Reigniting History in the Wake of Tragedy: Heritage Edition Gifted to New Orleans Catholic Cultural Center

New Orleans, Louisiana–St. Louis Cathedral, a New Orleans place of worship established in 1718, is the oldest continuously active Catholic Cathedral community in the United States. Its iconic architecture is a well-known signature of the city’s French Quarter, a historic neighborhood where Creole, French, Spanish, African, and Caribbean influences blend to create a vibrant and singular music, food, and cultural scene.

Though the Cathedral serves as one of the main hallmarks of the city, even the most influential institutions are susceptible to tumultuous times. The Covid-19 pandemic kicked off an age of hard times for the Catholic Cultural Center, which consists of the Cathedral and the Ursuline Convent Museum, which was built in 1734.

Just as the Cathedral and Museum were beginning to recover from decreased foot traffic, a devastating terrorist attack on January 1, 2025, sent the whole city into mourning when a man drove a pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street, killing 14 victims and leaving more than 50 others injured.

In the wake of the tragedy, a Dallas, Texas-based couple, Elaine and Bruce Culver, yearned for a way to give a gift to New Orleans, where Elaine earned her undergraduate degree, lived, and worked for several years. Having engaged deeply in The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition, donating many editions to institutions across the world, the Culvers felt that it would be the perfect gift of hope and compassion to a city in mourning.

“When the tragedy happened, I knew I wanted to contribute to the healing of the city,” said Elaine Culver. “The church that is synonymous with the city, of course, is the cathedral located on Jackson Square. We decided that this is where most people will have access to it. It’s a wonderful place for the Bible to be.”

When leadership at the Cultural Center first learned of the gift through Brad Neary, The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Program Director, they were stunned.

“The single biggest marker of this act of generosity to me was, the Culvers didn’t really know us. They knew New Orleans. They love New Orleans,” Dr. Chris Wiseman, executive director of the Catholic Cultural Center of New Orleans. “We were very candid that we are a small museum, and we don’t know how quickly we’re going to be able to use this gift in a meaningful way. That did not matter to them. They wanted to do this and work and they were patient enough to give us time to realize the full potential of this gift.”

The Creative Work of Rebuilding

Over 2025, the Cathedral has worked hard to build incredible momentum for the Cultural Center. According to Wiseman, the Museum’s visitorship is up by 70% in 2025 compared to 2024. After having no new exhibits for three years, the Museum has hosted three new exhibits in the last four months alone, including one about Pope Leo XIV and his family roots in New Orleans–and the creative programming doesn’t stop there.

In spring 2026, New Orleans Opera will perform at the Museum. Plus, the Cathedral is expanding its docent program, which is designed to help visitors engage with the cultural programming and artistic exhibitions.

But perhaps the largest growth initiative is the $75 million renovation that is underway. Once complete, the Cathedral will be home to a brand-new Visitor’s Center, exhibit space, and upstairs offices. The Visitor’s Center will include a space specifically dedicated to housing and sharing The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition.

Dr. Wiseman and museum co-curators Sarah Waits and Katie Beeman see the Heritage Edition as a phenomenal means to continue this growth trajectory. While renovations are underway, the Heritage Edition will be displayed in the Old Ursuline Convent Museum, about four blocks away from St. Louis Cathedral. Within the Museum, it will be displayed in the National Shrine for the Knights of Saint Lazarus, an international Order of people dedicated to health care ministry.

“New Orleans is such a diverse city,” said Wiseman. “What that means for the Catholic culture of this city is that something like The Saint John’s Bible, where the artistic styles are not strictly Eurocentric, suits us so well here. It’s important that the cultural programming and the things that we exhibit and do here reflect the rich diversity of the Catholic tradition.”

While St. Louis Cathedral is a landmark, it is also a working parish. With fewer full-time residents now in the French Quarter, the Cathedral parish includes only around 250 parishioners. Most attendees at Sunday Mass are visitors.

“People visit New Orleans from all over the world,” said Wiseman. “Being able to have spaces here in the French Quarter that welcome international visitors while remaining a true part of local culture is so important. We look forward to sharing the gift of The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition with as many New Orleanians and tourists as possible.”

The Saint John’s Bible: Ignite the Spiritual Imagination

To learn more about The Saint John’s Bible at St. Louis Cathedral, visit stlouiscathedral.org.

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