St. Clare of Assisi dedicates new DI church site
On a brilliant fall day last weekend, the Catholic community on Daniel Island reflected on its past and looked to its future in a celebration that will last a lifetime.
The parish of Saint Clare of Assisi, founded in 2014 on Easter Sunday and growing at an incredible rate, hosted a ceremony on November 5 that is a monumental step to building a new church on the corner of Etiwan Park Street and Seven Farms Drive.
More than 350 parishioners turned out for a morning that included music, prayers, food and a blessing of the property.
Using the Bible verse of Matthew 16:18 as inspiration, “Upon this rock I will build My church,” parishioners decorated rocks which were placed in a hole near where the future church’s altar will sit.
“We are excited we will make our contribution to Charleston’s fame as ‘the Holy City,’” said Father H. Gregory West, the pastor of Saint Clare of Assisi. “We will build a sanctuary using traditional architectural styles that express our deep love of God and the timeless beauty of Catholic culture. The church will complement the flavor of the community and will be a legacy gift to generations yet born.”
The Catholic Diocese of Charleston certainly selected the right priest to lead in the building of the new parish, which is located in one of the state’s fastest growing areas.
Father West has founded three parishes in the Palmetto State, including one in Bluffton, a growing community near Hilton Head Island. That parish is named St. Gregory the Great, and, founded in 2000, now has more than 10,000 members.
The plans and budget for the new church are ambitious. Once completed, the facility will seat at least 800 people and as many as 1,200. The Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, on Broad Street in historic Charleston, by comparison, seats just over 600 worshipers. The new church will be easily accessible by pedestrians, bicycles and golf carts.
The “Blessed to Build” capital campaign has a goal of at least $10 million, of which $5.6 million has already been pledged or raised. Following a two-year design and permitting process, the parish hopes to break ground in the second half of 2019. Construction will take 18-24 months. Future phases will include a narthex (welcoming center), parish center, columbarium (for internment of cremated remains) and picnic pavilion.
“This facility will be a light unto a nation,” said Father West, a Lowcountry native who grew up on Sullivan’s Island and attended Bishop England High School. “This will be a beacon of faith. We hope to have a steeple that will be visible from the Wando Bridge.”
Father West said the church will be traditional in design.
“No one will doubt that it is a church,” he said. “The only thing modern about it will be the technology.”
Saint Clare of Assisi Catholic Church currently has a membership of 1,900 people. Two-thirds of the members live on Daniel Island. The parish currently uses the facilities of Bishop England High School for worship, education and fellowship.
“The only thing greater than the energy level in building a new church is the enthusiasm,” Father West said. “The new church will anchor our community as a place to worship and from which to serve. This is our gift to the Lord and the future.”