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Bishop Jules B. Jeanmard (1918-1956)Bishop Jeanmard was a native son of Breaux Bridge, ordained to the priesthood on June 10, 1903. Prior to the formation of the Diocese of Lafayette, he served the Archdiocese of New Orleans as Chancellor and Administrator.
He was ordained as the first Bishop of Lafayette on December 8, 1918, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. This was exceptionally fitting since Bishop Jeanmard’s devotion to the Blessed Mother was widely known. In fact, as he celebrate his farewell Mass at the Ursuline Convent in New Orleans before departing for Lafayette, he dedicated this new diocese to Our Lady and asked that she take it under her protection.
Bishop Jeanmard’s legacy to the diocese included the establishment of St. Mary's Children's Home and Immaculata Minor Seminary in Lafayette, and a number of separate church parishes to serve black Catholics in the area. He issued pastoral letters defending the rights of labor to organize, and reminding voters and civil officials of their respective responsibilities. In 1934, he also welcomed to the diocese the first black priests ordained by the Divine Word Missionaries.
Recognizing the value of modern communication techniques, Bishop Jeanmard also encouraged diocesan sponsorship of television programs, religious programs on radio in French and English, and a local diocesan newspaper (The Southwest Louisiana Register). He retired in 1956 and died February 23, 1957.
Bishop Jeanmard’s Coat of Arms
When Bishop Jeanmard was appointed First Bishop of Lafayette in 1918, the design of his personal coat of arms reflected biblical and family connections as well as his devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Bishop Jeanmard’s coat of arms carries the Latin motto SUB TUUM PRAESIDIUM (“under thy protection”), a phrase from the antiphon at Lauds in the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin.
Prominent at the top of the right side of the coat of arms is a demi-eagle, traditional symbol of John the Evangelist and family patron of the Jeanmard family (as Jean is French for “John”). The right hand and forearm on the shield are symbols of Benjamin, an Old Testament figure whose name means “son of my right hand.” The hand carries a lily in honor of Our Lady. Bishop Jeanmard had such strong devotion to the Blessed Virgin he even designated August 15, feast of the Assumption, as his birthday, although he was actually born in early September.
The Bishop’s shield is topped by the customary green hat with six tassels, Episcopal cross, miter and rosier in gold. The eagle is blue on a silver field, while the sleeve, hand and lily are silver on a blue field. Silver and blue are the colors of Our Lady.
Bishop Maurice Schexnayder (1956-1972)
Bishop Schexnayder served as Auxiliary Bishop to the Diocese of Lafayette for five years, and upon Bishop Jeanmard’s retirement he was appointed as the second Bishop of Lafayette. A native of Wallace, Louisiana, he was ordained to the priesthood on April 11, 1925 and at one time served as chaplain of the LSU Catholic Student Center in Baton Rouge. He came to Lafayette from St. Francis de Sales Parish in Houma, where he had been pastor and dean.
He was installed as bishop on May 24, 1956, and his contributions to the growing diocese included the establishment of several church parishes and diocesan offices for family life and Catholic social services; the construction of Consolata Nursing Home in New Iberia, a new building at Immaculata Seminary, and the diocesan chancery building; as well as the ordination of a large number of native vocations. He also attended the Second Vatican Council and issued pastoral letters implementing its decrees.
Bishop Schexnayder’s Coat of Arms
Our Lady's colors, blue and white, are predominant on the shield, since the field and the pale (vertical bar) display these tinctures. Wavy lines in heraldry indicate water and the wavy pale is the heraldic equivalent of the Mississippi River which flows through Louisiana, the birthplace of the Bishop, and the scene of his priestly labors.
The folded fleur-de-lis on the blue field represents the Bishop’s French ancestry as well as the State of Louisiana, named in honor of King Louis XIV of France, where members of the Bishop's family before him had labored as farmers since 1721. Three golden fleurs-de-lis on a blue field are the arms of France.
The golden Roman eagle on the right is the symbol of St. Maurice, the baptismal patron of the Bishop; it is wounded to commemorate his martyrdom.
