Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre's years in Houma-Thibodaux

Photos by Lawrence Chatagnier

Upon receiving the initial phone call from the nuncio telling him that he was being appointed the next Archbishop of Louisville, KY, Bishop Shelton J. Fabre, who has been serving as the fourth bishop of Houma-Thibodaux since October 2013, says he was really shocked and surprised.

“It’s not something I expected. It’s not something that I wanted to do at this point in my life, but it’s not what I want to do, it’s about what the Lord wants me to do,” says the newly appointed archbishop. “There’s a part of me today that still remains surprised and shocked. But as I told the priests, we must always do what the Lord desires of us, and obviously this is something that the Lord is desiring of me; so I am more than willing to surrender myself to what God wants me to do.”

Archbishop Fabre says the major influence on his decision to become a priest was his parents. “My parents, in their own vocation to marriage – they were married over 50 years – their devotion and commitment to one another was a great example for me of commitment. A vocation to the religious life is about a commitment to the Lord. Some make that commitment in marriage, some make that commitment in priesthood and consecrated religious life, some make that commitment in the single life. So certainly my parents had a great influence on my vocation.”

The pastors and nuns at St. Augustine Church in New Roads also had a profound influence on his vocation to the priesthood, says the archbishop, as well as the people at St. Augustine Church, the teachers at Catholic High of Pointe Coupee in New Roads, and the monks St. Joseph Abbey.

“Growing up in New Roads was wonderful … it taught me the importance of community and the importance doing things together. Like in so many small communities, we were everyone's child, so we had many mommas and daddies looking out for us. And we also had a strong faith community at St. Augustine Church. I am grateful for my childhood and the experiences I had there.”

Archbishop Fabre has always lived in Louisiana except for the four years he studied in Leuven, Belgium, but during that time he says he always knew he was coming back. “That was more just time away rather than moving. But now this is actually leaving and moving away … and I will miss Louisiana,” he says.

There are many things he will miss about the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux and its people, says Archbishop Fabre. First of all, he will miss his family and his friends here in Louisiana, and the people he’s worked with in the diocese.

“I will miss the large Catholic presence and the strong Catholic culture here, the idea of whole family worship and that the Catholic faith is such an important part of the lives of the people in this area. I’ve always been particularly impressed by the faith practice of the young men of this diocese and I believe there is a rich harvest of vocations here – of priests and religious. I will also miss the celebrations, like Mardi Gras, the fall harvest season, and the intentional focus of the people on the joyful side of life. And I will miss the area in general; it’s a very beautiful part of the country.”

One of the accomplishments he is proudest of as Bishop of Houma-Thibodaux is the success of the strategic planning process and how that affected the life of the diocese. “The lay faithful are more involved in the life of the parish now, and the focus has shifted from the Pastoral Center back to the church parishes. The heart of the church is parish life, because that’s where most people come to know God,” says Archbishop Fabre.

He says he is also proud of the attention he gave to the priests, to their wellbeing and needs. “One of the most important relationships a bishop has is with the priests in his diocese. I’m also very proud of the men that I ordained.”

Although it was very difficult and painful, he says the response of the diocese and the response of Catholic Charities to Hurricane Ida is something he is pleased with. “I’d also like to believe I was present to people and that I made myself available to people. And, I’m pleased with some of the administrative advancements that we made here at the Pastoral Center.”

While there have been many accomplishments and improvements made in the diocese under his leadership, there were also some difficult challenges that he faced as Bishop of Houma-Thibodaux, including the most obvious: the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricane Ida. There were also financial hardships, the problem of increasing secularization, and of course the release of the names of priests accused of sexual abuse, which presented their own unique difficulties and challenges.

During his time in Houma-Thibodaux, and especially throughout the strategic planning process, Archbishop Fabre has stressed the importance of the Catholic faithful being missionary disciples. Now that he is leaving the state he has called home his entire life, the term missionary disciple really hits home for him. His departure from Louisiana marks a significant event in his life, but one that he is willing to embrace for the Lord.

“As a bishop of this diocese and in New Orleans, I have been involved in asking priests to take on new assignments,” explains Archbishop Fabre. “And throughout that time I have had no priest tell me they wouldn’t do it. They have always responded with ‘I will go where you are asking me to go.’ So I think I would be less than authentic if I didn’t embrace that same mentality myself. The Lord is calling us to be missionary disciples and it may mean going to places that I might not necessarily choose to go. It’s about following the calling of the Lord, and the priests here have always embraced that mentality, which is at the heart of being a missionary disciple. So, I will embrace the journey that the Lord is inviting me to go on. I want to do what the Lord wants me to do.”

Although each area of the country, diocese and archdiocese has its own set of unique challenges, as well as advantages and benefits, Archbishop Fabre believes that some of the gifts he possesses will assist him in ministering to the people of Louisville.
“I like to think I am a good listener and that I am approachable. I am very consultative … I believe consultation is important in decision making. I have my own unique spirituality, my own friendship and experiences with Jesus Christ, and he has always been active in my life, so those are gifts I bring with me to Louisville. The final gift I bring with me is that I have been able to … everywhere that I have served … I have been able to make that place home for me.”

Archbishop Fabre says he already knows all of the bishops in the province of Louisville, but he knows a few of them better than others. “Bishop Mark Spalding of the Diocese of Nashville was a year behind me when I attended the seminary in Leuven, Belgium; Bishop David P. Talley of the Diocese of Memphis, TN, was in Alexandria, LA, before he went to Memphis; and Bishop Emeritus Terry Steib of the Diocese of Memphis is from Vacherie, so I know them well.”
As he begins his ministry to the people of Louisville, Archbishop Fabre says he is most looking forward to getting to know the diocese, its people and the gifts that the faithful there have to offer in their ministry to the church. “I am also looking forward to establishing Louisville as my home,” he says.

As he prepares to leave for Kentucky, Archbishop Fabre says there are a few things he would like to say to the people of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux.

“First of all, when I think about leaving, I keep going back to the words of St Augustine, ‘As we prepare to depart from one another, let us not depart from the Lord.’ I know this is a small rural diocese, but I want to tell the people of Houma-Thibodaux: Do not underestimate yourselves and what you are called to do here for Jesus Christ and for the church or be limited by the fact that you are a small, rural diocese … don’t sell yourselves short! I have absolute faith and trust in the lay and clergy leaders of this diocese to continue to do great things here, and to continue our good work that we have started, including with Hurricane Ida recovery.”

Archbishop Fabre asks everyone to pray for him in his new ministry to the people of Louisville. “My life is radically changing and I will need your prayers. I will be relying on my wonderful memories here in this diocese to strengthen me; and I’m sure I will be going back in my mind’s eye and in my heart to those wonderful memories. Thank you all for your love and support.”