Fr. Mark Beard

Fr. Mark Bryan Beard, a loving son, brother, uncle, Pastor, and friend, passed away on Wednesday, August 2, 2023 at the age of 62. Father Beard was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He held a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Louisiana State University and a Master’s in Divinity (M.Div) from Notre Dame Seminary. He also received a certification in Spirituality (Spiritual Direction), and Divinity. Father Beard worked for a number of years in his family’s business, Beard Engineering and United Industries, a company working in the manufacturing and engineering of wastewater equipment. Here, he received a U.S. Patent for Inventor of Turbulence Control System. After a trip to Medjugorje in 2000, he began to consider priesthood as a possible vocation. After 4 years of discernment, Fr. Beard entered Notre Dame Seminary, New Orleans, Louisiana in 2004 and was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Baton Rouge, Louisiana on May 30, 2009 at St. Joseph’s Cathedral. He was Associate Pastor at Most Sacred Heart-Gramercy, St. Joseph-Paulina, St. Michael the Archangel-Convent, and Our Lady of Prompt Succor Chapel-Lutcher for two years. He has been a pastor of St. Helena Catholic Church, in Amite, Louisiana, for the last twelve years. During that time he has built a beautiful campus where tours and retreats are offered. For the last two and a half years, he was also the administrator at Our Lady of Hope Catholic Retreat Center in Osyka, Mississippi. Fr. Beard is survived by his loving mother, Florence Mariotti Beard; brother, Gary Beard and his wife, Diane; nieces and nephews, Jason and wife Jenny, Jennifer, Nathan, Nicholas, Jacob, and Jon; great niece, Gabriella Beard; and Godmother, Nita Vicari and family. Fr. Beard is preceded in death by his father, Harold James Beard.   

A public visitation will be held at Our Lady of Mercy Church in Baton Rouge on Thursday, August 10, 2023 from 8:30AM until 11:00AM. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 11:00AM at Our Lady of Mercy with the diocesan clergy present. Priests and deacons are encouraged to wear their diocesan vestments. 

Visitation for parishioners of St. Helena Church will be held at the St. Helena Parish Hall in Amite on Friday, August 11, 2023 from 8:00AM until 11:00AM with a Funeral Mass celebrated at St. Helena Church for family members and St. Helena Parishioners at 11:00AM. Burial will follow at Amite Memorial Gardens, Amite. 

In lieu of flowers, if you would like to continue supporting Fr. Beard’s vision, please consider donating on the website to ourladyofhopems.com or mail to P.O. Box 130, Osyka, MS 39657 or to sthelenachurch.net or mail to 122 South First Street Amite, La 70422. 

McKneely Funeral Home, Amite, in charge of arrangements. For an online guestbook, visit http://www.mckneelys.com.