Service is a lifelong journey for Deacon Bellon

Growing up in the small Cajun town of Basile, Deacon Terry Bellon was first called to serve at 11 years-old when his mother died. He and his four younger siblings went to live with their grandmother.

Because he was the eldest of eldest sibling, Deacon Bellon served as the “head of the family” as his grandmother turned to him when decisions were to be made concerning his younger siblings.

His role as a “servant leader” has taken on different forms over the years and his new role as a permanent deacon for the Diocese of Baton Rouge promises to be the most enriching one.

Bishop Michael G. Duca ordained Deacon Bellon and three other men to the diaconate on Aug. 12 at St. Joseph Cathedral in Baton Rouge.

Deacon Bellon’s grandmother was a beacon of the Catholic faith for him. While they were poor, she made sure they connected with the treasures of the Catholic faith.

“She was a very devout Catholic lady who brought us to church every week,” Deacon Bellon said.


Basile didn’t have Catholic Schools, but Deacon Bellon and his siblings attended a public school that was “almost like one,” said the deacon.

“The church was right across the street so we would leave school once a week and go to catechism classes during school hours. It was very Catholic Louisiana,” smiled Deacon Bellon.

Likewise, students would attend Mass on football game days, etc.

Deacon Bellon moved to Baton Rouge to attend LSU and graduated with a degree in business administration.

He and his wife, Judy, who is a registered nurse, met on a blind date. They married six months later and have been married for 32 years. They have two sons, Brock, 28 and Cole, 24.

Looking for a career change, Deacon Bellon went to school at Our Lady of the Lake College of Nursing (now FranU) and, likewise, became a registered nurse.

After working for one year at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital, Deacon Bellon went to work for Fresenius Kidney Care where he has served the past 28. He is Senior Director of Operations, overseeing the operations of over 27 clinics in south Louisiana.

When he was in his late 30s –  40s, Deacon Bellon started thinking about being a deacon and spent a lot of time in eucharistic adoration praying and started taking classes in the University of Loyola in New Orleans Religious Studies Institute program that was formerly offered by the Diocese of Baton Rouge.

Deacon Bellon was raising teenage sons at that time, so he felt the time wasn’t right to become a deacon.

When the Diocese of Baton Rouge and Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University revamped the program, and which now offers diaconate formation, Deacon Bellon attended discernment classes.  The indications that he would be a good candidate were there. People also randomly asked him, “Have you ever thought about becoming a deacon?”

Diaconate formation was a challenging, but rewarding way of learning about the Catholic faith, Deacon Bellon said.

As a cradle Catholic, Deacon Bellon conceded, “You think you know everything about Catholicism.”

“Then you start these formation classes and then you learn you don’t know a whole lot about your faith you don’t know,” said Deacon Bellon.

He enjoyed his first year of studying the Old Testament.

“The Old Testament was something I really didn’t read a lot about. It was difficult to read,” said Deacon Bellon.“But just delving into it and seeing how everything in the Old Testament points to Jesus was an eye opener. It made you feel more confident about your own testament.”

Every semester “new and beautiful things” opened up to him spiritually, according to Deacon Bellon.

Going back to college after a 30–40-year absence was challenging for the deacon, but his wife and family’s commitment helped him navigate his way through the program. He also learned to balance his home life, school life and work life.

Deacon Bellon has been assigned to St. George Church in Baton Rouge, where he did his internship. His mission of charity will be as co-chaplain with his classmate Billy Francioni of the EnCourage Apostolate, which provides pastoral care for families and friends of people who experience same-sex attractions and/or gender identity discordance.

At St. George, Deacon Bellon looks forward to presiding at baptisms, weddings and funerals.

“I hope that I will be a deacon with an approach that’s wholesome and someone whom people will feel like they can come to and that I will listen to them comfort them in the faith,” Deacon Bellon said. “I look forward to being with prisoners in their time of need, and hopefully be a source of strength for them and be a person there for their needs.”

Above all, he wants to use the gifts God generously gave him to serve others.

“I had a great life with lots of gifts and I wanted to give back to God. And I couldn’t think of a better way to do that than to serve him as a deacon,” Deacon Bellon said.
 
Photos by Collin Richie | Collin Richie Photography