Reverend Carroll William Plourde, S.S.E.

Published 9:35 pm Thursday, March 10, 2011

Father Carroll W. Plourde, S.S.E. 57 died unexpectedly after celebrating the morning Mass at Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in Selma on March 8, 2011.  He was a professed member of the Society of Saint Edmund for 27 years and a priest for 23 years.

As a native of Caribou, Maine Father Plourde attended Sacred Heart School, Hilltop Junior High School and Caribou High School.  He earned a bachelor’s degree in Social Science from the University of Maine at Presque Isle, Maine in 1981 and completed his master’s degree in Theology at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1987.  Father Plourde pursued additional theological studies at the Institute for Black Catholic Studies at Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana from 1988 until 1991.

Bishop Moses B. Anderson, Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit ordained Father Plourde on June 13, 1987 at the Chapel of Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, Vermont.  Following ordination to the priesthood he served as parochial vicar of Saint Peter Claver Parish in New Orleans until his appointment as pastor of Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in Selma in October 1990.

Father Plourde served an unprecedented four terms as Superior of the Edmundite Southern House from 1997 until 2009.  He also served as a member of the Edmundite General Council from 1998 until 2010, the board of directors of Bishop Perry Middle School in New Orleans from 1994 until 2006, and the board of trustees of Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, VT from 2000 until 2006.  Since 1997 he had been serving as a member of the board of directors of the Edmundite Missions.

During his 21-year religious and priestly life in Selma Father Plourde was a member of the Advisory Board of the Selma, Dallas County Retired Volunteer Program and a member of the Priest’s Council of the Archdiocese of Mobile.  He took many pastoral burdens upon himself rather than pass them on to others and devoted himself especially to the pastoral care of the sick, the youth and the divorced.

Besides his Edmundite Brothers, Father Plourde is survived by his mother Grace (Thibodeau) Plourde of Caribou Maine, and four brothers, Wilfred, William, Roderick and Douglas.

A wake service and funeral Mass will be held at Queen of Peace Church, 309 Washington Street, Selma, AL. The wake service is planned for 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 13 with viewing beginning at 6:00 p.m.  A reception will follow the wake service in St. Andrew’s Hall.  The funeral Mass is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Monday, March 14.  Most Rev. Thomas Rodi, Archbishop of Mobile will preside and Very Rev. Michael Cronogue, S.S.E., Superior General of the Society of Saint Edmund will be the homilist.  Also attending will be Most Rev. Oscar Lipscomb, retired archbishop of Mobile, and Most Rev. Moses Anderson, retired auxiliary bishop of Detroit.  Internment will immediately follow the funeral Mass at Fairlawn Memory Gardens, Water Avenue, Selma.

In lieu of flowers memorial gifts may be made to Queen of Peace Church, Father Plourde Memorial Fund, 309 Washington Street, Selma, AL 36703.