Basilians Begin New Ministry in Houma-Thibodaux

This week, our Superior General visited the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, where Basilians Fr. Osman de la Hoz and Fr. Jose Alberto Juarez are serving the growing Hispanic community with dedication and care. The Diocese, which spans Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes in southeastern Louisiana, covers roughly 3,500 square miles and encompasses more than 39 parishes, serving over 120,000 Catholics—about 59% of the region’s population.

The Hispanic community in the diocese is largely made up of Mexican laborers working in sugarcane fields, seafood harvesting, and other forms of manual labor. In addition to three Sisters of Violeta, the Basilians now provide vital pastoral support, bringing Mass, confessions, baptisms, and faith formation to five parishes: St. Andrew in Amelia, Annunziata in Houma, Christ the Redeemer in Thibodaux, Holy Savior in Lockport, and Sacred Heart in Cut Off. Each parish has an English-speaking pastor who is deeply grateful for the Basilians’ outreach to Spanish-speaking faithful.

Frs. Osman and Jose Alberto live on a property flanked by the Diocesan Pastoral Center on one side and a Retreat Center on the other. From their base in Schriever, they can reach the furthest parish, Sacred Heart, in just 45 minutes. Their weekend Mass schedule is carefully arranged to serve the communities, and from Tuesday through Friday evenings, they rotate through the parishes offering spiritual guidance and faith formation. Saturdays are dedicated to baptisms and funerals, while diocesan-wide celebrations of the Holy Triduum, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and other feast days unite all five Hispanic communities in worship.

Since the Basilians’ arrival, attendance at Mass and other pastoral events has already doubled and even tripled in some parishes, as parishioners express deep gratitude for the sacramental presence of Frs. Osman and Jose Alberto, especially during times of anxiety over immigration policies.

Adding a celebratory note to the week, the Superior General’s visit coincided with the episcopal ordination of Simon Peter Engurait, the first African-born bishop to lead the diocese. Born in Uganda in 1971, Bishop Engurait was appointed by Pope Leo XIV in June 2025 and consecrated on September 5, 2025. His ministry, alongside the Basilians, is a source of hope and encouragement for the faithful in Houma-Thibodaux.

Let us continue to hold in prayer the people of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, Bishop Engurait, and our brothers Fr. Jose Alberto and Fr. Osman as they advance this flourishing ministry of faith, presence, and hope.