About Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux
The Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux is a Roman Catholic (Latin Rite) diocese in southeastern Louisiana, suffragan to the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Erected on March 2, 1977 by Pope Paul VI and canonically installed on June 5, 1977, it covers roughly 3,440–3,501 square miles across Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes and parts of St. Mary and Jefferson Parishes, with the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales in Houma and St. Joseph Co-Cathedral in Thibodaux as its principal churches. The diocese serves approximately 114,600 Catholics (about 44% of the regional population) through 39 parishes, 3 missions, 8 elementary schools, 2 Catholic high schools and a PreK–12th school, and is currently led by its sixth bishop, Simon Peter Engurait, a native of Uganda appointed in 2025.
- Bishop
- Simon Peter Engurait
- Established
- 1977
- Cathedral
- Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales (Houma, LA)
- Territory
- Civil parishes of Lafourche and Terrebonne in full, the eastern portion of St. Mary Parish including Morgan City and Amelia, and Grand Isle in Jefferson Parish — about 3,440–3,501 square miles (9,065 km²) of southeastern Louisiana.
- Parishes
- 39 parishes, 3 missions
- Province
- Archdiocese of New Orleans (Ecclesiastical Province of New Orleans)
About the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux
The Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux serves Catholics in southeastern Louisiana from its Pastoral Center at 2779 Highway 311 in Schriever. Erected March 2, 1977 and installed June 5, 1977, the diocese covers about 3,440 square miles — the full civil parishes of Lafourche and Terrebonne, the eastern part of St. Mary Parish (including Morgan City and Amelia), and Grand Isle in Jefferson Parish. According to the most recent diocesan directory, the region has a total population of 238,257, of whom an estimated 90,293 (38%) are Catholic; recent Kenedy directory statistics put the Catholic share higher at about 44%. The diocese runs 39 parishes and 3 missions, supported by 68 priests (59 diocesan, 9 religious-order), 40 permanent deacons, 15 seminarians, 5 religious brothers and 26 religious sisters.
- 39 parishes, 3 missions
- 8 Catholic elementary schools, 2 Catholic high schools, 1 PreK–12
- 68 total priests (59 diocesan, 9 religious order)
- 40 permanent deacons (34 active, 5 retired)
- 15 seminarians, 5 religious brothers, 26 religious sisters
History
Catholic life along Bayou Lafourche predates the diocese by more than 150 years. The region was first evangelized after French explorer Bienville visited the Washa (Houma) Indian villages in 1699, and the bayou country was gradually settled by Houma, Acadian and French, German, Spanish, Anglo-Saxon, enslaved African, Italian and Vietnamese Catholic communities. St. Joseph Parish in Thibodaux dates to 1813, and St. Francis de Sales Parish in Houma to 1847. The 'Apostle of Bayou Lafourche,' Father Charles M. Menard, founded the majority of today's parishes from 1842 onward. After more than a century and a half under the Diocese (later Archdiocese) of New Orleans, Pope Paul VI erected the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux on March 2, 1977, with Bishop Warren Boudreaux as the first ordinary.
Bishops of Houma-Thibodaux in Succession
The diocese has been served by six bishops since 1977. Bishop Warren L. Boudreaux (1977–1992) was followed by Bishop Charles Michael Jarrell (1993–2002, later Bishop of Lafayette), Bishop Sam G. Jacobs (2003–2013, previously Bishop of Alexandria), Bishop Shelton J. Fabre (2013–2022, now Archbishop of Louisville), and Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville (2023–2024, who died in office). After a 17-month sede vacante administered by diocesan administrator Fr. Simon Peter Engurait, Pope Leo XIV on June 5, 2025 appointed Engurait as the sixth bishop — a Ugandan-born priest who had served the diocese since his 2013 ordination.
- Warren L. Boudreaux (1977–1992)
- Charles M. Jarrell (1993–2002)
- Sam G. Jacobs (2003–2013)
- Shelton J. Fabre (2013–2022)
- Mario E. Dorsonville (2023–2024)
- Simon Peter Engurait (2025–present)
Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales & St. Joseph Co-Cathedral
The Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales in Houma (parish founded 1847, first church 1854) is the principal church of the diocese and seat of the bishop. The St. Joseph Co-Cathedral in Thibodaux (parish founded 1813) shares cathedral functions, reflecting the diocese's two-city identity. Both churches were the sites of the major episcopal installations of Bishops Boudreaux, Jarrell, Jacobs, Fabre and Dorsonville. The cathedral underwent a major restoration in 2002 in time for the 25th anniversary Mass.
Hurricanes & Disaster Response
Southeastern Louisiana's geography makes the diocese acutely vulnerable to Gulf hurricanes. The diocese has endured Hurricane Andrew (1992), Hurricane Lili (2002), Hurricane Katrina (2005, when parishes sheltered thousands of evacuees and Catholic schools welcomed hundreds of displaced students), Hurricane Rita later that year (which devastated lower Terrebonne and Lafourche), Hurricane Gustav (2008), Hurricane Isaac (2012) and Hurricane Ida (2021), which damaged 36 of the diocese's 39 churches. Bishop Mario Dorsonville and his staff, with Catholic Charities, continue to coordinate long-term rebuilding of southern coastal parishes.
