Giving us Shepherds Always: 

The Burses of the Diocese of Lafayette

Donate to a Burse

Some priests have compared their eight years of seminary formation to becoming a doctor, but in this case, “a doctor for the soul.” It is work that our future shepherds are eagerly preparing to do once ordained after a very intense program of study. Generous donors to our Burse Program ensure that the Diocese of Lafayette can cover the cost of seminarian education now and in the future. 

Active use of the burse system is advantageous because the more you add to the principal of the Seminary Endowment through a burse donation, the more interest the Endowment will generate to defray the rising costs of seminarian formation.

Burses established prior to 2021 are called Founders’ Burses in honor of the visionary leadership of Bishop Jules Jeanmard and Right Reverend Monsignor John Vigliero. Founders’ Burses are considered complete when they reach $15,000. That was the cost to educate one seminarian for eight years leading up to ordination back in 1918! Over 100 Founders’ Burses are incomplete and eagerly accepting donations of any amount. Contributions may be mailed to the Office of Stewardship at 1408 Carmel Drive, Lafayette, LA 70501 or you may click here to make a credit card gift.

While contributions to existing Founders’ Burses are most welcome, new Founders’ Burses may no longer be created. Shepherd’s Burses, however, are available if you are looking to start something new. See information above.

With your investment in an incomplete Founders’ Burse, you can offer a clear commitment to the future of the Catholic community and the Church in our beloved Acadiana. Please join your fellow Catholics in supporting those who will be serving you, your children and your grandchildren in the practice of the Catholic faith.

What a great way to honor the memory of a special priest or family member: establish a burse with their name to help fund the formation of future priests. In acknowledgment of 21st century educational costs, a new category of burses was created in 2021 called Shepherd’s Burses. These will be considered complete when they reach $36,000 which reflects the majority of costs for educating one seminarian for one year.

A minimum of a $1,000 donation will be needed to establish a new named Shepherd’s Burse. Thereafter contributions of any amount can be added to a named Shepherd’s Burse. Contact Director of Stewardship & Development Margaret Trahan at mtrahan@diolaf.org or call 337-261-5642 to start a new Shepherd’s Burse or to make a contribution to an existing Shepherd’s Burse.

Named after the patron saint for priests, this perpetual burse was created in 2021. It will remain open and available to accept contributions of any amount indefinitely. As costs for seminarian education continue to rise, this burse acts as a safety net for the future. 

You can help to ensure God's blessing for generations to come by supporting seminarian education through the St. John Vianney Perpetual Burse. 

Contributions may be mailed to the Office of Stewardship at 1408 Carmel Drive, Lafayette, LA 70501 or you may click here to make a credit card gift.

Burses may also be funded through a designation in one's will as a testamentary. There, you can plant seeds for the benefit of future generations of Catholics. What a wonderful legacy it would be to know that future priests will be educated because of your generosity. Depending on the anticipated amount of your gift, you can invest in existing burses of your choice or create a newly named burse per the parameters of the diocesan burse program. In your will, include the name of the burse along with the following: Society of the Roman Catholic Church of the Diocese of Lafayette (LA). Call the Office of Stewardship at 337-261-5642 for more information.

What is a burse?

Burse is a Medieval Latin word which means "purse." Burses are part of the diocesan Seminary Endowment that provides financial support for seminarians' livelihood and education until they become ordained as priests, a path that can take up to eight years to complete. A burse is set up as an endowment. Only the dividend and interest earned on the principal amount can be used. The balance of the dividends and interest helps to pay for seminary tuition, educational fees, books, room and board, and retreats.

How and why did the burse system become established in the Diocese of Lafayette?

Like medical school, the intense high quality years of seminarian formation is for good reason but comes with a large price tag. Through the foresight of Bishop Jules Jeanmard and Monsignor John Vigilero, burses (the “named” portion of the Seminary Endowment) were begun over a century ago to remove any financial barriers for priestly vocations. In 1919, the full cost for seminarian formation was $15,000. Hence Founders’ Burses were considered “complete” when they accumulated $15,000 in donations. Burses established after 2020 are complete at $36,000 which represents one year of seminarian education. These higher level burses are called Shepherd’s Burses.

What does it cost to educate a seminarian?

Today, costs for all 8 years of seminarian education for one individual total almost $300,000. Since our priests receive only a modest salary after ordination, it is imperative that the diocese be able to provide financial assistance to educate our future priests. With 20 to 30 seminarians enrolled in a given time period, these burses are an important part of the Seminary Endowment which ensures the future of the legacy of faith in Acadiana.

Are burses endowed funds?

The money donated to the Seminary Endowment by way of the burse system remains untouched principal. Only interest and dividends from the trust are used to pay for the annual cost of seminarian formation which makes it a gift that keeps on giving.

How is the Diocese covering the cost of seminarian education at present?

Currently interest and dividends from the Seminary Endowment, including burses and proceeds from the Centennial Campaign, pays 30% of this expense. The Bishop’s Services Appeal largely covers the remainder of seminarian formation costs. These combined funding sources will allow the Diocese to better absorb future cost increases for seminarian education.

How many burses exist in the Diocese of Lafayette?

At the end of 2020, the Diocese had 134 completed burses valued at $2,447,905. Additionally, there are 112 incomplete Founders’ Burses. Founders’ Burses are complete when they reach $15,000. Shepherd’s Burses are complete when they reach $36,000.