8 Gulf Pine Catholic • June 19, 2026 Obituaries Sister Mary Elisa Bauman, RSM, a longtime educator and administrator at Our Lady Academy in Bay St. Louis, died May 16 at Catherine’s Residence in St. Louis. She was 88 years old and had been a Sister of Mercy for 70 years. Sister Elisa devoted much of her ministry to Catholic education on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. From 1986 to 2022, she served at Our Lady Academy in Bay St. Louis as assistant principal, campus minister, and teacher of Latin and religion. She also served as campus ministry leader and principal at Mercy Cross High School in Biloxi from 1981 to 1986. Following her retirement from education, she remained in Bay St. Louis for several years before moving to Catherine’s Residence in St. Louis in December 2022. Born in North Little Rock, Arkansas, Sister Elisa entered the Religious Sisters of Mercy in 1955 and professed perpetual vows in 1961. She earned degrees from the University of Arkansas and Creighton University. She is survived by her four nieces and their families, members of her Mercy community, and many friends, colleagues, and former students throughout the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Private funeral services will be held in St. Louis, with a memorial Mass and burial in Little Rock, Arkansas, at a later date. Sister Mary Elisa Bauman, RSM Sister Mary Elisa Bauman With faith in the resurrection and deep gratitude for a life devoted to God and His Church, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee and the Society of St. Joseph’s of the Sacred Heart mourn the passing of Most Reverend John H. Ricard, SSJ, who entered eternal life on Wednesday, May 20, at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Washington, D.C., at the age of 86. A devoted shepherd, missionary, educator, humanitarian, advocate for justice, and faithful servant of the Gospel, Bishop Ricard dedicated his life to proclaiming Christ and serving the people of God, especially within Black Catholic communities and among those suffering throughout the world. Bishop Ricard was born on February 29, 1940, in Rougon, Louisiana, one of eight children born to Maceo and Albanie Ricard. Raised in the segregated South, his early experiences profoundly shaped his lifelong commitment to racial justice, human dignity, and the mission of the Church. He often humorously remarked that he was younger than his actual age because he celebrated an official birthday only once every four years. Even in later years, his joyful spirit, warmth, and approachable nature remained hallmarks of his personality. Following his graduation from high school, Bishop Ricard entered St. Joseph’s Society of the Sacred Heart in 1958. Drawn to the Josephites because of their dedicated ministry among Black Catholics, he later reflected that he saw in them unselfish men who served the Black community and who shared the hopes, struggles, and aspirations of Black Catholics. He professed final vows in 1967 and completed his theological formation at St. Joseph Seminary in Washington, D.C. Bishop Ricard was ordained to the priesthood on May 25, 1968, by Bishop Robert Emmet Tracy of Baton Rouge. Following ordination, he pursued advanced academic studies, earning a master’s degree from Tulane University in 1970 and later a doctorate from The Catholic University of America in 1984. He ministered at St. Peter Claver in New Orleans and later pastored in Washington, D.C., at Holy Redeemer, Holy Comforter, and our Lady of Perpetual Help. In 1984, Pope St. John Paul II appointed Father Ricard Auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore, making him the first Black bishop in the history of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Choosing the episcopal motto “God is Gracious,” Bishop Ricard became known as a compassionate pastor, gifted preacher, and prophetic voice for justice and reconciliation. As Urban Vicar in Baltimore, he worked closely with city parishes and communities, advocating for racial justice, Catholic education, economic equity, and regional solidarity. He actively participated in anti-apartheid advocacy efforts and later served as an electoral observer during South Africa’s historic 1994 democratic elections following the fall of apartheid. In January 1997, Pope St. John Paul II appointed Bishop Ricard as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee. He was installed on March 13, 1997, at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. During nearly fourteen years as bishop, he strengthened Catholic education, promoted vocations, expanded diocesan ministries, and oversaw significant growth throughout the diocese’s eighteen counties. Under his leadership, John Paul II Catholic High School opened in Tallahassee in 2001, and the Monsignor James Amos Pastoral Center was completed in 2003. He ordained 19 men to the priesthood in the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, supported numerous classes of permanent deacons, and blessed or dedicated dozens of parish buildings and renovations throughout Northwest Florida. Bishop Ricard became one of the most respected Black Catholic leaders of his generation and of the Black Catholic Movement. He was instrumental in relaunching the National Black Catholic Congress in 1987 and served as its president until 2019. Through the Congress, he championed evangelization, leadership formation, cultural affirmation, youth engagement, and the spiritual heritage of Black Catholics throughout the United States. Throughout his life, Bishop Ricard remained an unwavering advocate for racial justice and reconciliation. Following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he helped lead workshops and civil rights discussions for seminarians and parishioners. Even in later years, he continued to call the Church toward courageous engagement with issues of racism, violence, inequality, and voting rights. SEE OBIT MOST REVEREND JOHN RICARD, PAGE 14 Most Reverend John H. Ricard, SSJ Most Rev. John Ricard
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MzEwNTM=