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Annual Bishop's Appeal
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April 1, 2021
Bishop Shelton J. Fabre makes a direct plea to the people of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux each year to support certain diocesan ministries through their prayers and financial contributions to the Annual Bishop’s Appeal (ABA).
One of the ministries supported by the 2021 Appeal is the formation of youth in the diocese. Bishop Fabre explains this is accomplished in two ways.
First, the diocesan Office of Parish Support oversees youth formation that takes place in parish schools of religion. Secondly, the Appeal also supports the Office of Catholic Schools which oversees the faith formation of students in Catholic schools. With respect to faith formation, Bishop Fabre reminds us that the church makes it very clear that parents are always the first “formers” of their children in the ways of faith, so parents should always be examples to their children in matters of the faith.
Suzanne Troxclair, diocesan superintendent of Catholic Schools, says the role of the Catholic Schools Office (CSO) is simply to offer guidance and support to the Catholic schools so they can do their job to fulfill the mission of Catholic education, which is to form children into missionary disciples of Christ.
“Our goal in Catholic education is to graduate students who are morally and intellectually ready to go out into the world to evangelize and spread the word of God; and, we want to provide them with the skills they need so that they can do this.”
One example of how the CSO assists schools is by utilizing a new faith formation program through the Catechetical Institute. The program is for teachers, administrators and staff who have contact with students to help them learn how to integrate their faith on daily basis into whatever they’re teaching.
The Annual Bishop’s Appeal gives the Catholic Schools Office the ability to support the schools by funding many of its projects. “It also supports the diocesan curriculum specialist, and provides support to the administrators and teachers on a daily basis, which in turn supports the nearly 5,000 students who are enrolled in Catholic schools in our diocese. So the ABA very directly impacts Catholic education in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux,” says Troxclair.
Ann Robichaux, who has been teaching in Catholic education for 21 years, 13 at St. Bernadette Catholic School in Houma and eight at Vandebilt Catholic High School in Houma where she currently teaches physical science, says she truly believes the Catholic education her three girls received here in the diocese set them up for an incredible opportunity and future for their careers.
“Catholic education is about more than academics; it’s more than teaching students about content. It’s a holistic approach to education; it’s about nurturing their spiritual growth, and their social and emotional growth. We build relationships with our students. We have the opportunity to mold students into faithful Catholics and bright students. Catholic education is a ministry and that’s what we are called to do.”
Robichaux has always felt supported in her role as teacher. “I’ve been very lucky because I taught in two schools that provided me incredible support in terms of in the classroom, with students, stakeholders and parents, and also with urging me to grow and to nurture my growth. They afforded me professional development activities so I was able to pursue my passions and interests in things that I could bring back to the classroom.”
Robichaux says she also feels supported by her superintendent, who has attended some of the presentations she was giving at Louisiana State Science Teachers Association meetings and conferences. “That kind of support is so gratifying,” she adds.
Tim Robichaux, president of E.D. White Catholic High School in Thibodaux since 2014, says, “We profess to impart the Catholic faith in our schools; and that’s not just a cliché; it really happens. I believe that is one of the things that makes it very gratifying to the people who work in Catholic schools. We can talk about God. We have the ability to make a profound impact on the students. There’s just a spirit about being here.”
Even though they are not connected directly to a church parish the way the elementary schools are, says the school president, the church parishes, and the diocese are a huge part of what they do. “We have a network of other schools to work with; the schools feed off of each other. There is a very cohesive intermingling of the churches, the schools, and the diocesan offices to make sure that students in Catholic schools are getting the best possible academic education while they are being formed as Catholics.”
Robichaux says faith is part of everything they do and their job is to make students aware that it is one of the things that will make them successful.
“We have contact with students from Pre-K all the way to 12th grade, so we have a profound influence and effect on Catholics in general because Catholic schools lay the foundation,” he says. “It’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly.”
Rebecca Abboud, liaison and youth formation specialist for the diocesan Office of Parish Support, says there are two distinct ways the Office supports parish youth formation. The first is through opportunities for ongoing training and formation, support, encouragement, and accompaniment of the parish’s youth formation teams – adults that work with youth in the parishes – for continued growth on their own discipleship journey and to give them the competence and confidence to accompany the young people as they journey through their relationship with Jesus.
The second way is through the liaison model. Every church parish is assigned a liaison to walk intentionally with the pastors, parish leaders and coordinators of youth formation for support, encouragement, clarity and discernment as they implement the diocese’s vision and form missionary disciples at the parish level.
“At the heart of youth formation is implementing Bishop’s Fabre’s vision of not only intellectual formation, but also of accompaniment – a true ‘walking with’ young people on the road to discipleship – to introduce them to Jesus personally and walk with them as they grow. It’s very personal and it’s very relational,” says Abboud. “The reality is that a person’s path to holiness happens most fruitfully in community or with the love, accountability and help of another.”
Abboud says the generosity of donors to the Annual Bishop’s Appeal makes the work of the OPS possible. “Their generosity allows us to be able to offer support and encouragement for each of the parishes, and it gives us the freedom and the possibility to walk with the parish leaders in ongoing and consistent ways that allow them to flourish.”
Nickole Chiasson, coordinator of Youth Faith Formation at Our Lady of the Rosary Church parish in Larose, says that although she grew up Baptist, she never felt a connection to that faith. “I didn’t know anything about the Catholic faith when I was younger, but going through RCIA, I learned so many things … and my husband, who has been Catholic all his life, learned some things … and it sparked a passion in my heart to share that with other people, because I want them to feel what I feel and be converted the way I was and have that relationship with Jesus the way I do,” says Chiasson. “That’s what we’re all called to do; we’re all called to be disciples for Christ, so I want to share that with the young people.”
Chiasson says the way the youth are being formed now just makes sense. “Getting to know someone, making a connection, and forming relationships where you can walk with them in their journey is so much more meaningful and beautiful than just feeding them knowledge. Having someone that I can reach out to for help in guiding our parish has been great. Whenever I speak to Rebecca or any of the other OPS staff, they are always more than open and willing to help us find solutions for what we need in our parish.”
Bishop Fabre says, “Youth formation in our parishes and schools are two very important ways that we share the faith with young people in an age today where it is very often called into question, disregarded or said to be irrelevant. But, if we form our youth well, they will understand how this can provide for them a very strong foundation for the rest of their lives.”