I was born in Shreveport, La. and grew up in Natchitoches. I am the oldest of three boys and my brothers, Chris (Peggy) live in Shreveport and Steve (Jan) Bossier City. I attended St. Anthony Elementary School and St. Mary High. I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Joseph Seminary College in St. Benedict, La. just north of New Orleans. It was here that my love of the Church’s liturgy blossomed under the care of the Benedictine Monks who taught and cared for the Provincial Seminary College of the Provinces of New Orleans and Mobile. My graduate theological studies were at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans and the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. I was ordained to the Priesthood for the Congregation of the Oratory, on June 24, 1989 in my home parish church, St. Anthony of Padua.
During the first seven years of priesthood I was sacramental priest to St. Mary’s Church, a small congregation serving the African American community in Rock Hill, South Carolina. After a year of serving in this ministry I also undertook the care of Campus Ministry to Winthrop University and continued the campus ministry for six years.
The Lord sent me on mission back to my home state of Louisiana to minister as pastor to another small African American parish, Our Lady of Prompt Succor in Mansura, Louisiana in my home Diocese of Alexandria. Here I ministered for five years. Then I responded to an invitation to assist in the foundation of a new house of the Congregation of the Oratory at Holy Trinity in Kuliouou on the Island of Oahu. In the five years there I was also parochial vicar.
In 2010 I returned to Rock Hill where I ministered to residents in Nursing Homes, Assisted Living and Hospitals in Rock Hill and on weekends I was supply priest to parishes throughout the Diocese of Charleston, SC and Charlotte, NC.
In 2016 I returned to my native Louisiana in a different part of what use to be the Home Diocese of Alexandria. It was refreshing to experience the life of the church of this local diocese that I use to read about in the Church Today, then the Diocesan Publication covering news in the Church of all North Louisiana. In Monroe I ministered as parochial vicar at Jesus the Good Shepherd Parish. I enjoyed my ministry there with JGS School, the various parish ministries, and the ACTS Community and St. Frederick High. For a brief part of my time there I was sacramental priest at St. Matthew.
After two years there, Bishop Michael Duca assigned me to be pastor of St. Joseph in Mansfield and its mission, St. Ann in Stonewall. I enjoyed my ministry there assisting the people in completing the renovations of St. Joseph begun under Fr. Matthew Long my predecessor. I encouraged St. Ann to keep at it on their dream of one day a new church. With this summer’s need for changes Fr Peter Mangum, Diocesan Administrator initially assigned me to fill the vacancy for sacramental priest at Barksdale AFB and with the election of Fr. Nick to FMH Superior General it was a natural that I would be assigned to Mary Queen of Peace and St. George. I am very happy to come among you to minister here at MQP in South Bossier and St. George in Red River Parish.
May God who has begun a good work in us bring it to completion,
Fr. Jim
Permanent Deacon
I started attending Mary, Queen of Peace in the late ‘70’s. After graduating from Parkway High School (Go Panthers!) I received an associate degree in General Business from BPCC, and a bachelor degree in accounting from LSU-S. Then I married Pam my sweetheart with whom we have two wonderful boys, Josh and Matthew. I then acquired a masters degree in information technology which I also received from LSU-S. In 2001 I received a calling to the permanent deaconate and four years later was ordained. After working for a life insurance company for 16 years as the human resource director I received a call from the diocese wanting me to be their new HR director and I accepted. I enjoy serving as a deacon at MQP where I truly feel we are one big family and nowhere else that I feel so at home!
Michael Straub
Parish Secretary
Jeannette Petty's bio is forthcoming.
Director of Religious Education (D.R.E.)
God leads and she gladly follows.
Jacquie and her husband David have five children. By profession, she is a secondary English teacher. Shortly before having their first child, she took a hiatus from the school system to stay at home, fulfilling a dream. That summer a door opened within the church parish for the position of Director of Religious Education. Teaching in the public school system greatly prepared her for the scope of religious education.
Serving the church gives her abundant joy. She loves working with young people and sharing her faith in Christ and love for Him with the youth. Learning and teaching are her passions.There is so much knowledge about her faith that she has gained through her endeavors as director. There is even more knowledge to be gained as the DRE. Jacquie loves what she does!
It is her desire to continually enrich our Parish School of Religion (PSR) program to meet the needs of our young people and our parish families. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his[a]faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; Romans 12:6, 7 It is with great joy that Jacquie serves and teaches in the capacity of religious education, thus, fulfilling a dream.