The motto AD TE CLAMAMUS is translated “To Thee do we cry” and is taken from the hymn to the Blessed Virgin “Salve Regina.” It appears in red letters on a golden edged scroll.
The external ornaments are composed of the green pontifical hat with its six tassels on each side disposed in three rows, and the precious miter, the processional cross and the crosier, all in gold.
Bishop Gerard L. Frey (1972-1989)Bishop Frey was a native of New Orleans. He was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of New Orleans on April 2, 1938 and served there is several pastoral and administrative positions until he was ordained at Bishop of Savannah in 1967.
He was appointed as third Bishop of Lafayette in November 1972 and installed on January 7, 1973. During his 15 years as Ordinary, he initiated reorganization plans which increased and expanded participation by clergy, religious and laity in diocesan affairs. At the dedication of the renovated St. John Cathedral in 1984, he convened a diocesan-wide assembly and lay people (a synod), with the goal of focusing on priorities and guidelines to take the Diocese into the 21st century.
Bishop Frey retired on May 13, 1989 and died August 16, 2007.
Bishop Frey’s Coat of Arms
Bishop Frey’s coat of arms as third Bishop of Lafayette reflects the French tradition of the diocese as well as the origin of the Frey family in the region of Alsace.
The clasped hands at the top of the right half of the coat of arms symbolize the significance of the surname Frey, which means “free” or “freedom.” The hands are joined to signify the brotherhood of man in the fatherhood of God, who has given the birthright of freedom to all men. The clasped hands give additional emphasis to the Bishop’s motto, SERVIAM (“I will serve”), a willingness to serve all men. The motto also reiterates the role of a bishop prescribed in Vatican Council II. The theme of the council recalled Christ’s words, “The son of man has not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for man” (Mat. 20:28).
The rose represents the maiden name (DeRose) of the mother of the bishop. In all Latin languages, this surname means “the flower.” The star of six points is derived from the coat of arms of St. Pius X, who established the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine which Bishop Frey promoted in the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
The Frey family from the region of Alsace bears a golden sun and crescent (half moon) on a blue field. For the sake of simplicity, the crescent has been removed but the sun and blue field of the family coat of arms have been retained.
The external ornaments of the shield are composed of the pontifical hat with its six tassels on each side, disposed in three rows, all in green, and the Episcopal cross, tinctured in gold.
Bishop Harry J. Flynn (1989-1994)Bishop Flynn, a native of the Diocese of Albany, New York, was ordained to the priesthood on May 29, 1960. He was first welcomed by the Diocese of Lafayette as coadjutor with right of succession to Bishop Frey in 1986, and succeeded as the fourth Bishop of Lafayette on May 13, 1989.
As Ordinary, Bishop Flynn conducted parish and school visitations, encouraged vocations to the priesthood and religious life, promoted Catholic education and expanded religious education. Along with Bishop Frey, he joined other Louisiana bishops in pastoral letters condemning capital punishment, warning of the evils of gambling, opposing abortion, supporting Catholic schools, and promoting financial support of the Catholic Church.
In 1994 Bishop Flynn was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of St. Paul-Minneapolis, Minn. As he once succeeded Bishop Frey in the Diocese of Lafayette, he succeeded the Archbishop of St. Paul-Minneapolis in 1995, serving out his role until his retirement in 2008.
Bishop Flynn’s Coat of Arms
The Bishop’s arms are composed of a blue field on which are displayed the unusual arrangement of two silver (white) chevrons placed side-by-side across the shield. These two chevrons form a stylized letter “M” to represent the years of service and rectorship that Bishop Flynn gave to Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary and College in Emmitsburg, Maryland. These chevrons can also be seen to represent mountain peaks to recall the Bishop’s love of mountaineering. Above the chevrons are a silver (white) lily, to honor the Bishop’s patron Saint Joseph, and two gold (yellow) bezants that are taken from the arms of the family O’Flynn and by which His Excellency honors the heritage of his family. Below the chevrons is the head of a Celtic cross, also in silver (white). This is used to honor the Bishop’s Irish heritage.
