Up next in our “Faith at Work” series is Father Clyde Maher who not only ministers to our diocese and community, but also spent much of his life in the area! Fr. Clyde was born in Thibodaux, grew up in Kraemer, and fully embraces the culture and foods of the area — he even says that his last meal would consist of “a good, fat, boiled crab and a cold one to drink!” He spent his early education at Bayou Boeuf Elementary, South Thibodaux, and West Thibodaux schools, and graduated from Thibodaux High School in 1976. After graduating, he attended St. Joseph Seminary College in St. Benedict, Louisiana followed by Notre Dame Graduate School of Theology in New Orleans, Louisiana. 

Fr. Clyde was ordained to the priesthood on May 22, 1999, but his journey toward the priesthood started at an early age as an altar server and member of his parish youth group. Later, a spiritual conversation he had at Medjugorje in 1987 made his calling to the priesthood even more clear. Medjugorje is a town in Bosnia and Herzegovina that has become an unofficial pilgrimage site for Catholics as a site of an alleged appearance of our Blessed Virgin Mary to six local children.

Since his ordination, Fr. Clyde has served the diocese in many ways, but he currently presides over St. Mary’s Nativity in Raceland where he brings his sense of spiritual and personal fulfillment that comes from his confidence in God’s merciful love. 

When it comes to our Catholic Foundation, Fr. Clyde has been a strong advocate and ally to us from the very beginning. Years ago, the idea for the Catholic Foundation was pitched to the Diocesan Priest Council that Fr. Clyde served on. He immediately saw the lasting impacts that the Foundation could have on each church parish and Catholic school within the diocese. One of his favorite parts of the Foundation is the expertise and financial knowledge that is readily available to priests. Most recently, his church of St. Mary’s received a beautiful legacy gift from Msgr. Donald Ledet through his will and work with the Catholic Foundation to create two endowments: one for St. Mary’s Church and one for St. Mary’s School. These endowments ensure perpetual funding to the parish and school in Msgr. Ledet’s memory, providing sustainability and a lifetime of a legacy! 

Fr. Clyde has seen firsthand just how easy it is to make donations through the Foundation and how the funds can directly impact church parishes and parishioners for years to come, sharing, “Giving and seeing the fruits of the Foundation come to life in the diocese, at church parishes, in our schools, and different organizations throughout our community is a win/win. Anyone looking to leave a legacy gift in the name of their family should consider doing so through the Catholic Foundation.” 

Thank you Fr. Clyde for your vocation and your dedication to our diocese and the Catholic Foundation! If you are interested in the work the Catholic Foundation is doing within our community and want to get involved, please take a look around our website, give us a call at 985-850-3116, or send us an email at cfsl@htdiocese.org to learn more.