In 2010, the Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School Alumni Association established the
Distinguished Warrior Alumni Award to honor a former student who
represents the ideals of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School and who have made a
difference in our community by their contributions pertaining to the school’s mission
and vision. The Distinguished Warrior Alumni Award recognizes alumni who embody the
spirit of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School. These alumni exemplify the values OLF
strives to instill in each student and personify one or more of the following: service to
their community, distinction in professional life, involvement in school and parish,
and/or inspiring others as positive role models.
2025 Distinguished Warrior Alumni Award
Father Sal Istre
Fatima School and Our Lady of Fatima School Alumni Association is pleased to present the Distinguished Warrior Award to Father Sal Istre! Father Istre graduated from Fatima in 2007. He remembers his first time-serving at the altar in Fatima Church. He was a second-grader at Fatima and served school Mass with Bishop Provost. This is when he began considering his vocation to the priesthood. Father Istre went on to graduate from STM. He spent eight years in seminary formation at St. Joseph Seminary in Covington, LA, at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, MD, and finally at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. Throughout seminary, he was sponsored by Fatima Church. He was ordained to the priesthood in 2019 by Bishop Deshotel. His first two priestly assignments were as an associate pastor at St. Peter’s in Carencro and at St. Anthony in Eunice. Currently, his parish is St. Stephen in Berwick. For two and a half years, he has served as the pastor of St. Stephen Church. He teaches high school catechism and stays involved in all of his church’s groups and organizations, and he serves as music director at St. Stephen’s. In 2020, he was named an honorary citizen of Carencro, and given a key to the city by the mayor. In 2022, he spearheaded a 1.4 million dollar restoration of their beautiful church and has seen his parish flourish in the last 2 and a half years. Aside from his duties as a pastor of souls, he serves on the Diocesan Vocation Board with three other priests. He also sits on the Diocesan Benefits Advisory Board.
Fatima School and church are blessed that Father Istre has offered school Mass for OLF and prays for the school often. He also keeps in touch with the priests and staff of Fatima Church.
Father Sal, we congratulate you and thank you for being a true Warrior!
Nominate an Alum
The following criteria has been established for this honor:
1. A former Fatima student, living or deceased, who represents the ideals, values, and morals of Our Lady of Fatima School and the Catholic Church,
and
2. Someone who has made a contribution to the Fatima community,
and
3. Someone who made meaningful contributions in their chosen profession
Nominations:
Nominees, if not selected, will remain on the nominee list for three years, after that time they must be re-nominated to be considered.
Nominations must be made by an Our Lady of Fatima alumni, current or former faculty member, administrator, or staff member, or current or former parent.
All nominations must be made on an official nomination form, which can be found below.