Sacred Heart Church in Tampa, and at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in San Antonio. Fr. Tierney also served for many years as a hospital chaplain at Veterans' Administration Hospital in Hot Springs, S.D., where he is now in residence at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church. | |||
| Celebrating 25 years in the Priesthood | ||||
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Rev. J. William Harmless, S.J., is originally from Kansas City, Mo., and an alumnus of Rockhurst High School. Before entering the Society of Jesus he earned a bachelor's degree in English from Rice University and was a Peace Corps volunteer. After entering the Society, he earned a Master of Divinity from Weston Jesuit School of Theology, followed by a doctoral degree in religion and education from Boston College. Fr. Harmless has worked as the director of religious education at St. Joseph Church in Houston and as a professor at Spring Hill College and John Carroll University. He is currently a professor of historical theology and patristic studies at Creighton University. | |||
Congratulations to all of these men!