The election of 3 nominees for a 3 year term on the Cathedral Pastoral Council will be this weekend, October 20 - 21, at all masses. If you will not be available to vote at mass, early voting is taking place in the church office until Friday at 4:00 p.m. Registered Cathedral parishioners 18 years and older are eligible to vote. The nominees are Collette Manuel, Charles Marcantel, Megan McAtee, Houston Middleton and John Pellerin.
Collette Manuel was born and raised a Catholic in Welsh, LA. She attended Academy of the Sacred Heart in Grand Coteau and graduated from McNeese State University in 1965. She taught school for 30 years at Our Lady Queen of Heaven, Pearl Watson and Barbe High School. Colette, a long time member of the Cathedral, has been a Lector here since 2000 and a member of the Altar Society and Catholic Daughters. She is the widow of "Rabbit" Manuel and has one daughter and 2 granddaughters. Collette is grateful to have been a part of our history and looks forward to being a part of our future.
Charles Marcantel has been married to JoLynn Mahfouz Marcantel for 44 years. They have 3 children that have graduated from ICCS and St. Louis Catholic High School. They currently have 3 grandchildren attending ICCS and 1 grandchild attending Cathedral Carmel in Lafayette. Charles served on the St. Louis School Board for 7 years as the Cathedral Parish Representative and was School Board President for 4 years. While on the School Board he served as the chairman of the Opening Windows Project Committee. He is a convert and has worked in the RCIA Process at the Cathedral Parish. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus Council 1207 and currently serves as Grand Knight. Charles feels blessed to be an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion.
Megan McAtee and her husband, Ryan, have been active in our Cathedral Parish since becoming members in 2012. She is an active member of Catholic Daughters, ACTS Women's retreat, and a member of our parish's first ACTS Core Team. Ryan is an usher, active member of the Knights of Columbus and on the ACTS team for our next Men’s Retreat.They are parents to Levi & Austin McAtee who attend ICCS. Levi is an Altar Server and the family enjoys helping out at our bake sales, parish picnics and clean up days. Megan is a Nurse Practitioner working in Dr. Lee J. Monlezun's office. Megan and Ryan married here at the Cathedral in 2007 and truly feel that this is where Our Lord wants them to be.
Houston Middleton and his wife, Lauren, have been parishioners at the Cathedral since 2012. He is a partner in the law firm of Lundy, Lundy, Soileau & South LLP. He is affiliated with the Alliance Defending Freedom, a nonprofit organization dedicating to promoting marriage, family and religious liberty and is past president and current member of the St. Thomas More Society of Southwest Louisiana. He currently serves on the board of the Southwest Louisiana Youth Foundation and as Secretary of the Cathedral's Knights of Columbus Council 1207. Houston and Lauren are parents to 3, the oldest of which attends ICCS, and are eagerly expecting the arrival of #4 in November.Houston is a convert since 2011 and credits the early 20th century author and Catholic convert, G. K. Chesterton with leading him, by God's grace, to Rome.
John Pellerin was born and raised Catholic in Houston, graduating from St. Thomas High School, then earning a 4-year degree from Texas A&M. John married Brenda (a convert to Catholicism) in 1989 and moved to the Lake Charles area in 1991 and raised 5 children (2 were altar servers) in the Church. John has been an active member of the Cathedral for several years in various ministries including Prepare & Enrich (marriage prep mentoring), ushering, lector duties, and Cathedral cleanup days. Brenda is also a member of the Prepare & Enrich ministry as well as an active member of the Catholic Daughters. John's only goal, if elected to the council, is to provide support for (or lead) any effort that glorifies God and furthers His kingdom.