Robert ‘rob’ Courtney

Rector

St. Paul's Episcopal Church & School

Rob is a native of South Louisiana who grew up in Crowley. He attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in the early 1990s with a major in music media before beginning a career in radio. Rob worked as an on-air personality and program director for successful rock stations in both Lafayette and New Orleans before leaving radio in 2002 to become the first Parish Administrator at historic Christ Church Cathedral, New Orleans.

In his time at the Cathedral, Rob completed a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration through the University of Phoenix graduating with honors, and formally discerned a call to ordained ministry with the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana. In 2006, he and his family moved to Sewanee, TN where he attended seminary at the University of the South’s School of Theology. He served as student body president during his final year, graduating with honors to receive his Master of Divinity.

Rob was ordained a priest in June of 2009, and was called as rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Morgan City, LA. During his time there, he led an expansion of the parish’s outreach efforts to homeless and at-risk neighbors in partnership with Episcopal Community Services of Louisiana and other local organizations. The Bishop appointed Rob as Dean of the Southwest Deanery of the diocese during his second year. He also served a term on the Diocesan Executive Board, and the Diocesan Committee on Racial Reconciliation. In 2012 he was awarded a “Citizen of the Year” award by the Tri-City Helping Hearts Foundation.

In December 2012, he was appointed by the bishop as Priest-in-Charge of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church & School in New Orleans, and was elected as Rector by the Vestry in August 2013. Rob has since served as President of the Diocesan Standing Committee, and is the chair of the Gaudet Fund Committee, which administers grants and scholarships benefitting African American students throughout the diocese. Rob also leads bi-annual pilgrimages to the Holy Land for members of churches all around the diocese.

Rob is happily married to Catherine Davis Courtney since May 27, 2000. In addition to being a wonderful wife and mother, Catt amazes her family and clients with her skill and care as a physical therapist with over 25 years of experience, as well as a small business owner of Blue Wave Physical Therapy & Wellness in Metairie. Rob & Catt have three beautiful children: Gifford (21, recent magna cum laude graduate from Louisiana Tech in biomedical engineering, moving on to work for a division of Johnson & Johnson in West Palm Beach, FL), Ellie (20, college sophomore studying marine biology), and Wick (13, rising freshman at Ben Franklin High School, and full of energy and love for comic books and soccer). Rob and his family also have two dogs, a cat, and a rabbit. In his spare time, Rob loves playing guitar, reading, and spending time with his family.