Western Louisiana, Diocese of

The 1979 General Convention voted to divide the Diocese of Louisiana and establish a new diocese. The primary convention of the new diocese met at St. James Church, Alexandria, on Oct. 10-11, 1979. It voted to call itself the Western Diocese of Louisiana. It includes the following civil parishes (counties): Acadia, Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Cameron, Catahoula, Claiborne, Concordia, Desoto, East Carroll, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Iberia, Jackson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lasalle, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, St. Landry, St. Martin (northeast portion lying west of Iberville Parish and north of Iberia Parish), Tensas, Union, Vermilion, Vernon, Webster, West Carroll, and Winn. On Feb. 3, 1984, the name was changed to the Diocese of Western Louisiana. St. Mark's Church, Shreveport, was set apart as St. Mark's Cathedral on July 7, 1990.