Fourth Pastor of St Joseph Church. 1891-1905.

Rev. Ernest Ehrhart was pastor of St. Joseph's church, Gretna, La., starting the 1st of September, 1891, and he won the hearty respect and liking of his flock.  He was born in Alsace, France (now Germany), May 16, 1867, raised in his family, absolved in five years his humanistic studies in Alsace and spent three years in the great seminary of Strassburg(Alsace).  In 1889 he came to America and finished his studies in theology in St. Mary's seminary of Baltimore, Md., and on the 17th of June, 1890, was made sub-deacon, and on the following day was made deacon by Bishop Curtis.  He was ordained a priest two days later, or on the 20th of June, 1890, and on the 22d he came to New Orleans, and on the 29th of June, 1890 he said his first mass in the church of which he was now pastor at Gretna, which town is a suburb of the city of New Orleans.  Succeeding this he spent one month at Morgan city as an assistant pastor, after which he acted as substitute for Rev. Eugene Fraering, at St. Joseph's church, Gretna, for six weeks.  On the 25th of September, 1890, he became assistant priest at Paincourtville, Assumption parish, where he remained nearly one year, but on the 1st of September, 1891, was given the charge to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Rev. Eugene Fraering.  He discharged his duties with ability, notwithstanding the fact that he was quite young in years, and he gave every promise of becoming one of the leading Catholic priests of the city.  He died January 31, 1905.