 He joined the Society of the Divine Word in 1946, and was ordained to the priesthood on February 2, 1960.He served as a missionary to Papua New Guinea from 1961 to 1968.He was pastor of St. Elizabeth's Church (1968-1985) and of Our Lady of the Gardens Church (1985-1988), both in Chicago, Illinois, before serving as pastor of Holy Ghost Church in his native Opelousas.