“Lemme Tell You a Story”

About the Book

Father Roy was born in Hamburg, Louisiana in August, 1929. He is the oldest of four sons and the only one who answered the call to become a Roman Catholic Priest. Father Roy and his family moved a few times and finally settled in New Roads, Louisiana where he attended school and then he entered the Archdiocesan Seminary system. Now retired from active ministry after fifty-eight years, his residence is the St. John Vianney Villa retirement community for priests in Marrero, Louisiana in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. After fifty-eight years of active ministry no one would blame Father Roy for just taking it easy, but that does not seem to be Father Roy’s way. He is as active today as when he was pastor of Holy Spirit Catholic Parish. From teaching scripture classes, to ministering to the elderly, to visiting friends and family, to harvesting his little garden, to … the list goes on and on … Father Roy is anything but idle. Beginning with a mother tongue of Acadian French, Father Roy encountered and learned various languages in his study, formation, ministry and now retirement. One of those languages was the language of music and its many dialects. His appreciation of those many forms of music and language has been and is a constant presence and enhancement to Father Roy’s spirituality and prayer life. God gives everyone an abundance of gifts. It is our job to recognize those gifts and use them for the benefit all of God’s people.

About the Author

Father Roy was asked by his family and many friends to write some of the stories he used in his classes and homilies. He resisted for a long time but because of a Story-Telling class from the People Program of the Sisters of St. Joseph, begun at Holy Spirit Catholic Parish in the Archdiocese of New Orleans, Father Roy finally started the process of committing his many stories to paper (well at least to computer disk drives). The stories contained within these pages represent some of Father Roy’s fondest memories from a life well lived. They give us a picture of an active duty priest, his thoughts and his encounters with all the sorts of people in today's church. Father Roy presents these stories like he lived his life – with a humble and loving heart. They are for all who care to turn the pages.