Early life

John Deshotel was born on January 6, 1952, in Basile, Louisiana, one of eight children of Welfoot Paul Deshotel and Luna Marie Manual. Deciding as a teenager to become a priest, John Deshotel entered Immaculata Minor Seminary High School in Lafayette, Louisiana.^[1]

After graduating from high school, Deshotel went to Holy Trinity Seminary in Irving, Texas. He received a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy from Holy Trinity. He continued his formation as a priest at the University of Dallas, where he received a Master of Divinity degree.^[1]

Priesthood

Deshotel was ordained a priest at Saint Augustine Church in Basile by Bishop Maurice Schexnayder on May 13, 1978, for the Diocese of Dallas.^[2][3] After his 1978 ordination, the diocese assigned Deshotel as parochial vicar at the following Texas parishes:

• St. Patrick in Dallas (1978 to 1980)
• St. Anthony Parish in Longview (1980 to 1982)
• St. Elizabeth of Hungary in Dallas (1982 to 1983
• St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Longview (1983 to 1988)^[2]

Deshotel was named pastor in 1988 of St. William Parish in Greenville, Texas, a position he held for the next four years. The diocese transferred him in 1992 to St. John Nepomucene Parish in Ennis, Texas, to serve as pastor there. He moved in 1995 to St. Luke Parish in Irving, Texas.^[2] In 2001, Bishop Charles Grahmann named Deshotel as rector of Holy Trinity Seminary. After four years at the seminary, Deshotel became pastor of St. Monica and St. Juan Diego Parish in Dallas.^[2]

In 2008, Bishop Kevin Farrell named Deshotel as vicar general and moderator of the curia. He was also transferred from St. Monica and St. Juan Diego Parish to St. Joseph Parish in Richardson, Texas.^[2]

Auxiliary Bishop of Dallas

Deshotel was appointed as auxiliary bishop of Dallas as well as titular bishop of Cova on March 11, 2010, by Pope Benedict XVI. Deshotel was consecrated by Bishop Kevin Farrell at the National Shrine Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Dallas on April 27, 2010. Bishops Charles Grahmann and Michael Duca served as co-consecrators.^[3]

Bishop of Lafayette in Louisiana

On February 17, 2016, Pope Francis named Deshotel as bishop of Lafayette in Louisiana, succeeding Bishop Charles Jarrell. He was installed on April 15, 2016, in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist at Lafayette, Louisiana, by Archbishop Gregory Aymond.^[4][1][3]

In July 2022, Deshotel released a list of 41 diocesan clergy with credible accusations of sexual abuse of minors and adults.^[5]

In 2024, Deshotel excommunicated a former deacon for joining Trinity Anglican Church in Lafayette. His son had been molested by a parish priest and subsequently had resigned as deacon in December 2023. The priest was convicted of the sexual assault and the family settled a lawsuit against the Diocese of Lafayette in 2021.^[6]