July 8, 2018
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
2
A Letter From Our Pastor
Fr. Colin Braud
I am really excited to be here as pastor. Some things for you to know
about me. I am 32 years old and I grew up in Covington, where I was
home schooled from the 7th through the 12th grades. After high school I
attended LSU for 3 years, where I majored in electrical engineering, and
minored in watching football games at Death Valley on Saturday nights. I
transferred to St. Joseph Seminary College in Covington, often referred to
The Abbey or St. Ben’s. After graduating from there, I attended Notre
Dame Seminary for four more years. I was ordained to the priesthood in
2013. My first assignment was at St. Margaret Mary in Slidell for three
years, and I had been at St. Ann’s in Metairie for two years before
making the move across the river to Visitation.
I am looking forward in getting to know the West Bank, as this is my
first time living here. My prior experience of the West Bank only
consisted in driving through the West Bank in order to get to Empire or Port Sulphur to go fishing
with my family.
I am mostly looking forward to getting to know all of you. I hope that I can live up to the name
“pastor” while I am here. This is my first assignment as pastor, so I know that I have a lot to learn.
If I had to give one goal that I hope to achieve personally it would be to become a spiritual father. I
hope to be a spiritual father and a spiritual leader as pastor. If I had to list one task that I hope to
accomplish as pastor it would be to lead you all closer to Heaven. There’s a famous story about St.
Jean Vianney and his journey to Ars to become pastor. He had trouble finding the church, and so he
asked a boy for help. The boy showed him the way to the church. The saint then told the boy,
pointing upwards to the sky, “You have led me to Ars; I will lead you to Heaven.” That is
ultimately what I hope to do, to lead you all to Heaven. Every decision that I make I will try to have
that end in view, making your heavenly reward that much more in view.
I am also excited about being here under the patronage of Our Lady
of the Visitation. This is my first time at a Marian parish, and so I pray
for her intercession and maternal guidance to come upon all of us here.
Be assured that I will be praying for you all on a daily basis, and I ask
you to keep me in your prayers as well. Echoing our Lady’s words in
the Magnificat during the Visitation, may all of our souls daily proclaim
the greatness of the Lord, not just here at VOL, but wherever we find
ourselves. Our Lady of the Visitation, pray for us.