Living the Faith candidate Ernie Webre

Ernest Webre

Who is he: Married 55 years to Shirley and has five children. He worked for American Cyanamid for 41 years.

Early faith memories: He jokes about the first time he attended Mass twice – on his first Communion with Bishop Gerard Frey (after whom he named his son). He is a founding member of St. Mark in Ama and recalls it being a mission to both St. Anthony of Padua in Luling and Holy Rosary in Taft. He was among parishioners – upon request of then-pastor Father Robert Guste – to retrieve pews and the confessional from Hotel Dieu’s chapel to use at St. Mark. He said the parish’s Stations of the Cross were once used in Anne Rice’s chapel. 

His involvement at St. Mark: An extraordinary minister of holy Communion who distributes Communion seven days a week including at Luling Living Center; a cantor and soloist; lector; sacristan; Communion service organizer several days a week; approved to do eucharistic adoration by a lay person and the Way of the Cross when a priest is not available. Father Anton Ba Phan, parochial vicar in residence at St. Anthony and St. Mark parishes, said he is impressed that Webre has conducted a Communion service on the days the parish doesn’t have Mass to allow parishioners a chance to receive daily Communion.

“He has done this many years very faithfully even when priests aren’t around,” Father Anton said. “It is special that the Lord allowed someone to do that for the parishioners. People here are very devout to the Lord and they give me the courage to catch up with them.”

What he loves about St. Mark: “When Mass is over at St. Mark’s, it’s like a social gathering. You stay and visit.”

His extraordinary faith experiences: Delivering Communion to the very ill, he witnessed an unresponsive man wake up to receive the Lord in Communion.

Many influenced his faith: His grandparents and his godmother, Josephine Petit, who would go to Mass on his birthday as his spiritual present. He said he was the son she never had. “Faith was a very strong thing in my family. I remember visiting my grandfather and his sister on a Sunday morning and everyone would gather under a sycamore tree and walk to Mass together.”

    – Christine Bordelon