Father Mark Beard’s enduring dynamic presence in the Catholic Church can be distinctly tied to his unwavering commitment to the truth, teachings of the Catholic faith and his special devotion to the Blessed Mother.

BATON ROUGE, La. (OSV News) -- The Diocese of Baton Rouge is mourning the loss of one of its priests who was killed in a car accident.

Bishop Michael G. Duca is saddened to report that Rev. Mark Beard, pastor at St. Helena Catholic Church in Amite, was killed this afternoon in an automobile accident. The bishop asks for prayers for Fr. Beard and his family, parishioners, and friends who mourn his loss.

As the St. Alphonsus Liguori Church community in Greenwell Springs has “grown tremendously,” so has the need for additional space to accommodate its growing ministries. With the construction of a new 12,800 square-foot parish activity center, the church is building for now and the future, according to St. Alphonsus clergy and administrators.