Carmelite Sister Catherine Arceneaux to celebrate 50th

     Discalced Carmelite Sister Catherine Arceneaux’s baptismal name was Teresa, and she says “my vocation began here. I have called you by name, you are mine.”
    Her community will join her in celebrating 50 years as a Carmelite with a jubilee Mass Jan. 26 at 11 a.m. at the Monastery of Mary, Mother of Grace, 1250 Carmel Drive, Lafayette.

    Sister Catherine is a New Orleans native. Her brother, Vincentian Father Louis Arceneaux, will be the principal celebrant of the Mass, with Lafayette Bishop Michael Jarrell presiding.
    Sister Catherine grew up in St. Stephen Parish and attended school there from kindergarten through 12th grade.
    Reflecting on her vocation, Sister Catherine said with St. Therese of Lisieux as her patron saint, “I felt I had to do what my patroness did. On receiving my first Communion, I knew the thing to do was to receive Jesus every day, since the Mass is celebrated every day. My parents attended daily Mass, and here began my love for Jesus.”
    While she grew up admiring the Daughters of Charity who taught at the school, she had a deep love for Carmel.
    “I understood that my ministry to the church would begin immediately on walking through the enclosure door,” she said. “They left everything and immediately followed Jesus. I did not have to wait for years of training as a teacher, social worker or nurse. Our ministry to the chuch is living the life of prayer and sacrifice.”
    Sister Catherine’s other siblings are James and Alwyn Arceneaux, Sidney and Bonnie Arceneaux and Mary Alice Arceneaux of Metairie.