Diocesan Administrator

The Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux is pleased to announce that the College of Consultors has elected Rev. Patrick John Madden as the new Diocesan Administrator.  Fr. P.J. will serve the diocese as its leader until the Holy Father appoints a new bishop and that bishop is formally installed in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux.
 

Fr. P.J. is a 76-year-old native of Ballinasloe, Ireland and was ordained in May 2004. He served as associate pastor at Our Lady of the Rosary (Larose) and St. Bernadette (Houma), and pastor at St. Genevieve (Thibodaux) and St. Hilary (Mathews).  A priest for 18 years, Fr. P.J. essentially has the same authority as a diocesan bishop, except for matters which would have long-term consequences.

The Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux College of Consultors met today, on Friday, April 1, 2022, to elect the new Diocesan Administrator. Fr. Charlie Perkins, who Canon Law defines as the Chairman of the College because he is senior in years of ordination, said of Fr. P.J.’s election: “Fr. P.J. is a much loved, veteran priest of our diocese who has great respect from his brother priests. The College of Consultors is confident that he will successfully fulfill the responsibilities as Diocesan Administrator as he serves the people. We also feel that Fr. P.J. is an excellent choice because he will move us forward until our next bishop is formally installed. We pray that the Holy Spirit continues to guide him in this new position. We also acknowledge the wonderful leadership of Archbishop Fabre during his time here, and we wish him the best as the new shepherd of Louisville.”

On Wednesday, March 30, Archbishop Shelton Fabre was installed as the Fifth Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Louisville. When Archbishop Fabre received news of the Fr. P.J.’s election he said: “My sincere congratulations and best wishes to my brother priest Fr. P.J. after his selection today as Diocesan Administrator. I rejoiced when I learned of this news from Houma-Thibodaux! I have the utmost confidence that Fr. P.J. will serve the needs of Houma-Thibodaux well in the near future until the diocese learns of the Holy See’s choice of my successor.”

Fr. P.J. immediately assumes leadership as Diocesan Administrator. When asked about his election, he stated: “Please allow me to begin by expressing my gratitude to the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux College of Consultors who today elected me as Diocesan Administrator. I am both humbled and excited by this opportunity, and I pledge to serve the needs of this wonderful diocese to the very best of my ability. With heartfelt sincerity, I promise to love and serve the faithful of this diocese in the pastoral spirit as did our beloved now Archbishop Shelton Fabre. As a priest of this diocese, I remain aware of the great suffering many still endure because of the devastation of Hurricane Ida. As Archbishop Fabre said often: ‘In God we place our hope and our trust, and we are confident that God will never leave us to endure anything alone.’” 

“I look forward to this journey to the Lord with all of you. Just as Archbishop Fabre needed you, so too do I need all of us - priests, deacons, religious, and laity - to work together! Peace be with you all and thank you!”
 

As we welcome our new administrator and await the appointment of a new bishop, there are questions that may come up for each of us.  Below are the most commonly asked questions about our current state of transition:

1)  When will we get a new bishop?

The Pope is the one responsible for appointing a bishop to a diocese.  The process of receiving a new bishop can often take eight months or more from the time a diocese becomes vacant.  As an example, the time between Bishop Boudreaux to Bishop Jarrell was four months, between Bishop Jarrell and Bishop Jacobs was 11 months, and between Bishop Jacobs and Bishop Fabre was 2 months.  

2)  What is the process for naming a new bishop? 

For us, this process began on Wednesday, March 30, after Bishop Fabre was installed as Archbishop of Louisville.  This process involves consultation, discussion, and discernment as to what candidate would be the best fit for our particular diocese.   Visit the USCCB's WEBPAGE for a detailed explanation of the process of appointing bishops.

3)  Who will serve the diocese until we receive a new bishop?

When Archbishop Fabre became the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Louisville Wednesday, March 30, that meant that the office of bishop in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux is now officially declared vacant, or sede vacante.  Thus, according to canon law, the College of Consultors is charged with selecting a diocesan administrator within eight days, a period known as the interregnum.

The diocesan administrator, once selected, will continue the work of the bishop until a future bishop is named by the Holy See.  Candidates for the post must be priests or bishops who are at least 35 years of age, and outstanding in doctrine and prudence. They may be from this diocese, or from somewhere else, including a bishop emeritus or a diocesan bishop from another diocese.

4)  What does a diocesan administrator do?

A diocesan administrator is bound by the obligations and posses the power of a diocesan bishop, excluding those matters which are excepted by their nature or by the law itself.  For example, an administrator who is not a bishop cannot ordain a candidate for the priesthood.  An administrator is not permitted to appoint pastors during the first year of a sede vacante or cannot make certain acts without the consent of the College of Consultors.

5)  What is the College of Consultors?

The college is composed of seven members who are selected from the Priests’ Council and whose functions are determined by law. The College of Consultors, in a sense, takes the place of the Priests’ Council during the vacant see and assists and advises the administrator in the governance of our diocese. In some instances, their consent is required before the administrator can make a decision. In the same vein, the consent of the college is also required by a diocesan bishop before he makes a decision or takes action concerning the diocese.

6)  What  happened on Friday, April 1 and how was the diocesan administrator elected?

The College of Consultors met  April 1 to begin the selection process.  Any of the seven members submitted names for consideration, and there is no limit as to how many names can be nominated. Deliberations on the nominees followed. Each consultor voted by a secret ballot and Fr. PJ Madden, who obtained the required two-thirds of the total votes cast, was elected as the diocesan administrator.

Join us in continuing to pray for our beloved former shepherd Archbishop Shelton Fabre as he now assumes the pastoral leadership of the Metropolitan Province of Louisville, and to pray for Fr. P.J. Madden, our new diocesan administrator.