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Our Seminarians:
Matthew Tyler Long
Michael Petty
David Hebert
Keith Meshell
 A graduate from LSU Law School, thirty-two year old Matthew Long is now in his fourth year of theological study at St. Meinrad Seminary in Indiana. A convert to the Catholic faith, Matthew was raised as a Southern Baptist in Plain Dealing, Louisiana where he enjoyed a safe and active childhood with two older siblings and a large extended family in the rural surroundings of a town of 1,200 people that emulates the environs of our diocese. After completing his undergraduate studies at Northwestern State University, Matthew went on to law school in where he became interested in Catholicism through both his friends and the Catholic surroundings of Baton Rouge.
After coming into the Church during the 2000 Easter season in Baton Rouge, Matthew completed his law studies, sat for his Bar Exam and returned to Shreveport to work in the field of law. Involvement in his home parish of St. Joseph Church was heavy, and a lifelong desire to serve others within the Church began to blossom within Matthew and he started seriously contemplating the priesthood in 2001, resulting in his acceptance as a diocesan seminarian in 2004. He is nearing the latter part of his training at St. Meinrad, having completed his Clinical Pastoral Studies (CPE) and is awaiting his ordination to the Transitional Diaconate in October of 2008, and God willing, Matthew will be ordained to the priesthood in May 2009.
 Our diocese also has a second seminarian at St. Meinrad, Mr. Michael Petty. Michael is a 48-year-old convert to Catholicism who brings a wealth of personal experience and abilities to his seminary training as a man who followed a long call in his life to follow our Lord. A native of Visalia, California, Michael was brought up in a close-knit family that worked in the gaming industry, which eventually enabled him to live on both coasts after gambling was legalized in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
He came to know Catholicism through a 1984 choir trip to Austria where he was befriended by several of the faithful and eventually received his first communion in Salzburg. Growing up in the anti-Catholic environment of Seventh Day Adventism, it is truly a miracle that Michael is where he is today, but he never wavered in his exploration of all things Catholic, grasping the evident truths of our faith and growing more and more in the Lord prior to coming to Centenary College in Shreveport to receive his undergraduate degree in voice. Michael possesses a beautiful tenor singing voice, and also owns a Culinary Arts Degree so he is as much as home in the kitchen as he is singing in front of large congregations. He is currently serving a Pastoral Year at Mary, Queen of Peace Church in South Bossier and the mission of St. George Chapel in Coushatta, Louisiana. Michael is scheduled to be ordained in May 2011.
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 David Hebert is a 48-year-old native of Abbeville, Louisiana who came to North Louisiana many years ago to work in the Blood Bank Industry. As you can probably imagine, David is a cradle-Catholic who was always close to the Church within the uniquely Catholic environment of South Louisiana. He owns a BS degree from the college now known as the University of Louisiana – Lafayette, later receiving his Master of Arts in Human Resources from Webster University in St. Louis.
During his career with the Blood Bank, David became a very active member of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in South Shreveport, and many saw the priesthood within him over the years, including women he dated! He finally answered the call and has completed two full years of theological studies at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. David had a productive summer serving St. Joseph Church in Bastrop and returned to Notre Dame this fall to greet a new Rector (Fr. Jose Lavastida) and to begin his third year of study. God willing, David will be ordained to the priesthood in May 2010.
 Keith Meshell is another homegrown product of our region and a Cathedral parishioner. He grew up Catholic in an extended and loving family in the Shreveport area and was an honor graduate of Huntington High School in 2001. Keith spent his summers working at fire stations and the events of September 11, 2001 inspired him to become a paramedic and devote his life to helping others. During this time he sensed that although he loved his job, his true calling was elsewhere and the priesthood weighed heavy on his mind.
After devoting his summer to St. Joseph Church in Zwolle and St. Ebarb Church in Noble, 25-year-old Keith Meshell returned for his junior year at St. Joseph College Seminary in St. Benedict, Louisiana. Keith is currently on track to graduate from St. Joseph in May of 2009, before he enters a Theologate to complete his training for ordained priesthood.
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