About us

Welcome!

Holy Family Church started as a mission Church of the Charleston, South Carolina Diocese. In the late spring of 1961, several Catholic business men invited Father John Simonin to celebrate Mass at the old William Hilton Inn. The first attendees, about forty in number, were mostly visitors to the island. As the number of worshippers grew, it became necessary to move the site for Sunday Mass to The Adventure Inn. In time, with the increase in the number of more permanent residents, better arrangements had to be made. Land was deeded for a Church by the Fraser family of the Sea Pines Company, who had given similar parcels of land to other churches in the area.

The ground breaking for the new Church was on December 19, 1971 and it was dedicated on February 25, 1973. Within a few short years, the original 340 seat Church could no longer accommodate the crowds each

Sunday. Plans were developed in 1985 by Father Philip A. Hamilton to construct a larger Church. Bishop Ernest Unterkoefler approved the plans and construction of the new Church was completed with a dedication Mass on October 30, 1988. The former Church was revamped for multi-purpose use and was original named Seitz Hall, later changed to the Parish Hall. In 1977, a Religious Education Building/Parish Hall was built through the efforts of the parish’s first pastor, Father David J. Schiller, for whom the building was subsequently named and later named to Education Building.

During the pastorate of Father Edmund McCaffrey (1996-2003), former Abbot of Belmont Abbey, a number of changes were made to the sanctuary with the addition of the Crucifix, a new Altar and a new Tabernacle. A beautiful shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe was also constructed in the south portion of the campus. Also, new overhead lights were installed.

The pastorate of Father Hayden Vaverek (2004-2008) also brought further changes with a new adoration chapel, removal of the glass wall which formerly separated the daily Mass chapel from the main Church to create a west wing, the relocation of the glass-etched Stations of the Cross to the interior perimeter wall and painting of the inside of the Church.

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THE CAMPUS

THE HOLY FAMILY STATUE AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE CAMPUS

As one approaches the campus of Holy Family Church from Pope Avenue, the copper statue of the Holy Family of Saint Joseph, the Blessed Mother and the Christ Child greets all visitors at the entrance. The statue was created by Wayne Edwards and was donated in memory of George Joseph Kyte.

The inscription on the marble tablet reads as follows:

“The everlasting symbol of love....

the model for all mankind...

Joseph...Father and protector of family, faith, truth...

Mary...the loving and sacrificing mother....

Jesus... the holy child who shared divinity and humanity

and who would offer salvation to the world. Sharing their

example will bring us happiness and eternal peace.

Let us pray for their guidance in all we do.”

THE SAINT FRANCIS GARDEN AND STATUE

Continuing further onto the church campus, we see on our right the garden of Saint Francis, a beautiful area for meditation. This contemplative area was donated in memory of Oramae Dressel Knowles by her husband, a non-

Catholic. The carrara marble statue was installed in 1986.

Parish Hall

Adjoining the Garden of Saint Francis Garden is our Parish Hall which is the original Church. It is now a multi-purpose building used for staff offices, social functions, meetings and extra Masses on Easter Sunday, when 13 Masses have been needed to handle the thousands of visitors. The Rectory and Church business office adjoins this Hall.

PIAZZA AND MOSAIC

The piazza is the large area in front of the main Church. The piazza is paved with more than 1000 granite stones which have been donated by parishioners and visitors from all over the United States. The stones are variously engraved with the names and addresses, short prayers or other notations by their donors.

Opposite the piazza is a patio of additional engraved paving stones and an outdoor altar. Serving as a backdrop is a ten foot high mosaic of the Holy Family, a gift from the Ladies Guild in 1979. The mosaic, which was originally installed on the exterior wall of the old Church, was made in Italy. The logo depicts the Holy Family over the sea suggesting the theme of an island parish with the fishes representing the faithful. The Christ Child, the central figure, is standing with arms outstretched in an attitude of prayer and benediction. The fingers of the right hand are extended in the traditional sign of the Holy Trinity. The Holy Spirit is depicted as a dove. The Blessed Virgin is seated gazing at the Divine Son. Her tunic is embroidered with a lily, an emblem of her perpetual virginity.