Shreveport Priests' Cause Advances in Rome
Cheryl White and Father Peter Mangum represented the five Shreveport priests at an international conference in Rome.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Catholicism
Cheryl White and Father Peter Mangum represented the five Shreveport priests at an international conference in Rome held October 19-21, attended by approximately 200 participants from around the world. The conference focused on holiness in history, and some participants met Pope Leo XIV.
Why it matters
The five priests died caring for others during the 1873 yellow fever epidemic, and their cause is now in its Roman phase under guidelines Pope Francis published in 2017 recognizing the offering of one's life as a possible path toward sainthood. For Shreveport and the surrounding region, the process centers on a local legacy tied to a historic epidemic.
The research into the five priests has produced 17 volumes of documentation over nearly ten years. The Rome conference, held October 19-21, brought together approximately 200 participants.
The players
Pope Leo XIV
The reigning pope, some of whose meetings with conference participants were noted during the Rome gathering.
Pope Francis
The former pope who published the 2017 guidelines recognizing the offering of one's life as a possible path toward sainthood.
Holy Trinity Catholic Church
The Shreveport parish that launched the Faith, Fellowship and the Five campaign to support the cause.
The details
White was appointed by the Vatican as an external collaborator tasked with preparing the Positio, which will detail the five priests' lives, sacrifices and historical records. Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Shreveport launched its Faith, Fellowship and the Five campaign last month.
Timeline
1873: Five priests died during the yellow fever epidemic.
2016: Research into the five priests began.
2017: Pope Francis published guidelines recognizing the offering of one's life as a possible path toward sainthood.
October 19-21, 2026: International conference held in Rome.
October 2026: Holy Trinity launched its Faith, Fellowship and the Five campaign.
Roadmap
The cause of the five Shreveport priests is proceeding under Pope Francis's 2017 guidelines recognizing the offering of one's life as a possible path toward sainthood. It has now entered its Roman phase after years of documentation in Louisiana.
Shreveport residents can follow the cause through Holy Trinity Catholic Church's Faith, Fellowship and the Five campaign. The process highlights a local chapter of yellow fever history tied to the city's religious community.
The takeaway
The five priests' sacrifice during the 1873 epidemic is being formally examined as a possible path to sainthood, offering Shreveport residents a local story of service to read and share.
What happens next
The next major milestone is presenting the Positio to the Vatican in consideration of declaring the five priests Venerable, though no date was given.
Further reading
Explore more on Catholicism in our Shreveport coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KLAX 31 Alexandria.
