MOST REV. SHELTON J. FABRE
To be installed as Bishop of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux October 30, 2013
The Vatican announced this morning that Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Sam G. Jacobs of Houma-Thibodaux and has named Auxiliary Bishop Shelton J. Fabre of New Orleans to succeed him. Bishop Fabre will be installed at the fourth Bishop of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux on October 30, 2013 at 2:00 PM, at the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales in Houma.
GETTING TO KNOW BISHOP FABRE
His childhood:
- Shelton Joseph Fabre was born in rural New Roads, Louisiana, 44 miles outside of Baton Rouge, on October 25, 1963.
- He is the fifth of six children.
- His father and mother are Luke and Theresa Fabre. His father passed away in 2007.
- His siblings are Diane Marie, Luke III (deceased in 1973); Gerald Louis, Clyde Raymond (deceased in 1980); and Angelo Gerard.
- Attended local schools in New Roads for both elementary and secondary school, graduating as valedictorian of Catholic High of Pointe Coupée in 1981.
- Entered the seminary out of high school, entering Saint Joseph Seminary College, also known as "Saint Ben's."
- In 1985 he received a Bachelor's of Arts Degree in History Saint Joseph Seminary College.
- After completing his college seminary studies, he was sent abroad to The American College of Louvain, where he received additional priestly formation while studying at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.
- In 1987 he received a Bachelor's of Arts Degree in Religious Studies from the Katholiek Universiteit to Leuven in Louvain, Belgium.
- In 1989 he received a Master's of Arts Degree in Religious Studies from the Katholiek Universiteit to Leuven in Louvain, Belgium.
- Ordained a Transitional Deacon on December 10, 1988 by Archbishop Peter L. Gerety at St. Jan-de-Doperkerk in Leuven, Belgium.
- Ordained a Priest on Saturday, August 5, 1989 by Bishop Stanley J. Ott at St. Joseph Cathedral in Baton Rouge.
- He juggled a variety of responsibilities as a Priest of Baton Rouge. He was pastor of the parishes of Saint Joseph in Grosse Tete, Immaculate Heart of Mary in Maringouin and Sacred Heart of Jesus in Baton Rouge.
- He also served as an Associate Pastor at Saint George in Baton Rouge, Saint Alphonsus Liguori in Greenwell Springs, Saint Joseph Cathedral in Baton Rouge, and Saint Isidore the Farmer in Baker.
- He served on the diocesan Clergy Personnel Board and served as chair of the Pastoral Planning Committee of the diocese. He at various times took on the roles of chaplain to Saint Joseph's Academy, head of the diocesan Office of Black Catholics, Dean of the Northwest Deanery.
- He also served as a member of the College of Consultors, the Presbyteral Council, and the Diocesan School Board.
- He served as a Defender of the Bond within the Diocesan Tribunal.
- Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleans by Pope Benedict XVI on December 13, 2006.
- Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of New Orleans by Archbishop Alfred C. Hughes, Archbishop of New Orleans, at the Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis, King of France, in New Orleans, on February 28, 2007
- Bishop Fabre is the second-youngest Catholic Bishop, and the most recently ordained African-American Bishop in the United States.
- Appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux by Pope Francis on September 23, 2013.
- Will be installed at the fourth Bishop of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux on October 30, 2013 at 2:00 PM, at the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales in Houma.
- “I am humbled and excited by this appointment by the holy father, and I pledge to serve the needs of the church here in the diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. ... In all that we do, it is the Lord Jesus Christ whom we praise and serve, and I am confident that together we will grow in faith.”
