Deacon Eulis Simien

Deacon Eulis Simien has stood by people in their time of need through his ministries at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Baton Rouge and as an attorney. Through his new role as deacon he will help them with the salvation of their souls.

Bishop Michael G. Duca ordained Deacon Simien and five other men as deacon on Aug. 14 at St. Joseph Cathedral in Baton Rouge.

A native of Lake Charles, Deacon Simien came to Baton Rouge in 1978 to attend LSU Law School. He loves LSU football and “everything LSU” but topping that list is the “love of his life,” Tammy, whom he met there. 

The Simiens married in 1980 and have three daughters and five grandchildren. At their home parish of Sacred Heart, Deacon Simien has served as extraordinary eucharistic minister as well as in various roles for the St. Vincent de Paul Society Conference. 

He continues these roles in a broader sense as deacon, with his designed mission of charity the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Baton Rouge.

Deacon Simien was a full-time professor at LSU Law School. He left that position to open a private law practice but still teaches part-time.

“I find ways to help people deal with troubles in their lives. Most of the people I represent come to me at times that are not their best times,” explained Deacon Simien.

He had been contemplating the diaconate for many years. When it came to a point in his career that he could enter diaconate formation, he found “the time was right,” since the Diocese of Baton Rouge and Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University began offering classes in Baton Rouge.

Deacon Simien mused, “I found out that we had classes on Saturday mornings and Monday nights.”

He went to his wife and told her, “You know, I think I’m ready to do this. And I told her about the class schedules. She said, ‘Wait a minute, you travel to the LSU out of town ball games. You’re not able to travel to those.’ And I said, I know. She said at that point she knew it must have been what I was destined to do.”

Diaconate formation can be daunting but is worth it, Deacon Simien said.

He will utilize his formation and professional training to do what he loves most, serving people.

In defining what “deacon” means to him, Deacon Simien referred to a passage from Andrew Murray’s devotional book, “The True Vine.” 

“It goes something like this: ‘We grow up in our Christian environment and community believing that our greatest goal is to achieve our salvation. But it’s not. It’s to bring others to salvation,’ ” said Deacon Simien.

“When I read it for the first time, I was awestruck and it has stuck with me, so I hope that’s what I help people with as a deacon, to help bring others to Christ,” he said.