The Best for Last
Day 12 brought Bishop Fabre all the way to the south end of Hilton Head Island. From the moment the team arrived at Holy Family Church, the welcome was immediate and warm. Father Christopher Loester and his parish community embody Catholic hospitality as something lived rather than performed. It was a fitting final stop for a Pastoral Visit that covered the full stretch of the Beaufort Deanery. Father Loester hosted the day packed with incredible visits, English and Spanish Masses, and a Spanish listening session that ran long into the evening.
Where Life Begins
The morning began at the Pregnancy Center and Clinic of the Low Country, now in its 36th year. The center serves more than 600 clients annually with medical care, ultrasounds, prenatal vitamins, childbirth preparation classes and infant safety courses. It also offers 20 weeks of follow-up care after a woman delivers, including screenings for postpartum depression. Every client leaves with something tangible — a pack of diapers, a newborn outfit, a swaddle and a hospital bag for delivery day. Roughly 95% of the items are donated, and between 12 and 15 partner churches rotate collection of the items to keep the shelves stocked.
Bishop Fabre closed the visit by leading the room in prayer, reflecting on the Virgin Mary as a young woman who said yes to life in circumstances that were anything but simple. Before leaving, the staff presented the bishop with a cross, asking that every time he looks at it, he say a prayer for the lives they serve.
A Walk Through the Harbor
From the clinic, Bishop Fabre made his way to Harbour Town, and Catholics were everywhere. Vacationers stopped the bishop on the path, some clearly recognizing Father Loester by name, while others were unsure whether they were looking at a bishop or a cardinal. Bishop Fabre stopped with as many as he could — catechizing, blessing and encouraging people to enjoy life with their children.
“God is life,” he told them, “and whatever we try to do in this life, we should try to recreate what God has done for us.”
Father Loester pointed out Daufuskie Island across the water, a place he reaches by boat once a month to celebrate Mass for the small community there. When he pointed out that these waters are a known host for sharks, Bishop Fabre joked, “Don’t ask me to walk on water!” This visit was for the people. It was unhurried, unscripted and very alive.
Island Parish Knows Its Ministry
Holy Family draws a congregation unlike almost any other in the diocese. Alongside its permanent parishioners, the church welcomes a steady flow of vacationers who arrive still sandy from Hilton Head’s beaches to fulfill their Sunday obligation. As Msgr. Ronald R. Cellini said, it’s where the Church of South Carolina goes on vacation, and the ministry this parish offers is greater than it may realize.
The English listening session opened with warmth built over years, and Bishop Fabre framed the session around a vision: 600,000 Catholics in South Carolina by the end of his tenure, with 90% of young people remaining in the Church. A parishioner asked whether the diocese has any plans for the Jubilee of the Resurrection in 2033, which will mark the 2,000th anniversary of Christ’s death and rising. Bishop Fabre encouraged the community to stay attentive as the universal Church begins to look toward it. He also shared that the 500th anniversary of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 2031 will include a gathering of bishops from across the Americas for the momentous occasion.
The session also surfaced one of the most joyful stories of the visit. Holy Family’s music director Pam Kane, who holds a doctorate in musical arts, described a program that has become a Lowcountry institution. Working with the parish and St. Gregory the Great, she directs a Children’s Choir that gathers for an annual summer music camp and an Independence Day concert for the community. Last year more than 200 musical instruments were given away to families in need so children could keep practicing after camp ended.
“Give young people a role and a stage,” she said, “and watch them come back.” Bishop Fabre agreed and said that music is one of the most reliable doors back into the Church for those who have drifted.
Mass followed and two young cantors led the congregation. Under Pam Kane’s direction, music filled the church and gave glory to God.
Una Comunidad Que No Para
The Spanish session earned every minute it ran. Bishop Fabre challenged the community to pay attention to what is being built around them and to decisions being made in the world that can affect them deeply. He said they should encourage their U.S.-born children to vote. He spoke about the cost of deportation and said the Church’s obligation to accompany immigrants at every stage is not political but pastoral.
A woman asked how to help older parishioners release ministry roles so young people can step in. Bishop Fabre answered that there are no puestos (positions) in the Church — only ministerios (ministries), and service belongs to everyone.
Reflection
From Day 4 in Walterboro to Day 12 on the south end of Hilton Head Island, Bishop Fabre has spent the better part of two weeks crossing this deanery to visit prisons and pregnancy centers, thrift stores and pavilions, deacon meetings and dinner tables, historic chapels and packed parish halls. Each person carries a unique gift and a call to serve. Each person’s act of faithfulness, however quiet, moves the mission forward — like the 98-year-old who opens her door every afternoon or the young man who walked in for holy water and stayed for Mass after nine years away.
Bishop Fabre will officially close the trip with a meeting with the parish finance council of St. Gregory the Great — one final conversation before the road home. A short closing recap will follow in the next edition of “From the Road.”
Thank you for following along. The next Pastoral Visit to his fourth deanery will be announced once dates and information are available in the coming year.
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