Funeral held for founding bishop of Lake Charles diocese

LAKE CHARLES, LA (KPLC) - The funeral for the founding bishop of the Diocese of Lake Charles, Bishop Jude Speyrer, 84, was held Wednesday.

Speyrer died last week.

A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated by Bishop Glen John Provost in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Lake Charles.

Burial was in New Bethany Cemetery on the grounds of Saint Charles Center in Moss Bluff.

Bishop Speyrer was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Lafayette on July 25, 1953, serving in numerous pastoral and administrative assignments in the Lafayette diocese before his appointment by Pope John Paul II to lead the newly established Diocese of Lake Charles on Jan. 29, 1980.

He was consecrated and installed as the diocese's first bishop on April 25, 1980, serving until the Holy Father accepted his request for retirement on Dec.12, 2000.

You can watch video from the funeral HERE.

Copyright 2013 KPLC. All rights reserved.