Whereas the current disposition of parishes in Charleston and Berkeley Counties is inadequate to meet the current and future pastoral needs of the Catholic Faithful of Daniel Island, South Carolina, it is now deemed necessary to form a new Catholic Community within the Diocese of Charleston. Having sought and heard the counsel of the Presbyteral Council of the Diocese of Charleston on April 24, 2012, and April 8, 2014, and in accordance with the norms of canon 515, ยง1-3 and by testimony of this document; I hereby dismember a portion of the territory of St. Philip Benizi Parish, Moncks Corner, and erect the territorial parish of St. Clare of Assisi on Daniel Island appointing Rev. H. Gregory West as its Founding Pastor.

The territorial boundaries for the Parish of St. Clare of Assisi on Daniel Island shall include:

All that portion of Berkeley County, beginning at the Berkeley-Charleston county line, just north of Drum Island; proceeding on a northerly route along the Berkeley-Charleston county line and then continuing north along the midpoint of the Cooper River to its confluence with the East Branch Cooper River; continuing east then northeast along the midpoint of the East Branch Cooper River; then southeasterly along the midpoint of Quimby Creek; continuing along the midpoint of Quimby Creek under SC-41 to Washaw Creek; proceeding northeasterly along the midpoint of Washaw Creek to its intersection with Steed Creek Road (SC-133); proceeding southeasterly along Steed Creek Road (SC-133) until its intersection with the Berkeley-Charleston county line; then proceeding southwesterly along the Berkeley-Charleston county line to just north of Drum Island, and ending there.

The revised territorial boundaries for the Parish of St. Philip Benizi, Moncks Corner, shall include:

All that portion of Berkeley County, beginning at the confluence of the Cooper River and the East Branch Cooper River; continuing east then northeast along the midpoint of the East Branch Cooper River; then southeasterly along the midpoint of Quimby Creek; continuing along the midpoint of Quimby Creek under SC-41 to Washaw Creek; proceeding northeasterly along the midpoint of Washaw Creek to its intersection with Steed Creek Road (SC-133); proceeding southeasterly along Steed Creek Road (SC-133) until its intersection with the Berkeley-Charleston county line; then northeasterly along the Berkeley-Charleston county line to the junction of the Berkeley-Charleston-Georgetown county lines; proceeding northwesterly along the Berkeley-Georgetown county line (Santee River) to the junction of the Berkeley-Georgetown-Williamsburg county lines; proceeding northwesterly along the Berkeley-Williamsburg county line (Santee River) to the junction of the Berkeley-Williamsburg-Clarendon county lines; proceeding southwesterly along the Berkeley-Clarendon county line to the junction of the Berkeley-Clarendon-Orangeburg county lines (Lake Marion); then proceeding south along the Berkeley-Orangeburg county line to US Highway 176; proceeding southeast along US Highway 176 to its intersection with US Highway 17A (South Live Oak Drive); proceeding north along US Highway 17A (South Live Oak Drive) to Cypress Gardens Road (SC-9); proceeding southeasterly then south along Cypress Gardens Road (SC-9) to its end; then proceeding east along an imaginary line to the Cooper River; proceeding north up the midpoint of the Cooper River to the confluence of the Cooper River and the East Branch Cooper River, and ending there.

I direct that this decree be published on the website for the Diocese of Charleston, sccatholic.org, which will be presumed the official notification of this action. The erection of St. Clare of Assisi on Daniel Island as a territorial parish as well as the dismemberment and subsequent revision of the territorial boundaries for St. Philip Benizi Parish, Moncks Corner, are to become effective April 20, 2014, nothing the contrary withstanding. Given at Charleston, South Carolina, on the 17th day of April 2014.

Most Reverend Robert E. Guglielmone
Bishop of Charleston

Sr. Sandra Makowski, SSMN, JCL
Chancellor

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