David Aguillard to Retire from Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge

David C. Aguillard will step down as executive director of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge effective June 30, 2024, Bishop Michael G. Duca announced today. 
 
Aguillard has served in the role for 15 years. 
 
“David brought energy, creativity and an unwavering commitment to our Catholic mission of service to people living in poverty throughout our diocese,” said Bishop Duca.  “While he will be missed, our commitment to the traditional and newly emerging services of Catholic Charities remains steadfast,” the bishop added. 
 
Aguillard said, “This work has brought me more joy than I ever thought professionally possible because of the support of the community and my colleagues at the agency.  Their generosity and talents propelled us to amazing accomplishments. Their tenacious spirit carried us through the challenges of COVID, hurricanes, floods, and economic downturns.  In fact, these challenges served as springboards that lifted us to higher levels of service.”
 
Bishop Duca noted that during Aguillard’s remaining time at the agency he will continue his efforts to build and hopefully expand the new food-distribution program to reach underserved rural areas of the diocese. 
 
A nationwide search will be launched to identify Aguillard’s successor. 
 
During Aguillard’s tenure, CCDBR became a national leader in long-term recovery and implemented new programs in early-childhood education.  He expanded the agency’s accommodations for homeless pregnant women, the Sanctuary for Life, from housing two women to eight women and their infants.
 
The agency also responded to international events, welcoming Ukrainians and Afghans most recently and asylum seekers from around the world.  
 
“I’ve always said that if you want to know who is suffering on our planet, just walk into your local Catholic Charities office,” Aguillard said.  “The world’s pain walks daily through our doors.  Serving them is our Gospel privilege and a necessity for followers of Christ.”
 
Aguillard said he doesn’t have any specific plans yet, and is hesitant to use the word “retire,” because he enjoys community service.  In the near term, he wants to spend time with his adult children, engaging in the vigorous outdoor adventures they enjoy together.  “I’m never happier than when I’m with my children, backpacking into wild landscapes and scrambling up mountain peaks. We want more time together…while I’m still – almost -- capable of keeping up,”
he said. 
 
Bishop-Emeritus Robert W. Muench appointed Aguillard to his leadership post in October, 2008.  Before joining the agency he served as President and CEO of Lake Physician Health Organization.  Prior to that he worked for the State of Missouri implementing parenting programs, health care and welfare reform initiatives and was detailed by the governor to serve as director of a presidential commission on urban poverty. 
 
Earlier in his career, Aguillard was an award-winning journalist, reporting for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Pittsburgh Press, Ann Arbor News and the Times-Picayune.