Glen Provost

Glen John Provost (born August 9, 1949) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has served as bishop of the Diocese of Lake Charles in Louisiana since 2007.

Early life
Glen Provost was born on August 9, 1949, to Cyrus and Sadie Marie Blanchet Provost in Lafayette, Louisiana. Deciding as a young man to become a priest, Provost entered Saint Joseph Seminary College in Covington, Louisiana. He received a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Saint Joseph in 1971.

After his graduation, Provost traveled to Rome to enter the seminary of the Pontifical North American College. Provost studied Italian in Rome at the Istituto Santa Maria. In 1972, he spent time in Paris studying French at the Institut Catholique. In 1974, Provost was awarded a Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome and a Licentiate in Sacred Theology in 1975.

Priesthood
Provost was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Lafayette by Pope Paul VI on June 29, 1975 in St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.

After Provost's ordination, the diocese assigned him as associate pastor at St. Mary Magdalene in Abbeville, Louisiana. He also entered the University of Louisiana-Lafayette (ULL) in Lafayette. He went to London in 1980 to study Victorian language at the University of London. Provost graduated from ULL in 1981 with a Master of Arts in English Literature.

After eight years at St. Mary, Provost was named pastor of St. Leo Parish in Roberts Cove, Louisiana. Provost was moved to the St. John Cathedral Parish in 1985, where he would remain as pastor for the next 13 years. In 1987, he was appointed as a judge on the diocesan tribunal and as a member of the Catholic School Board.

In 1991, Bishop Harry Flynn appointed Provost as episcopal vicar and dean of the West Lafayette Deanery.

Bishop of Lake Charles
Provost was appointed bishop of Lake Charles by Pope Benedict XVI on March 6, 2007. He was consecrated on April 23, 2007, with Archbishop Alfred C. Hughes as principal celebrant. His installation brought to a close the two-year 'sede vacante' the diocese experienced after his predecessor, Bishop Edward Braxton, was appointed Bishop of Belleville, Illinois, on March 15, 2005.

In addition to English, Provost speaks French, Italian, and Spanish.