In Loving Memory of Father Edward Lauden

Pastor of St. Mark Church, Ama, LA
Entered the world:  April 20, 1943
Ordained a priest:  June 5, 2005
Entered eternal life:  October 21, 2020

Fr. Ed was a simple, humble, unassuming man who truly lived Jesus’ command to LOVE.     
He lovingly welcomed the steady stream of people who came to him for counseling and confession--appointment or not, he never turned anyone away. So many sought his advice and forgiveness because his kindness and gentleness made him a fitting representative of our loving and merciful God. He was a friendly, but private person. Everyone liked him, but few knew him well. He never wanted to be the center of attention or to cause anyone extra work or to have others worry about him. Even after a recent stay in the hospital when he learned that his twenty-three-year-old double by-pass was now failing, he remained positive and told us only that the doctor had changed his diet and medication. The irony is that the physical heart would fail on someone whose spiritual heart was so large and so loving. Fr. Ed said that he was devastated when his wife died, but not long after her death, he felt not called--but compelled--to the priesthood. He believed that being a priest was both a privilege and a responsibility to follow Christ as closely as possible. He demonstrated his great love for God and for his vocation when he walked slowly to the altar and so reverently kissed it at the end of his last Mass on Saturday, October 18, 2020--mere hours before his physical heart gave out.  He loved being pastor of St. Mark, his “little country parish.” St. Mark is a better place because he was our pastor, and his parishioners are better people for having known him and seen what it means to live the Gospel of Christ.