Berthelot returns to Thibodaux
and to St. Genevieve
by Michael Gorman, City Editor

When asked to describe her job as pastoral associate at Thibodaux's St. Genevieve Catholic Church, Sister Marlene Berthelot chuckles.

"It's everything from A to Z, really," Berthelot said. "Actually, I'm mostly involved in coordinating the music and the liturgy. I'm also the resource person for our children's choir and our youth choir. And, every Tuesday and Thursday, I teach music to the kindergarten through third-grade children in the school here."

That's it?

"And on Fridays, I coordinate music with the children song leaders for their Mass," Berthelot said.

Berthelot, who is a recent addition to the church's staff, is anything but a stranger to the area.

A native of Reserve, she says she decided to join the Dominican sisters after being taught by them as a child.

"I was impressed with their work," she said. "I wanted to work with children. Then, I wanted to work with older children, then teens and then adults."

In her busy career, Berthelot has worked in a variety of parishes, all in Louisiana.

I have been in Hammond, Independence, Norco, LaPlace, Cottonport, New Orleans, Morgan City, Reserve, and Thibodaux," she said.

Along the way, Berthelot has taken the time to further her education so she can better further others.'

"Since I'm involved in music, I decided to pursue a bachelor's of music education degree at Southeastern (Louisiana University) in Hammond," she said. "Then, I went on to receive an MA from St. Joseph's (Rensellaer) in sacred music and liturgy.

She also keeps busy with a variety of duties in the diocese and the archdiocese, she said.

On the diocesan level, Berthelot has served on the committee for children's liturgy in New Orleans and as co-director of the Office of Worship in the Houma-Thibodaux Diocese. At the archdiocesan level, she served on the Liturgical Commission, She was also president of Louisiana Campus Ministers during her time as a campus minister on the Nicholls State University campus.

For such an impressive person with such an impressive educational and professional background, Berthelot has fairly simple pleasures.

"The most enjoyable thing to me is bringing the joy of sacred music to the people in church," she said. "It's a great feeling to get them singing, raising their voices in joyful praise to the Lord.

"As a Dominican sister, our mission statement is to 'contemplate and proclaim the Word.' I do that in all these various ways.

"I see it as a part of my life. You have to pray, and there's a lot of preparation that goes into it. Then, through the music, the prayer aspect comes in."

In addition to coordinating music for Masses and special services, Berthelot is an accomplished musician in her own right. She plays organ, keyboard, guitar, upright bass, electric bass, and sings. She also does some composing, she said.

"If I can't find a song that's just right, sometimes I will write one," Berthelot said.

A New Place-- Before coming to Thibodaux in June, Berthelot worked at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Morgan City, then worked in a retreat center in Rosaryville, went back to Holy Cross, then decided to come here, she said.

"Fr. (Wilmer) Todd wanted a sister on staff here, so I was invited to join the staff and the parish," Berthelot said.

Historically, the Dominican sisters were sent to their assignments by leaders.

Since Vatican 11, though, the sisters have started branching off and going where they are most needed, she said.

Right now, the order is in the process of setting up a Dominican Alliance that would allow nuns in Louisiana, for instance, to travel to Ohio or Kentucky to fill a needed post.

"We are all kind of dwindling down in numbers, so all the smaller communities are grouping together and sharing our resources," Berthelot said.

In fact, that situation has affected even the ministry work that is done, she said.

"Our whole thrust in the ministry now is trying to get lay people involved So they can tak a more active role in the church. We're here planting the seed and allowing others to participate in the ministry."

Back in Thibodaux, the sister said she couldn't be happier.

"I stay until my job is done, and I hope this one takes years," she said. "Everyone here is so nice. I stay around this area because this s where my family is and I'm very close to my family."

And what is next on her agenda?

"Only God knows," she said.

Michael Gorman is the Daily Comet's city editor. He can be reached at 448-7612 or by e-mail at mgorman@dailycomet.com.

Reprinted with permission from Michael Gorman, Daily Comet, 9/20/99