History and Heritage

Ruston Daily Leader Article – July 12 1963

Article by Ruston Daily Leader – July 12, 1963. The article reads:

18.2% of the total world populations is Catholic; 23.7% of the total United States population and 34.1% of the people in the state of Louisiana belong to the Catholic Church.

Our State is divided into districts, called dioceses. The diocese taking in the Northern part of the state of Louisiana, our diocese of Alexandria, is 8.3% Catholic. Here in Ruston, the percentage of Catholics is much smaller, about three tenths of one percent of the total population.

The local church, St. Thomas Aquinas, was established in 1941. It cares for the Catholics living in Ruston and its environs, as well as those attending La. Tech. Masses are offered on Sunday and each day of the week for the convenience of the parishoners. The church is open from 6:30 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. daily so that any one who wish may stop in to pray.

Three priests are in residence in Ruston.  From here the Catholic church in Grambling and Farmerville is cared for.  The priest are members of the religious order found by St. Francis of Assisi, the Franciscans.

Locally, we have our own parochial school which is taught by Franciscan Sisters.  The school has grade one to six inclusively.