Deacon Charles Ray Richard

His undergraduate studies were obtained at the University of Southwestern Louisiana, now ULL. There he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration, December, 1976.                                                                                 

Over the past forty-eight years he has worked as a Business Professional in several Business Fields, as well as maintaining a Real Estate Salesman license in the state of Louisiana. Currently he serves as Business Manager/Bookkeeper at Holy Ghost Catholic Church and is very active in ministry within the parish and diocese. Deacon Richard works with the Married Couples Ministry, Baptismal Class, Bible Study, Fundraising Committee and Charismatic Prayer Group. He is a noted speaker for conferences, retreats and missions/ revivals. Prior to Covid-19 Deacon Charles Richard hosted a Gospel Radio Program on KOCZ FM for over 15 years.

Deacon Richard has served on the Opelousas Catholic School Board, Catholic Charismatic Advisory & Clergy Boards and Diocesan Pastoral Council and Board of I.C.O.N. (Interfaith Council on Needy) in St. Landry Parish. His latest appointments is to the Board of the Refinery Mission, a faith based Men's Shelter in Opelousas, LA.



In 2007 he began his Permanent Diaconate formation studies at the Diocese of Lafayette. He was ordained deacon on August 25, 2012. In August, 2019 he was re-appointed to serve as Permanent Deacon, at Holy Ghost Catholic Church, Opelousas, LA. He and his wife, the former Edith 0. Collins, have been married for over forty-six years. They are proud parents of four children: Gerald, Heather, Jennifer and April. Their sons-in-law are Isaac, Patrick and David. They are proud grandparents of four granddaughters, and two grandsons.