St. Maria Goretti Mass Feb. 15 for Msgr. Gauthreaux

February 11, 2020

-By Clarion Herald Staff

He was what is affectionatey known as a “priest’s priest.” Maybe the term “people’s priest” is even more fitting. When Msgr. L. Earl Gauthreaux died of lymphoma Feb. 8 at the age of 89, he was in his 52nd year as pastor of St. Maria Goretti Parish in New Orleans East.

That was easily the longest tenure of any pastor in the recent history of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Msgr. Gauthreaux’s Funeral Mass was scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 15, at 11 a.m. at St. Maria Goretti Church, 7300 Crowder Blvd. (A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Tuesday, Feb. 18, at 11 a.m. at St. John the Evangelist Church in Plaquemine, Louisiana, Msgr. Gauthreaux’s boyhood parish.)

Long-time friend Gilda Thibeaux, who along with her husband Joe cared for Msgr. Gauthreaux through a series of serious medical issues in recent years, said she always would remember his low-key, cheerful mentoring of younger priests.

“When he would have get-togethers at the house, I’ve got pictures of the seminarians from Africa and the Philippines sitting around on the floor, just listening to him speak,” Thibeaux said. “Father Cyril (Buyeera) told me once, ‘Everything I learned (in the seminary), I’m putting on the back burner; I’m only keeping what Monsignor taught me.’”

The Clarion Herald will have full coverage of Msgr.Gauthreaux’s Funeral Mass in the Feb. 22 issue. Check out www.clarionherald.org for recent columns on Msgr. Gauthreaux.