DEACON DON BOURGEOIS
DeaconDonB@wildblue.net
I grew up in Algiers on the Westbank of New Orleans and attended Adolph Meyer and Martin Behrman High School. In 1960 I joined the Navy and was stationed on the U.S.S. Coral Sea CVA-43 until 1964. In Berkley, California I met my wife Dottie who was from Hopland, California about 120 miles North of San Francisco. We were married in 1963 and have two daughters: Darby who lives on the same property as us and Donna who lives about 70 miles Northeast of Toronto, Canada. We have six grand children and four great grand children.
I worked for the Southern Pacific Rail Road as a switchman from 1964 to 1994. My career with the SP was cut 11 years short when I became disabled.
In July 1979 we attended a Marriage Encounter Weekend which transformed our marriage because we made God and ourselves two promises: 1st We would make God the center of our marriage, 2nd We would get involved in our church. We worked with Marriage Encounter then became a team couple with Engaged Encounter giving the Marriage Preparation weekends for about 7 years. We were the Coordinating Couple (Lead Couple) of Engaged Encounter for the Archdiocese of New Orleans for 18 months. In that time we were instrumental in starting E.E. in the Houma – Thibodeaux Diocese working with couples and priest there. Dottie and I both made Cursillo Weekends and I worked as a team member on two Cursillo Weekends. Dottie and I were also involved in Parent Teen Encounter and the Charismatic Renewal.
Working with different ministries in the Church, I began to experience a call to the diaconate. So I began to pray and discern a vocation as a deacon. At the time we were in St. John Bosco Parish in Harvey, LA when my pastor recommended me for the diaconate. I was accepted for formation and was ordained in December 2, 1989 and was assigned at St. John Bosco for about 7 years.
Then in October 1996 I was assigned to St. Jane de Chantal. Since I live about 7 miles North of our Mission of St. Michael the Archangel in Bush I have been the manager of our mission since I was assigned at St. Jane’s.
Being at St. Michael’s is very special to me because my mother and father, godfather, aunts and uncles, and cousins have been parishioners there. My godfather, donated the Stations of the Cross. He built the four longer pews and the screens with kneelers for the front pews, plus he and I built the Cross the Resurrected Jesus is on in the sanctuary.
I love being at St. Jane’s and St. Michael’s because here I am home with my parish family. I look forward to being here and ministering to our parish for many more years, God willing.
