“There was one priest and four Masses: a vigil, two morning Masses and an evening Mass. We realized pretty quickly that we had no more room, so we added a 9 p.m. Mass, still with only one priest,” he explained. “Now the 9 p.m. Mass averages about 70% capacity throughout the year and is still filling up. At USC, we are trying to find donors to help us build a new church because we just can't fit the students in our current chapel.”

Reflecting this call for greater Catholic engagement among young adults, South Carolina will open its first Catholic college next fall in Greenville. Rosary College will offer students a two-year liberal arts education in the Benedictine tradition, led by Catholic scholars and noted author and convert Father Dwight Longenecker.

A city known for its Catholic community

Greenville is known for its strong Catholic community and has become one of the most important centers of Catholicism in the state in recent years. The area is home to several parishes – Prince of Peace, St. Mary Magdalene, St. Mary's and Our Lady of the Rosary, to name a few – where Masses are often packed with devout, young families.

In fact, many families from across the country have moved to the Greenville area because of the excellent Catholic churches and schools.

One such family is the Billings. Troy and Kathleen Billings, who moved from Chicago to Greenville in the summer of 2020, described their move as a “leap of faith.”

“By the time, [Greenville] “We were just beginning to grow as a Catholic community and have grown tremendously in the last four years,” Kathleen Billings told CNA. “We felt the Lord was calling us here, so we took that leap of faith. And as it turns out, many other families have felt the same calling.”

Since settling in Greenville, the Billings have witnessed firsthand the church's presence in the area: “Our Masses are beautiful, the churches are full and the community is incredible.”

To stay active in this Catholic scene, the Billings began a monthly rosary service in their home. At its first meeting four years ago, 20 people attended; today, the service averages “250-350 participants per month, drawn from all the Catholic churches in the Upstate. [region of South Carolina].”

Equally inspired by this emerging community, Michael Sandifer moved with his family from Wisconsin to Greenville five years ago.

(The story continues below)

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As pastoral associate for adult faith formation at Prince of Peace Catholic Church, Sandifer shared that one of his responsibilities is to “work with people who come to church and are interested in learning and experiencing more about the Catholic faith.”

“Every day we get a call or an email saying, 'I'm new in the area, we're looking at Prince of Peace,'” he continued. “It's a huge boost, which isn't surprising, but definitely rewarding.”

In response to this growing interest, the Diocese of Charleston has seen an increase in vocations.

Last year, two men were ordained priests and four transitional deacons. With 28 in training for the 2024-2025 year, the diocese now has more seminarians than at any time in its recent history.

How does the south compare to the rest of the country?