Francis & John
After three days moving through some of the most economically challenged and fastest-growing corridors in the Lowcountry, Day 4 brought Bishop Fabre to Hilton Head Island, a place beloved for its beautiful beaches and laid-back reputation.
The visit fell on the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, namesake of St. Francis by the Sea Church. It was also the eve of the Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, patron of our diocese. St. John the Baptist led thousands of souls to Jesus, and Bishop Fabre emphasized that this is the calling of every baptized Christian.
Share the Gift
The day opened with a breakfast reception with parish staff and leaders hosted by Father Michael Oenbrink, who has served St. Francis by the Sea for 22 years. Bishop Fabre used the gathering to underscore one of the defining themes of the pastoral visit: The Church is called to be synodal, one that discusses and listens rather than simply instructs.
A young attendee, who is discerning a call to the priesthood, pointed out that people in society are increasingly reluctant to say they worship Christ so as not to offend others. Bishop Fabre responded that our faith is not a tool for showing superiority or making others uncomfortable; it is a gift, and it must be shared as one.
The Narrow Road
The homily built on the day’s twin feasts. St. Francis of Assisi gave everything away and found everything he lacked. St. John the Baptist pointed away from himself his entire life and gained Christ. St. Francis by the Sea, Bishop Fabre said, is called to do the same — to be a community that points toward Christ, not one that simply maintains itself. A child that he called forward during his homily shared a beautiful answer to the question of what we find in the heart of Jesus. The boy said, “Love.”
The English listening session ranged widely. A question about Haiti opened into an unexpectedly rich exchange, with Bishop Fabre tracing his homeland’s revolutionary history and its complicated relationships with the United States and France. This was a great reminder that a shepherd’s depth of knowledge is itself a form of pastoral care. A parishioner new to the community spoke about the warmth of her welcome, and Bishop Fabre pressed the point that welcome is evangelization.
Near the end, a young man asked about how we could bring everyone around us along the narrow road to heaven. The bishop asked which road the young man was on, and he responded, “I am on the narrow road.”
Messi, Ronaldo, and Cheer for Jesus
The exploration of St. Francis Thrift Store was one of the more surprising stops of the Pastoral Visit. Fran Stevens, store manager, walked Bishop Fabre through an operation that generates roughly $900,000 in annual sales — all from donated goods and volunteer workers, and a building now owned outright by the parish.
The bishop gathered everyone present and led them in prayer, first thanking God for the volunteers and remembering those who had served and passed on. Then he closed with a blessing and invoked St. Francis on the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death. It was the right way to end a visit to a store bearing the intercessor’s name.
The day closed with a full church for the Spanish Mass. It was packed by a community that came ready to celebrate, and the listening session that followed was also full with an engaged congregation. This reflected what Bishop Fabre has seen at every stop: Hispanic communities within the Beaufort Deanery are not on the margins of parish life, but at the center.
At the very end, the bishop referred to the upcoming World Cup game between Colombia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. He said, “Cheer for Messi, cheer for Ronaldo, cheer for Jesus!” The children screamed the loudest when the bishop said Jesus’ name.
Reflection
St. Francis by the Sea is educating children through its school, funding nonprofits through its thrift store, welcoming newcomers and forming a community that weeps for joy at Communion. That is our pilgrim Church doing what it is supposed to do — with volunteers who show up twice a week for nine years to sort donated goods by hand, and with a young man quietly wondering if God might be calling him to something more.
People across this diocese are actively working for and learning more about our faith. They want to be formed and prepared for ministry, and the bishop is assuring them that they are ready.
Looking Ahead
After a two-day break — for the bishop to meet with the other Atlanta Province bishops — the Beaufort Deanery Pastoral Visit resumes on Friday, June 27. Day 5 begins at the Ridgeland Correctional Facility, followed by a tour of the Lowcountry Outreach Center and an evening Holy Hour at the historic St. Peter Chapel in Beaufort, hosted by Father Andrew Trapp.
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