November 6, 2025
Dear St. Mary’s Families & Natchitoches Parish Residents,
This Sunday November 2, 2025 at all Masses, Fr. Irion announced that the Diocese of Alexandria is entering and has petitioned for a Chapter 11 reorganization of its financial affairs under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. A letter from Bishop Marshall was included in the bulletin.
Because of this, a rumor began circulating that St. Mary’s School will be closing. This rumor is false. The Diocese’s bankruptcy filing does not affect our parish or St. Mary’s Catholic School. The bankruptcy involves only the diocese itself. Please read Bishop Marshall’s letter, which explains this in a very clear and transparent way. If you need a copy of the letter, please visit the Diocesan website at www.diocesealex.org or contact us and we will forward you a copy.
To be clear, the bankruptcy applies only to the Diocese itself. Parishes and schools and other Catholic entities are separately incorporated under state law and are not affected by this filing.
Please be assured that the rumor that St. Mary’s may close is false. We have no intention of closing St. Mary’s school. Together, let us dispel this rumor and move forward. Please pray for our school community as we continue to advance and make our school a safe place for our children as they advance spiritually, academically and socially, with Jesus Christ as their foundation.
Sincerely, With Faith in Christ and Mary through prayers,
Fr. Irion St. Romain, Chancellor
Stephen Wren, M.S. Ed., Principal
