The Spotlight is on our new parochial vicar Fr. Ed Lauden.  Fr. Ed was born in Salem, New Jersey, but spent his high school years in Cocoa Beach, Florida.  He earned a B.S. degree in physics from Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama, and entered the Jesuit order at Grand Coteau.  After five years,  Lauden left the order to pursue a teaching career.  He taught mathematics at Jesuit for two years and then spent 24 years at De La Salle High School, where he taught geology, astronomy and physics.  He also earned a M.S. in earth science during those years.

Fr. Ed later moved to Picayune, Mississippi, where he taught at Pearl River High School and was married.  Following the death of his wife, Susan Miller Lauden, he entered Notre Dame Seminary and was subsequently awarded the Master of Divinity degree.  He has done pastoral work at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Pear River, completed his clinical pastoral education at Baptist Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi, and done internship at St. Edward the Confessor and at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Destrehan. He was ordained to the priesthood in June of 2005.  He remained at St. Charles Borromeo until July, 2008, when he was assigned to St. Joan of Arc in LaPlace.  In July, 2009, he was assigned to St. Andrew the Apostle where he is currently serving as parochial vicar.

Fr. Ed’s love of flying led him to pursue a private pilot’s license and a flight instructor rating in gliders.  His teaching career resulted in his being name to Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers.