RAYMOND – The annual celebration of the Feast of St. Lawrence, the Patron Saint of Deacons, was held August 10 at St. Lawrence Church with The Most Reverend Glen John Provost, Bishop of Lake Charles, as celebrant. St. Lawrence, martyred in the year 258 during the reign of the Roman Emperor Valerian, was one of seven deacons who were in charge of giving help to the poor and the needy.
  
In his homily, Bishop Provost spoke of the grain of wheat, mentioned in the readings of the day. “We heard the important words in the Gospel that ‘if a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies it will produce much fruit.’ Whoever loves his life will lose it and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. The Lord said, whoever serves me must follow me and where I am there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.”
   
The Bishop also spoke of the importance of the spiritual life.
  
“We strive to take the spiritual life seriously, but we never take it seriously enough,” Bishop Provost said. “For those of us in Orders (deacons, priests, bishops) it begins I think, not only with the Eucharist which is the very heart and center of our prayer, but with the Liturgy of the Hours – morning prayer, evening prayer, sanctifying the day, mid-day prayer, night prayer. Through the Office of Readings we let the Scriptures nourish us.
 
“If indeed we are serious about prayer then we will spend time before the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament everyday without fail,” he continued. “As St. John Vianney said, ‘listening to God in his presence.’”
  
The Bishop also noted that there is a pastoral application of the dying of the grain of wheat.
 
 “We are offered every opportunity every day in ministry that we might die to self through the embarrassments, humiliations, disappointments we experience. Indeed, were not called, as our Lord will say, to be served  but rather to serve. We are all called to be servants. This requires the virtue of humility, humility to admit we are wrong, that things could be done differently.  This is what our Lord called us to, to take up our cross every day and follow in his steps.”
  
The Deacons of the Diocese and spouses were present to honor their patron and, during the Liturgy, to reaffirm their vows of ordination.
  
Deacons attending included Jack Reynolds (St. Theodore, Moss Bluff); Maurice Serice (Our Lady of LaSalette, Sulphur); Rick Hinchee (Our Lady of Seven Dolors, Welsh); Gordon Broussard (St. Henry, Lake Charles); Dale Deshotel (St. Joan of Arc, Oberlin); Wayne Chapman (Our Lady of Seven Dolors, Welsh); and Ray Menard (St. Margaret of Scotland, Lake Charles). Also present were Patrick Lapoint (Our Lady of Prompt Succor, Sulphur); H.E. Wagner (Immaculate Conception, Maplewood); Glenn Viau (Our Lady of Good Counsel, Lake Charles); George Carr (Our Lady Queen of Heaven, Lake Charles); Fred Reed (St. John Bosco, Westlake); Garrett Caraway (St. John Bosco, Westlake); Dan Landry (St. Margaret of Scotland, Lake Charles); George Stearns (Chancellor, Diocese of Lake Charles); Roy Nash (St. Philip Neri, Oberlin); Ed McNally (Our Lady Help of Christians, Jennings); Michael Tramel (St. Lawrence, Raymond); and John Eaves (St. Paul, Elton). Other deacons of the Diocese of Lake Charles, who were unable to attend, include Joseph Bushnell (Immaculate Heart of Mary); Norris Chapman (St. Joan of Arc); Scott Conner (St. Henry, Lake Charles); Ray Granger (St. Henry, Lake Charles); Sumner Kohlhund (St. Joseph, DeRidder); Frederick LaPoint; Edward Lavine  (Sacred Heart of Jesus, Lake Charles); and Johnny Mounce (Our Lady of LaSalette, Sulphur).
  

 Following the Mass the Deacons, their spouses, and clergy were hosted by parishioners of St. Lawrence at wonderful meal at whcih Bishop Provost and Msgr. Ronald Groth, former pastor of St. Lawrence entertained. Bishop Provost played the piano while Msgr. Groth sang.

Clergy who concelebrated with Bishop Provost were Father Babasino Fernandes (Administrator of St. Lawrence, Raymond); Father Charles McMillin (Pastor, Our Lady Help of Christians, Jennings); Father Herbert May (Pastor, Our Lady of Seven Dolors, Welsh); Msgr. Ronald Groth (Pastor, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Lake Charles) and Father Gary Schexnayder (Pastor, St. Michael the Archangel Church, Crowley, Diocese of Lafayette).