For his motto, His Excellency continues to use the motto “Come Lord Jesus”. This phrase is taken from the book of Revelations (Rev. 22:20) and by its used, His Excellency, Bishop Flynn expresses his deep conviction that we as devout Catholics and Christians, should implore our Divine Lord to come into every part of our lives so that we may live lives that will make us worthy to be called the children of God.
The device is completed with the external ornaments which are a gold processional cross, which is placed in back of the shield and which extends above and below the shield, and a pontifical hat, called a gallero, with its six tassels, in three rows, on either side of the shield, all in green.
Bishop Edward J. O’Donnell (1994-2002)Bishop O’Donnell was a native of St. Louis, and after his ordination to the priesthood there he as pastor, administrator, and Auxiliary Bishop before being appointed as the fifth Bishop of Lafayette. He was installed on December 16, 1994.
In his years as Bishop of Lafayette, Bishop O'Donnell initiated planning and programs in anticipation of the third millennium of Christianity. In a diocese which has one of the highest percentages of Black Catholics in the U.S., he also stressed the need to recognize the diversity and gifts brought to the Church by all various ethnic groups represented within the diocese.
When he requested early retirement due to reasons of health in late 2002, Bishop O’Donnell gratefully acknowledged that despite difficult times, the last five years of his service to the people of Acadiana was marked by a 35% increase in offertory collections throughout the diocese. He officially retired on November 8, 2002 and died February 1, 2009.
Bishop O’Donnell’s Coat of Arms
The arms of the O'Donnell Family of Ireland consist of a golden shield on which a human arm, clothed in a blue sleeve, holds in its hand a red cross. For the arms of Bishop O'Donnell, only the colors from his familial arms have been retained, so as to emphasize the pastoral dimension. of his Episcopal office.
The principal emblem on the arms expresses a theological truth which Bishop O’Donnell views as central to his ministry. The interior circle, shown in red, represents the Blessed Eucharist and the sacred liturgy, of which a bishop, having the fullness of the priesthood, is preeminently the celebrant. The female and male figures stand for the Christian community, which finds its inspiration and binding force in the Sacraments; this is expressed by the fact that the head of each figure touches the interior circle, with the body of each figure radiating from this to form a larger circle. Nourished by the Body and Blood of Christ, the community itself becomes the Mystical Body of Christ, adding human flesh to the Spirit 'of Jesus in the world of the present day. This sacred truth is symbolized by the eight figures forming a cross, likewise shown in red, which is the sign of the crucified and risen Lord.
The three blue fleurs-de-lis are taken from the arms of the Archdiocese of St. Louis; they stand for three Archbishops of the See—Cardinal Joseph Ritter, Cardinal John Carberry, and Archbishop John May—with whom Bishop O'Donnell served nearly his entire life as deacon, priest, and bishop,
Bishop O'Donnell’s motto, "To Bind All Together," reflected his dedication to the work of unifying the Christian people in a single-hearted ministry of Justice, Peace, and Love.
The processional cross and tasseled hat behind the shield are symbols of the office of bishop. Priests of every rank have been represented in heraldry by the wide-brimmed hat, which is the clerical counterpart of the layman's military helmet. The color of the hat and the number of rows of tassels on the hat strings denote the rank of the owner. For a bishop, the hat is green, and there are three rows of tassels 'on either side of the shield.
Bishop Michael Jarrell (2002-2016)Bishop Jarrell, a native of Opelousas, succeeded Bishop O’Donnell and became the sixth Bishop of Lafayette. He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Maurice Schexnayder on June 3, 1967, in Lafayette’s Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. While his first appointment is recorded as Landry High School in Lake Charles, he later went on to fulfill pastoral assignments in the church parishes of St. Michael’s in Crowley, Sacred Heart in Broussard and Sacred Heart in Ville Platte.
