Warren Louis Boudreaux (January 25, 1918—October 6, 1997) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Beaumont (1971–1977) and Bishop of Houma-Thibodaux (1977–1992).
Warren Boudreaux was born in Berwick, Louisiana, to Alphonse Louis and Loretta Marie (née Senac) Boudreaux.[1] After graduating from Berwick Junior High School, he studied at St. Joseph's Seminary near Covington and at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans.[2] He also attended the Seminary of Saint-Sulpice in Paris, France.[2] Returning to Louisiana, he was ordained to the priesthood on May 30, 1942.[3] He then served as a curate at St. Michael's Church in Crowley until 1943, when he was sent to study at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., later earning a doctorate in canon law in 1946.[1]
Boudreaux became vice-chancellor of the Diocese of Lafayette and secretary to Bishop Jules Jeanmard in 1946, and was named a Papal Chamberlain in 1950.[1] In addition to these duties, he served as Defender of the Bond (1947–1950) and officialis (1950–1954) on the diocesan court.[1] He served as pastor of St. Peter's Church at New Iberia from 1954 to 1971, and was made vicar general of the diocese in 1956.[1] He was raised to the rank of Domestic Prelate in 1958.[1]
On May 19, 1962, Boudreaux was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Lafayette and Titular Bishop of Calynda by Pope John XXIII.[3] He received his episcopal consecration on the following July 25 from Archbishop Egidio Vagnozzi, with Archbishop John Cody and Bishop Maurice Schexnayder serving as co-consecrators.[3] Following the transfer of Bishop Vincent Madeley Harris to the Diocese of Austin, Boudreaux was named the second Bishop of Beaumont, Texas, by Pope Paul VI on June 4, 1971.[3] He remained at Beaumont for six years, when he was appointed the first Bishop of the newly-erected Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux in his native Louisiana on March 2, 1977.[3] He was well known for placing a ban on church fairs in 1985, objecting to the presence of alcohol and overall frivolity at such events.[4]
Shortly before reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, Boudreaux resigned as bishop on December 29, 1992.[3] He later died from heart failure at age 79.[4]
| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Vincent Madeley Harris |
Bishop of Beaumont 1971—1977 |
Succeeded by Bernard J. Ganter |
| Preceded by none |
Bishop of Houma-Thibodaux 1977—1992 |
Succeeded by Charles Michael Jarrell |