Msgr. Douglas Doussan laid to rest

Archbishop Gregory Aymond presided over the funeral Mass of Msgr. Douglas Doussan on July 15 who died July 9 at the age of 90.

Priests, deacons, religious and laity filled St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church (formerly Transfiguration) to capacity to celebrate his life dedicated to priestly ministry.

Matt Russo, a longtime friend and colleague of Mgsr. Doussan's, who frequently presented Days of Prayer with him at The Cenacle on the Lake, shared Words of Remembrance before Mass and the homilist was Vincentian Father Louis Arceneaux.

"I remember in 1966 Doug (as he preferred to be called) asked me to give the homily at my first Mass as a priest," Russo said. "Now, some 63 years later he asked me to say Words of Remembrance at his last Mass as a priest. as they say 'What goes around, comes around.'"

"I've got many wonderful memories of Doug during the past 63 years – and I know that everyone of you have your own memories of him as well," he added.  

Father Arceneaux's homily echoed Russo's memories of Msgr. Doussan that everyone is holding tight to. "Doug spent his life and ministry living out those teaching moments in many concrete ways in this world," he said. "The image that stands out for me for almost 20 years is that of God's house having many dwelling places, not only in the world beyond, but in the present world. He continually reached out to people to welcome them into the house of God here on Earth."

He added that Msgr. Doussan carried out his ministry among his fellow priests and beyond, serving in many ministries of leadership among the clergy promoting vocations and ongoing priestly education. "Beyond his fellow priests, one of the earliest and clearest examples of Doug reaching out to involve others was his insistence in having women as well as laymen involved in the leadership of the parish," he said. "In a sense, Doug was promoting synodality before it became common during the ministry of Pope Francis."

During the Mass, Archbishop Aymond stood at the altar with Msgr. Doussan's chalice, and as is his custom invited those gathered to pray for vocations to the priesthood and for someone to take up Msgr. Doussan's chalice as a priest.

Msgr. Doussan was born on September 11, 1934, in New Orleans, La.  He attended elementary school at Our Lady of Lourdes in New Orleans and secondary school at St. Aloysius in New Orleans and Joseph Seminary in St. Benedict.  He attended St. Joseph Seminary College in St. Benedict.  His seminary education was at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans.  

He was ordained to the priesthood on June 4, 1960.  

Msgr. Doussan served as Assistant at St. Lawrence the Martyr Church in Metairie, Our Lady Star of the Sea Church in New Orleans and Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in New Orleans. His pastorates were at St. Philip the Apostle Church in New Orleans, St. Joseph the Worker Church in Marrero and St. Gabriel the Archangel Church in New Orleans.  

Fr. Doug received the Prelate of Honor by His Holiness, Pope St. John Paul II on July 18, 1988.  
In addition to his pastoral assignments, Father Doussan served as a Notary in the Tribunal, was Assistant Director of the Vocations Office, Secretary of the Archdiocesan Liturgical Committee, Cathedral Deanery Director for Vocation and Youth Programs, Assistant Vicar for Religious, Representative on the Priest Personnel Board, the Director of the Priest Personnel Office
and Director of Continuing Formation.  Msgr. Doussan retired in 2015 and resided at the Cenacle on the Lake Retreat Center for many years.  

"Through these and many other experiences, Doug responded to God's call to first experience God's love in his life and to share it with others," Father Arceneaux said. "He continually opened his heart to experience the love of God as St. Paul and others did and then to share that love with others. While longing to be welcomed into God's home with the many dwelling places in heaven, he spent his life doing all he could to welcome as many as chose to respond to God's home here on Earth in the Church and even beyond."

Find more photos from the funeral Mass online here.