It was in early 1993 that he was ordained and subsequently installed as bishop of Houma-Thibodaux, one of our neighboring dioceses here in Louisiana. Upon returning to the Diocese of Lafayette in late 2002, he succeeded Bishop Edward O’Donnell as the Catholic Church’s spiritual leader of the people of Acadiana. He was installed on December 18, 2002 and confirmed in May 2016 that having reached the age of retirement, he would be presenting his resignation from the Office of Bishop of Lafayette to Pope Francis. His retirement was made official on February 17, 2016, when it was announced that Bishop J. Douglas Deshotel had been appointed to serve as the seventh Bishop of Lafayette.
Bishop Jarrell’s Coat of Arms
Bishop Jarrell retained the arms that he adopted at the time that he was selected to become a bishop in 1993 when he was ordained to be the Bishop of Houma-Thibodeaux. These arms are composed of a silver (white) field on which is displayed a cross that looks like a sword and is called a “cross fleuretty fitcheé.” The cross in the form of a sword is used to honor St. Michael, the Archangel and warrior and the baptismal patron of Bishop Jarrell. The ends of the cross are in the form of a fleur-de-lis to honor the Bishop’s French (Cajun) heritage. At the bottom of the cross is a spring of cotton, called “Proper”, or “as it appears in nature,” to honor the cotton industry which is so important to south Louisiana and in which the Bishop’s family were engaged in business. At the bottom of the Bishop’s personal arms are two wavy blue bars, used to represent water which, again, is so important to south Louisiana for sport and the commercial fishing trades.
For his motto, His Excellency, Bishop Jarrell has retained the phrase IN OMNIBUS CARITAS (“In All Things Charity”). This phrase, which was popularized by Pope Blessed John XXIII at the time of the Second Vatican Council, expresses that for all of us, as followers of Christ, we must have in our hearts and in everything that we do, we must do it all with love and charity.
Bishop J. Douglas Deshotel (2016-Present)
Bishop J. Douglas Deshotel was born on January 6, 1952 in Basile, Louisiana, as the third of eight children to Welfoot Paul Deshotel and Luna Marie Manual.
After attending Immaculata Minor Seminary High School in Lafayette, he went on to attend Holy Trinity Seminary in Texas, where he earned a B.A. in Philosophy, and a Masters of Divinity from the University of Dallas.
On May 13, 1978, he was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Dallas by Bishop Maurice Schexnayder in his hometown church of St. Augustine’s in Basile. On April 27, 2010, he was ordained as Auxiliary Bishop of Dallas by Bishop Kevin J. Farrell in the Cathedral Shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Guadalupe.
His assignments have included associate pastor and pastor of various church parishes throughout the Diocese of Dallas, as well as Vice Rector of Holy Trinity Seminary in Irving, Texas. Additionally, he has served on the Diocesan Presbyteral Council; Diocesan Priests’ Personnel Board; Diocesan Finance Council; Bishop’s Senior Staff; Diocesan Review Board; Diocesan College of Consultors; and Region X Chairman, USCCB.
On February 17, 2016, it was announced that Auxiliary Bishop J. Douglas Deshotel has been appointed to serve as the seventh Bishop of the Diocese of Lafayette. He was installed on April 15, 2016 at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist.
Bishop Deshotel’s Coat of Arms
The upper portion is blue, white and red. The white star on the blue field mimics the arrangement of the Acadian flag, indicating that His Excellency is of Cajun roots in Lafayette, Louisiana. The Acadians—of French heritage—fled Canada in the mid-1700’s and settled in southern Louisiana. The fleur-de-lis on the red portion represents the deep French connections of the Acadians.
The lower portion is a green field with a pelican, feeding her brood with blood from her own breast. This symbolism, known as a “pelican in her piety” is a classic representation of southern Louisiana.
For his motto, His Excellency Bishop Deshotel selected the Latin phrase CHRISTUS CARITAS URGET ME. In the phrase, His Excellency Bishop Deshotel expresses his profound belief that it is “Christ’s love that urges him on.”
The achievement is completed by the external ornamentation which includes: a gold (yellow) processional cross, placed in back of the shield and extending above and below; and the pontifical hat—called a galero—with its six tassels in three rows on either side of the shield, all in green. These are the heraldic insignia of a prelate of the rank of bishop, by instruction of The Holy See, of March 31, 1969.