Stories of More

I was raised in the Baptist tradition and am so grateful for the foundation it gave me. From an early age, I learned to love Scripture, trust in Jesus Christ as my Savior and understand the importance of a personal relationship with God. The Baptist church and my family helped to shape my faith and taught me many truths that I still cherish today. They were my foundation of my faith. I met my husband when I was 27 and the first thing that I admired about him was his strong faith. He has been raised Catholic and never missed going to Mass to strengthen his walk with God. I began going to Mass with him and becoming increasingly interested in the Catholic faith. We went through marriage counseling with a Priest and that gave me the opportunity to ask more questions concerning my Christian faith journey. We were married and were expecting our first child when I decided to become Catholic and raise our children in the Catholic faith. It was a decision that I spent many years studying and preparing for. Learning and believing in the Sacraments, Mary and the Saints was a big part of my decision to convert. I feel the Holy Spirits presence during the Mass and in the Eucharist. I have been encouraged by Monsignor Rowland and Father Stephen to use my God given gifts at church. I have been guided to help schools, needy families, and serve as the coordinator of the Ministry and Hospitality committee of our Parish. I take time to pray and listen to God for his guidance in how to help our Parish and community. Today, I continue to grow in my relationship with Jesus through prayer, Scripture, the Sacraments, and the life of the Church. My journey has taught me that God is faithful in leading those who sincerely seek Him, and I am grateful for where that journey has led me and the support that I have at Holy Spirit.

There are as many stories of religious conversion as there are individuals in the pews. Unlike Saint Paul on the road to Damascus, I was not struck blind by a bright light; my journey took a much longer route. I was raised in a God-fearing Protestant family as the son of a Methodist minister. Later, I was blessed to marry the love of my life, Theresa. She was raised Catholic by wonderful, devout parents, and as often happens in such marriages, I began attending Mass with her and her family. For the next 20 years, I "rode the bus" without knowing the destination. One day during Mass, I asked myself what I was doing there. I realized that while I understood and enjoyed the liturgy, I was envious of the peace and stability my in-laws possessed. I wanted to acquire the simple, "childlike" trust they had in the Holy Spirit. I knew I always felt better after attending Mass, and 20 years is a long time to remain a passenger on the bus. Ultimately, I chose to convert to Catholicism. Through the witness of those in my life, I came to understand that it is not enough to simply sit in a pew and be a good person. I learned that a relationship with God requires a true commitment. Just as in a friendship or a marriage, commitment requires the trust to put another’s values and needs foremost. I finally understood that putting Him first was not a sacrifice, but a newfound freedom. My advice to anyone currently "riding the bus" is to say yes when the Holy Spirit calls. If you rearrange your secular life to accommodate God’s direction, you will find it comes with no regrets—only great rewards. Good Luck on Your Journey

My faith journey began in the Episcopal Church, where I attended a private Episcopal school growing up. My husband, on the other hand, was raised Catholic and attended Catholic schools from Pre-K through high school here in Charleston, including Nativity School and Bishop England. The Catholic faith has deep roots in his family, including his great-uncle, Monsignor Rowland, whose life of service to the Church has been a meaningful part of our family's story. From the very beginning of our relationship, we knew that faith would be at the center of our marriage and family life. I began attending Mass with him while we were dating, and together we felt called to raise our future family in the Catholic faith. As the mother of four children, I have seen how important it is to help our children build a relationship with Christ and grow in their faith. Our children have attended Catholic school since Pre-K, and as they reached important milestones in their faith journey, I felt called to grow alongside them. In 2022, before my oldest daughter received her First Holy Communion, I completed the RCIA/OCIA program and officially entered the Catholic Church. It was important to me to fully understand and embrace the faith that was shaping our family so that I could better connect with my daughter and support her through this special milestone. In doing so, I also gained a deeper understanding of the faith that would help me guide all four of our children as they continue their own journeys with Christ. Faith has always been the foundation of our family, and that foundation ultimately led us to Holy Spirit Parish. From the moment we arrived, we felt welcomed and embraced by a community that truly feels like family. In 2023, we renewed our wedding vows and were officially married in the Catholic faith here in the 'little chapel' by Monsignor Rowland. Holy Spirit has provided us with opportunities to deepen our faith, build meaningful relationships, and become more involved in parish life. Before becoming involved in Family Ministry, I served as President of Nativity School’s PTO for several years. One of the things I loved most about that role was bringing families together and creating opportunities for meaningful connections and friendships. Through that experience, I saw firsthand how important a strong community is for both parents and children. As rewarding as that was, I felt called to take it a step further—not just building friendships, but helping families build faith-centered relationships that encourage one another in their walk with Christ. That calling led me to Family Ministry, where I now have the privilege of serving alongside my dear friend Alison. This ministry is especially close to my heart because I know how valuable it is for families to have a strong faith community around them. My hope is to help families grow closer to Christ, strengthen their faith at home, and create lasting friendships with other Catholic families within our parish. Looking back, I can clearly see God's hand guiding our family every step of the way. I am grateful for the path that led us to Holy Spirit and for the opportunity to serve this wonderful parish community. My prayer is that every family who comes through our doors feels welcomed, supported, and encouraged as they grow in their faith and experience the love of Christ.

