New pastor named at Our Lady Queen of All Saints Catholic Church

Bishop Michael Jarrell of the Diocese of Lafayette has appointed New Iberia native Father Mario Romero as the new pastor of Our Lady Queen of All Saints Catholic Church effective June 16, 2008.

Father Romero graduated from Catholic High School in New Iberia and U.S.L. in Lafayette, where he graduated in 1980 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. After graduating from U.S.L., Father Romero worked for five years in the oilfield supply business in the Lafayette area. During that time God called him, through the invitation of Deacon Mike Clark of Lafayette, to consider the possibility of a vocation to the priesthood. He entered Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans in 1985 and, in 1990, earned a master of divinity degree and was ordained by Bishop Harry Flynn at St. John’s Cathedral in Lafayette.

Father Romero is 49 years old and has been ordained for 18 years. In 1993 and 1994, Father Romero appeared on the weekly Diocesan TV programs “Tell the People” and “Understanding Our Catholic Faith.” Father Romero has completed two books entitled Unabridged Christianity: Biblical Answers to Common Questions About the Roman Catholic Faith and Catholic Pocket Evangelist: Biblical Outlines for Scripturally-Based Discussions of the Roman Catholic Faith. The books, which are aimed at educating and evangelizing readers about the Biblical basis of Catholic beliefs and practices, are available at local Catholic bookstores.

Father Romero writes about his ministry as a priest: “I love Jesus! I love His Church! I love being a priest and I love the people and culture of South Louisiana! I have a huge thirst for God’s Word contained in the Holy Scriptures. I try, in my teaching and preaching, to make God’s Word come alive and to apply it to our lives in a concrete way so we all can become more committed disciples of Jesus!”