Obituary

Reverend Paul Henry Desrosiers, a priest of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, died on November 18, 2022. He was 76 years of age. Father Desrosiers was born on December 16, 1945 in Fall River, MA to Thomas Desrosiers and Donalda Dubois Desrosiers. He is survived by his sister, Arlene Izzo (Tom), niece Tracy, nephew Jason, and their children. He attended elementary school at St. Louis School in Fall River, MA. His secondary education was at Msgr. Prevost High School in Fall River, MA and St. Mary’s Seminary in St. Mary, KY. He attended St. Joseph Seminary College in St. Benedict and Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. Fr. Desrosiers was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of New Orleans on May 10, 1975. He served as Associate Pastor at St. Raphael Church in New Orleans. His pastorates were at St. Gerard Parish (for the deaf) in New Orleans, Holy Trinity Church in New Orleans, St. Vincent de Paul Church, New Orleans, Sacred Heart Church, Lacombe, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Church, New Orleans, and after Hurricane Katrina, pastor of St. Francis Cabrini/St. Raphael/University of New Orleans Newman Center, New Orleans. In addition to these pastoral assignments, Fr. Desrosiers served as Administrator at the Chinchuba School, Pastoral Director of Associated Catholic Charities, Spiritual Moderator of St. Vincent de Paul Society, Chaplain of Ladies of Madonna, Chaplain at Academy of the Sacred Heart, Board of Directors of the National Federation of Priest Councils and Board of Directors of the National AIDS Network. He was Dean of the Cathedral Deanery and City Park-Gentilly Deanery, and the Co-Founder and Coordinator of Project Lazarus. Fr. Desrosiers was serving as pastor of Transfiguration of Our Lord Parish in New Orleans at the time of his death. Family and friends are invited to attend the Funeral Mass at 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 29, 2022 at Transfiguration of Our Lord Church, 2212 Prentiss Ave., New Orleans. Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. Interment will take place at St. Joseph Abbey Cemetery. Donations may be made in Fr. Paul’s name to Project Lazarus, P.O. Box 3906, New Orleans, LA 70177.