Bishop: Priest sends apology to parish

LOUISIANA
The Advertiser

Ken Stickney, kstickney@theadvertiser.com July 30, 2016

BREAUX BRIDGE — A local Catholic priest, charged with 500 counts of possession of child pornography this week, sent word to his parish that he is sorry for his actions and for the pain and embarrassment he caused his church and diocese.

The Most Rev. J. Douglas Deshotel, bishop of Lafayette, passed along those regrets from the Rev. F. David Broussard, placed on leave at St. Bernard Roman Catholic Church, during Dehotel’s brief homily at the 4 p.m. Saturday Mass at that downtown church. About 300 parishioners, virtually a full house, pressed into the parish hall where Mass was offered. The church building itself is closed for remodeling.

Deshotel, named Lafayette’s bishop in February, will preside over all St. Bernard’s Masses this weekend.

The bishop told parishioners he “had a visit” with Broussard this week — the priest was charged with having pornographic images of children on his personal computer and booked at St. Martin Parish Jail on Tuesday — and asked if Broussard wanted to tell his parishioners anything. That, Deshotel said, was when Broussard expressed his sorrow and offered his apology.

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