I was raised in a devout Irish Catholic family as the youngest of seven. Attending church was a regular part of my upbringing, but after leaving for college, I gradually stopped participating as I began to find my own path. When I met my husband, Dan, who was Presbyterian, I chose to embrace his faith. We were married in the Presbyterian Church, marking the beginning of a new chapter in my spiritual journey. After moving to Johns Island in October 2024, we became friends with a couple who are deeply involved at Holy Spirt Church. I had often thought about returning to my Catholic roots, but, as so often happens, life got in the way. On January 5, 2026 I learned that I had a brain tumor, later diagnosed as glioblastoma. My tumor was removed the following day, and when I woke up in the recovery room, I knew I needed to return to my Catholic faith. I truly believe God intervened and gave me a second chance. For the first time in my life, I experienced what I can only describe as true faith. It filled me with hope, peace, and strength to face the greatest challenge of my life. Becoming part of Holy Spirit Church has been an incredible gift. Father Stephen and the entire parish family have surrounded me with compassion, encouragement, and prayers. The congregation even made me a beautiful prayer quilt, a constant reminder of God's love expressed though this community. I feel deeply blessed to be part of the Holy Spirit family. My new mantra is: "With You, God, all things are possible."

I was raised in a “broken home.” I saw my father occasionally, but I lived with my mother most of the time. Life was not easy, as my mother, who had a disability, rarely worked and remarried several times, and it seemed that we were constantly moving and that I was regularly changing schools. I was raised in the family faith, the Episcopal Church, but following Christ was not much of a priority, and so we rarely attended. As I entered my teen years, I fell further away from my childhood faith. I began to chase girls, and I eventually fell in with a peer group that was up to no good. By this point, I was living with my father, as I was not getting along with my current step-father. My father took me out of the school in which I was enrolled, and I was accepted my senior year into Bishop England High School. I was somewhat of a class clown and was sent to the principal’s office regularly, to the extent that I was called the “buffoon” by one of the sisters who taught there. (Our daughters claim that I am the reason that there are now strict rules for non-uniform days since I tried to wear “Deputy Dawg” slippers on tag days.) The Catholic faith was new to me, and I had a LONG road still ahead, but I recall there being one sister who taught there who seemed to love all of us unconditionally. This struck me as odd that she loved me in spite of how much I misbehaved—Only much later would I begin to understand why. I continued my downward spiral in college. I rarely applied myself to studies since, at the time, I was more interested in partying. I began to doubt God’s existence as I sought a life of pleasure. By my junior year, I began to feel empty in spite of trying to fill my life with so many things of the world. I had a naturally logical mind, and it took C.S. Lewis’ “Trilemma” to convince me not only that God exists, but that he cared for me and loved me in spite of my sinfulness—I became famished for truth. The journey home to the Catholic faith was long as I was attending any and all churches. I began to hunger for something which I did not yet understand—the sacraments. I returned to my childhood Episcopal parish, but, after several years, I felt drawn either towards the Catholic or Orthodox faith. Meanwhile, I had committed the rest of my life to the pursuit of truth which, at the time, I thought precluded marriage—My then spiritual director thought otherwise. I met my wife, Beth, a practicing Catholic, when she managed a restaurant in Charleston where I would go and read books for hours. The waitstaff hated me, and I was very shy, but she gave me her phone number one evening, and we were engaged about six months later. I completed RCIA, and I was received into the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil in 2005, a few months before our wedding—I have never looked back. The quest for truth continues, but I have come to realize that a large part of truth and understanding the Trinity is to be found within family life. We have had our share of bumps in the road, including numerous health scares, but faith has brought us through. I was ordained to the Permanent Diaconate in 2025 in the Diocese of Charleston.

In the evening silence, I heard the call! Our new life in South Carolina was a promise being fulfilled. Our new parish was Holy Spirit Catholic Church. The family life center was just built and the building was to be used to serve our larger community. With the guidance of Monsignor Rowland and courage whispered by the Spirit, the parish food pantry evolved! Once word got out of our of services, the community came and all were welcomed. As we built trust and friendships with our neighbors, they invited us into their lives with stories and needs. It was then that the vision Monsignor had for the home repair foundation came to fruition. He formed a group to develop the path of reaching our neighbors in need. The connections made through our food pantry were crucial. They provided the trust needed to start caring for those in need and to keep them in their homes. This home repair foundation is the Paraclete Foundation, formed in 2018. In this journey to help others we needed to have private and intimate dialogue with those we were serving to determine our capabilities and restrictions. Each application required a phone call to start the story and the Holy Spirit directed each conversation for me. Each person in need has a life path they want to share and give witness to. During the application process, those we serve are asked to share a many personal details, and often freely give more. I am truly humbled by their willingness to seek help. May I always listen for the message the Holy Spirit gives me with an open heart. In the silence I hear best the call.