ROLAND MILLARE, STD
Vice President of Curriculum and Director of Clergy Initiatives, St. John Paul II Foundation
Dr. Roland Millare, a native Houstonian, serves as the Vice President of Curriculum and the Director of Clergy Initiatives for the St. John Paul II Foundation (Houston, TX). Dr. Millare served as a member of the Theology Department at St. John XXIII College Preparatory (Katy, TX) for over 15 years. He received a BA in Theology from Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio. He has a MA in Theological Studies (with a concentration in Moral Theology) from the Notre Dame Graduate School of Christendom College (Alexandria, VA) and a Licentiate (STL) and Doctorate in Sacred Theology (STD) in Dogmatic Theology (with a specialization in Sacramental Theology) from the University of St. Mary of the Lake (Mundelein, IL). Dr. Millare also serves as an adjunct professor of theology for permanent deacon candidates, seminarians, undergraduate and graduate students at the University of St. Thomas, St. Mary’s Seminary, the Diocese of Fort Worth and the University of Dallas. He has published various theological articles for Logos, Antiphon, New Blackfriars, Nova et Vetera, and the Heythrop Journal. He has published the book, A Living Sacrifice: Liturgy and Eschatology in Joseph Ratzinger (Emmaus Academic, 2022). Dr. Millare has also contributed an article to a forthcoming lexicon on the theology of Joseph Ratzinger (Ignatius Press). Dr. Millare is a member of the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars, Academy of Catholic Theology, and the Society for Catholic Liturgy. Dr. Millare enjoys the gift of life and love with his beautiful wife Veronica and their three children.
DAMON OWENS
Founder of Joyful Ever After
Damon Owens, international speaker and evangelist, is executive director of Joyful Ever After (joyfuleverafter.org). The first executive director of the Theology of the Body Institute and chairman of the 2016 International Theology of the Body Congress, Damon founded Joyful Ever After as a non-profit ministry dedicated to encouraging and educating couples to understand and live marriage and family life together with joy through St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body. A presenter at the 2015 World Meeting of Families, 2017 USCCB Convocation of Catholic Leaders, and 2019 Catholic Family Life Symposium, Damon keeps a full international speaking schedule at conferences, seminars, universities, high schools, seminaries, and parishes on the good news of marriage, sexuality, Theology of the Body, Theology of the Family, adoption, and NFP. In 2018, Pope Francis honored Damon with his Benemerenti Papal Medal in recognition for his work in support of marriage and family. Damon lives outside Philadelphia with his wife Melanie and their eight children. Damon has published numerous articles, appeared on many radio and television programs (EWTN, Catholic Answers, Ave Maria, Relevant Radio, Immaculate Heart Radio, ABC World News Tonight, CBS News, NPR), taught in many major Catholic faith programs, and has hosted and produced three 13-part television series for EWTN. He is also an accomplished gospel singer honored with a solo during the 1995 NJ Papal Mass at Giants Stadium presided by Pope St. John Paul II.
MOST REV. GLEN JOHN PROVOST, DD, MA
Bishop of the Diocese of Lake Charles
Bishop Provost was ordained to the Episcopacy and installed as the Third Bishop of Lake Charles on Monday, April 23, 2007 in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Bishop of Lake Charles on March 6, 2007. He was born August 9, 1949 to Cyrus and Sadie Marie Blanchet Provost in Lafayette. He received a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from St. Joseph Seminary College in St. Benedict, La., in 1971, studied at the North American College in Rome from 1971 to 1975, received a Sacrae Theologiae Baccaluareus, or Bachelor of Sacred Theology (STB) from St. Thomas University in Rome in 1974 and continued studies for his Licentiate in Sacred Theology at St. Thomas until 1975. He also earned a Master of Arts Degree in English Literature from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette in 1981. Continuing education includes work at L'Institute Catholique in Paris (1972) (French language); the University of London (1980) (Victorian language); Don Quichote Institute, Salmancia (1997) (Spanish language); Institute Santa Maria, Rome (1971) (Italian language) and Archaeological Study Tours to Syria, Jordan and Turkey.
Bishop Provost was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Lafayette by Pope Paul VI on June 29, 1975 in St Peter's Basilica in Rome. He served as an Associate Pastor at Our Lady Queen of Heaven in Lake Charles during the summer of 1975. He was Associate Pastor of St. Mary Magdalene in Abbeville, 1975-1983; Pastor of St. Leo in Roberts Cove, 1983-1985, Pastor of St. John Cathedral, 1985-1998, and Pastor of Our Lady of Fatima, 1998-March 6, 2007. He served as a Judge on the Diocese of Lafayette Tribunal, was a member of the Diocesan School Board, 1987-1996, Vice Chairman of the Council of Priests, 2005-2006; Chairman of the Council of Priests, 1989-1991, 2006-2007; Member of the Council of Priests, 2001-2007; Episcopal Vicar and Dean of the West Lafayette Deanery, a Diocesan Consultor, 1991-2007; and a board member of the Lafayette Catholic Service Center/Opelousas Housing Corporation, 1996-2000. Bishop Provost served as the Bishop's Liaison to the Legal Community and was an instructor in the Department of Theology for Church History, Aquinas Institute, Holy Cross College, Lafayette/New Orleans. He is a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, Atakapas Chapter; the National Chaplain's Committee for the Sons of the American Revolution; and a member of various equestrian and knightly orders. The Bishop, since childhood, has studied music, enjoys playing the piano, and served as house organist at the seminaries he attended.
SISTER MARY BENEDICTA, RSM
Co-Director of the Offices of Marriage, Family Life, and Pro-Life Ministries, Diocese of Lake Charles
Sister Mary Benedicta serves as Co-Director of the Offices of Marriage, Family Life, and Pro-life Ministries for the Diocese of Lake Charles, along with Blaine and Denise Wyninger. Along with attending daily Mass and praying the Liturgy of the Hours with her fellow Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Michigan, in their Lake Charles convent, she likes to bring saints to life through activities like baking a cake on the Nativity of Mary and decorating the community table with medals and holy cards of Saint Benedict of Norcia, her patron saint in religion. She is grateful for her Lutheran parents who marked liturgical seasons such as Advent with bringing her six siblings together to open up the daily Advent calendar. Sister also enjoys introducing the saints and liturgical seasons as she teaches Theology and AP Government and Politics at St. Louis Catholic High School.
MICHAEL AND ERIN FONTENOT
Parishioners at Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church
Michael and Erin Fontenot have been married for 18 years and are blessed to be raising 7 children in Jennings, Louisiana. Erin grew up in Mount Vernon, Virginia and after college found her way to South Louisiana where she teaches French and Religion part-time. Michael grew up on a family rice farm and now works as a financial advisor. Together they homeschool their youngest 5 children. They have worked with youth in the parish for 20 years where they have developed a love of both ultimate frisbee and Night Prayer. Inspired by St. John Paul II, they are seeking to create a domestic church in their own home.
