Monsignor Joseph A. Bourque

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated for Rev. Msgr. Joseph A. Bourque, a retired priest of the Diocese of Lake Charles, on Saturday, July 13, 2013 at 10:00 AM in St. John Bosco Catholic Church. Msgr. Bourque, 87, died at 3:00 a.m. Tuesday July 9. Bishop Glen John Provost will be the celebrant of the Mass and priests of the Diocese of Lake Charles will concelebrate. Homilist will be Reverend Scott Conner.

Visitation will be from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM in the church with a Scripture Service led by Deacon Fred Reed at 6:00 PM followed by a rosary recited by the Knights of Columbus Council #5755. Burial will be in Prien Memorial Park.

He was born on July 23, 1926 in Iowa, La., the son of Joseph Clement Bourque and Areece Bertrand Bourque, the eighth of 12 children and a twin. He was educated in the public schools of Calcasieu and Jefferson Davis Parish. Msgr. Bourque also attended St. Joseph Seminary in St. Benedict, La., McNeese State University, and St. John Seminary in Little Rock, Ark., from which he earned a Masters Degree in Theology. He also graduated from the University of Arkansas School of Law and did other post-graduate work from a variety of schools, including Catholic University and Jerusalem Biblical Study.

Msgr. Bourqe was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Lafayette on June 4, 1955 in the Cathedral of St. John in Lafayette and celebrated his first solemn Mass on June 5, 1955 in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Lake Charles. His first assignment was as assistant pastor at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Breaux Bridge where he also taught and coached football and basketball. During that time he served as state chaplain of the Columbian Squires.

In 1966, Msgr. Bourque was named assistant pastor to the newly established Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church in Lake Charles, staying there for six years. He was then named pastor to St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Hathaway, serving until 1972. While at St. Lawrence he began teaching at Immaculata Seminary in Lafayette.

He was named pastor to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in New Iberia in 1972 and also served the Diocese of Lafayette as the part-time Assistant Director for Religious Education. His next assignment came in 1978 when he became pastor of St. Theodore Catholic Church in Moss Bluff, where he was instrumental in the institution of St. Theodore Holy Family Catholic School. In 1980, in the then new Diocese of Lake Charles, Msgr. Bourque served as the Director of Evangelization and was also named to the National Bishop's Committee of Evangelization. In 1982, he was named a Prelate of Honor to His Holiness, Pope John Paul II, with the title Monsignor.

From 1985 to 1991, he was pastor of Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church in Jennings and served as pastor of St. John Bosco Catholic Church in Westlake until 2000. Even in retirement, Msgr. Bourque kept up an active life, presenting Bible study programs weekly at Crossroads Bookstore.

Msgr. Bourque is survived by nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the Msgr. Joseph A. Bourque Seminary Burse with the Diocese of Lake Charles.

As can be evidenced by his life, Msgr. Bourque's actions as a priest were high religious education and youth involvement. He also placed a high priority for quality liturgies to satisfy the hunger of the people to hear the Word of God.

His years as a priest help him to strongly recognize the strength of lay people in the Church and the need for in-service training of volunteers. His dedication to others, show to all that he was truly a gift from Jesus. His actions all confirm that Msgr. Bourque was a priest of vision a vision of what can be done and the means to make those dreams come true.