Engurait becomes Houma-Thibodaux bishop

The Rev Simon Peter Ungurait was ordained and installed Friday as the sixth bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux

Ungurait, 54, a native of Uganda, succeeds Mario Dorsonville, who died in January 2024 after only 10 months as the Houma-Thibodaux bishop.

The consecrants at Friday's ceremony at Nicholls State's Stopher Gymnasium were New Orleans Archbishop Gregory Aymond and two bishops emeritus: Sam Jacobs of Houma-Thibodaux and Michael Jarrell of Lafayette, who had also serve as Houma-Thibodaux's bishop.

Ungurait received the symbols of office: the ring, "a sign and seal of fidelity"; the staff-like crozier to "keep watch over the whole flock"; and the tall mitre placed on his head so that on Jesus' return "you may merit to receive an unfading crown of thorns."

Ungurait quoted Paul: "'I do not deserve to be an apostle. But by the grace of God that is what I am.'"

He said his appointment as bishop came not because of worthiness, but through mercy.

"And yet with that mercy comes an awesome, yes, even frightening responsibility," Engurait said, " a responsibility to shepherd God's people, to guard and defend the faith, to account not only for my soul, but the souls of those entrusted to my care today"

Jacobs invited Engurait to Louisiana during a 2007 trip to a charismatic revival in Uganda.

Engurait already had degrees in business administration and political science when he earned a master of divinity at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans in 2013.

Ordained by Jacobs that year, Engurait served in church posts in the Houma-Thibodaux Diocese before being named moderator of the curia in 2016 and vicar general in 2017. Following Dorsonville's death, Engurait served as diocesan administrator.

In June 2025, a month after Engurait celebrated the Mass during Central Catholic High's commencement in Morgan City, Pope Leo XIV announced his appointment as bishop.

Among those who attended Friday's ceremony was the Rev. Christoph Pierre, the papal nuncio who serves as the Vatican's ambassador to the United States.

Engurait's mother and five of his 13 siblings came from Uganda for the ceremony, as did his parish priest in his home country.