FromOurPastor

VERY REV . CHESTER C ARCENEAUX , VF

e are blessed to be stewards of the great building projects of Fr. William Teurlings. His vision and leadership over 100 years ago, gave Lafayette its most beautiful landmark in the Cathedral of St John the Evangelist in 1916 as well as Lafayette’s first Catholic school for boys in 1919 Mrs Kay Aillet and I are excited to announce dual campaigns focusing on these two icons of Fr Teurlings’ legacy. I ask that you prayerfully consider making a gift in support of these preservation efforts for the church and school.

As the caretaker of our historic Cathedral, I enacted a three-part preservation plan which began a few years ago with the installation of a new HVAC system, a new roof, and a complete waterproofing of the Cathedral exterior Phase 1 exterior work was funded through the 2021 Historic Preservation Gala. Thank you to generous patrons all over Acadiana who supported our efforts. With the exterior preserved, it is now time to turn our attention to the interior phase of our preservation efforts. The last interior restoration took place almost 40 years ago To fund phase 2 of this historic preservation, our parish will host the 2nd Historic Preservation Gala on November 18, 2023. All proceeds from this year's gala will fund the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist Historic Preservation Campaign.

Currently, paint is beginning to peel in several places and plaster needs serious attention in some areas This calls for a complete restoration of the interior plaster work and allows for an updating of our Cathedral décor. My primary objective is to create a design that honors our tradition while keeping a harmony of colors and a clear focus on our beautiful sanctuary In the preservation efforts, every square inch of plasterwork will be repaired and painted. At the same time, significant upgrades are needed to our lighting as well as our sound system The work of restoring the interior of the Cathedral not only impacts our parishioners, but the wider community of he halls of education contain “the doors to the future ” Our distinguished alumni, many of whom are leaders in business, education, and government, as well as in the medical and legal communities, testify to the fruits of a Catholic education I am so grateful to those who have made Cathedral-Carmel School what it is today.

Acadiana as the Cathedral hosts many diocesan events, symphonies and concerts, and to tourists from around the world who stop in daily. Lafayette was a town of under 10,000 residents when our Cathedral was constructed. It was a bold project and a towering edifice in 1916 Still today, it remains the symbol of our city. Our task is to preserve this landmark for our generation and for the next As the Rector of this incredible Cathedral parish, I am aware that this Church is not mine, but yours It stands as a testament to the value of faith in the hearts of the citizens of Lafayette from the 1910s to the 2020s In our care for our common spiritual home, I ask you to join me in providing financial support for this necessary and important restoration project. I trust that these projects will maintain and enhance the beauty of these buildings just as Fr Teurlings and the citizens of Lafayette envisioned over 100 years ago.

As we celebrate 176 years of Catholic education within our school community, I reflect on the image and reputation of CCS as being one of academic excellence, strong Roman Catholic identity, and ongoing vitality and growth As the principal of Cathedral-Carmel School for the last 16 years, I am very proud of our growth and the proper attention we have given to our facilities. Together, we have constructed a modern Fine Arts Building for band, art, music, and drama students We have enhanced our athletic grounds with a new gymnasium floor, pavilion, and sports court We have also converted our auditorium into a beautiful Chapel for our students Our new Cathedral Hall and Administration Buildings are blessings to our school, as well

Now it is time to turn our attention to the historic landmark in the center of our campus… our Middle School Building.