- Hurricane Andrew (1992)
- Hurricane Lili (2002)
- Hurricane Katrina (2005)
- Hurricane Rita (2005)
- Hurricane Gustav (2008)
- Hurricane Isaac (2012)
- Hurricane Ida (2021)
Catholic Charities of Houma-Thibodaux
Catholic Charities, Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, headquartered in Houma, is the social-services arm of the diocese. It operates a food bank and mobile food pantry, rent/utility and emergency individual-assistance programs, a child development and child-care center (St. ___, Bridge House addiction rehabilitation program), thrift-store clothing and work-uniform assistance, TWIC-card support for offshore workers, and a free volunteer income-tax assistance (VITA) program. The agency is a key partner in disaster response and recovery for low-income and uninsured families across Terrebonne, Lafourche and neighboring parishes.
- Food Bank & Mobile Food Pantry
- Emergency Individual & Family Assistance (rent, utilities, funeral, medicine, gas)
- Child Development & Child Care (St. ___ Center)
- Bridge House Addiction Rehabilitation
- Thrift Store, work uniforms, TWIC cards
- Free Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)
Catholic Schools
The Office of Catholic Schools supports 8 Catholic elementary schools, 2 Catholic high schools and 1 PreK–12 school serving students across the diocese. The system traces its roots to 1855, when the Sisters of Mount Carmel opened Thibodaux's first Catholic school, and to 1870, when the Marianites of Holy Cross founded Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Academy in Houma. Sacred Heart Academy in Morgan City opened in 1893. The first diocesan school board was established in 1981. Today's Office of Catholic Schools oversees Consultative School Boards, administrator formation, Catholic identity standards and strategic planning in line with the National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools.
- 8 Catholic Elementary Schools
- 2 Catholic High Schools
- 1 PreK–12 School
- Diocesan School Board (est. 1981)
- Office of Catholic Schools strategic plan: Catholic identity, academic excellence, governance
Office of Vocations to Priesthood
The Office of Vocations to Priesthood, based at the St. Joseph the Worker Seminarian House of Formation in Thibodaux, promotes a culture of vocations across parishes, schools and the wider community. The office accompanies men discerning diocesan priesthood, processes candidacy, and walks with seminarians at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans and at the local house of formation. The diocese's seminary ranks have grown from 4 seminarians in 2004 to 15–16 in the early 2020s, the fruit of a sustained vocations push begun under Bishop Sam Jacobs and continued under Bishops Fabre and Dorsonville.
- Director: Fr. Mitch Semar
- Associate Director: Roch Gernon
- Assistant Director: Fr. Matthew Prosperie
- Seminarians sent to Notre Dame Seminary, New Orleans
- St. Joseph the Worker Seminarian House of Formation, Thibodaux
- 15 seminarians in current formation
Lumen Christi Retreat Center & Pastoral Facilities
The Lumen Christi Retreat Center, opened in 1985, is the principal retreat and formation facility of the diocese. The Father Souby Building, dedicated January 18, 1986, expanded the campus to host youth retreats. The diocese also maintains the diocesan Archives Building on the Nicholls State University campus (groundbreaking 1982), a monastery of Dominican cloistered nuns (established 1981), and the Pastoral Center in Schriever (2779 Highway 311), which houses the bishop's offices, the Offices of Catholic Schools, Vocations, Parish Support, Communications, and Catholic Charities.
- Lumen Christi Retreat Center (opened 1985)
- Father Souby Building (dedicated 1986) — youth retreat facility
- Diocesan Archives at Nicholls State University
- Dominican Cloistered Nuns Monastery (1981)
- Pastoral Center, Schriever
Steubenville on the Bayou & Youth Ministry
Steubenville on the Bayou, founded in 2006 under Bishop Sam Jacobs, is the diocese's signature Catholic youth conference. Modeled on the Franciscan University of Steubenville summer conferences, the event has grown to register more than 3,000 teenagers annually — a major touchpoint for the diocese's young Catholics and a key evangelization initiative that complemented the growth in priestly vocations during the Jacobs era.
- Steubenville on the Bayou Catholic Youth Conference (founded 2006)
- 3,000+ teen attendees annually by 2013
Office of Parish Support & Diocesan Communications
The Office of Parish Support (htparishsupport.org) serves the 39 parishes and 3 missions with finance, facilities, human resources and pastoral planning assistance. The diocese also publishes The Bayou Catholic, the official diocesan newspaper (first issued 1981), maintains a website at htdiocese.org, and operates the Catholic Television Network of America (CTNA) broadcasts launched in 1987, providing locally produced Catholic programming to area cable systems.
- Office of Parish Support (htparishsupport.org)
- The Bayou Catholic (official newspaper, est. 1981)
- Diocesan website: htdiocese.org
- CTNA (Catholic Television Network of America) local broadcasts (1987)
Governance & Leadership
The diocese is led by Bishop Simon Peter Engurait with the assistance of a Vicar General, Moderator of the Curia, Vicar for Canonical Affairs, Chief Operations and Financial Officer, Superintendent of Catholic Schools, Director of Catholic Charities, and Director of Communications and Public Relations. The diocese's strategic plan is organized around Catholic identity, evangelization, vocations, Catholic schools, parish life and stewardship, and is overseen through the Pastoral Center in Schriever and the regional deaneries (Upper Lafourche, South Lafourche and Terrebonne).
- Bishop Simon Peter Engurait — sixth bishop (2025)
- Vicar General, Moderator of the Curia
- Superintendent of Catholic Schools
- Executive Director of Catholic Charities
- Director of Communications & Public Relations
- Three deaneries: Upper Lafourche, South Lafourche, Terrebonne
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