About Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati Catholic Church · Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic territorial parish in the Carolina Forest area of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, belonging to the Diocese of Charleston (Myrtle Beach Deanery). It was canonically erected on February 6, 2023, after growing out of the Catholic Community at Carolina Forest (CCCF), which first celebrated Mass on July 26, 2020. It is the first parish in the Americas — and one of only six in the world — to bear the name of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, the young Italian layman (1901–1925) who was beatified in 1990 and is known for his charity to the poor, love of the Eucharist, and outdoor pursuits. As of the parish's 'Let's Build It!' campaign, the community numbers more than 1,200 households and worships in temporary chapel and school spaces while constructing its first permanent parish campus.
- Established
- 2020
- Patron
- Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati
- Rector
- Rev. Dr. David Nerbun, STL STD
- Diocese
- Diocese of Charleston (Roman Catholic)
Why belong here
Frassati Catholic Church is a young, mission-driven parish built around the spirituality of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati — daily Communion, frequent Confession, adoration, and joyful service to the poor. Members pray the 'Prayer for the Courage to be Great' before every Sunday Mass and live out an 'ad intra – ad extra' rhythm of inward prayer and outward mission through Friends of Frassati outreach. With more than 1,200 households, vibrant youth and family programs, an annual Patronal Feast Day celebration on July 4, a Women of Frassati ministry, middle- and high-school youth groups, OCIA/RCIA, Bible studies on The Chosen, Vacation Bible School, a Nocturnal First Friday Eucharistic Adoration devotion, and a Tithing Committee that gives 10% of the general offertory to charity, it offers an unusually active and joyfully Catholic community for new residents of the Carolina Forest area of Myrtle Beach.
Mass times at Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday 4:30 PM (before 5:30 PM Mass)
- Wednesday 4:30 PM (before 5:30 PM Mass)
- Thursday 4:30 PM (before 5:30 PM Mass)
- Friday 4:30 PM (before 5:30 PM Mass) — no confessions on First Fridays or Fridays during Lent
- Saturday 2:30 PM (Saturday Vigil at 4:00 PM, listed elsewhere as 3:00 PM)
- Sunday 10:30 AM and 4:30 PM
Adoration times
- Monday 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM (before 5:30 PM Mass)
- Wednesday 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM (before 5:30 PM Mass)
- Thursday 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM (before 5:30 PM Mass)
- Friday 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM (no adoration before Mass on First Fridays or Fridays during Lent)
- First Friday Nocturnal Eucharistic Adoration: 6:00 PM Friday through the following morning
About Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati Catholic Church
Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati Catholic Church is the territorial parish for the Carolina Forest region of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, in the Diocese of Charleston. Its mission is 'Preparing Disciples for the Good Adventure' and its vision is 'One Joy-Filled Family on the Good Adventure.' The parish was canonically erected on February 6, 2023, after growing out of the Catholic Community at Carolina Forest (CCCF), which first celebrated Mass on July 26, 2020. It is the first parish in the Americas — and only the sixth in the world — to bear the name of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati.
- Mission: Preparing Disciples for the Good Adventure
- Vision: One Joy-Filled Family on the Good Adventure
- Diocese: Charleston, Myrtle Beach Deanery
- Erected: February 6, 2023
Why the Parish is Named after Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati
At weekend Masses on December 18–19, 2021, the members of CCCF voted 4-to-1 to name their future parish and church after Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. Because parish names are typically reserved for canonized saints, Bishop Jacques Fabre-Jeune, CS, petitioned the Vatican's Dicastery for Divine Worship on December 13, 2022, and received the indult on February 3, 2023. The community identified five resonances between Pier Giorgio's life (1901–1925) and their own: his modern youthfulness mirroring Carolina Forest's youthfulness; his ordinary lay holiness modeling Vatican II's universal call to holiness; his 'ad intra – ad extra' spirituality of inward prayer and outward service to the poor; his devotion to family reconciliation; and his attraction as a sportsman and lover of the outdoors. The parish continues to pray the 'Prayer for the Courage to be Great' before every Sunday Mass and runs Friends of Frassati social outreach in his honor.
- December 2021: CCCF members vote 4-to-1 to name parish after Blessed Frassati
- December 13, 2022: Bishop Fabre-Jeune writes to Dicastery for Divine Worship
- February 3, 2023: Vatican grants the indult
- February 6, 2023: Parish formally erected
Staff and Councils
The parish is led by founding pastor Father Dr. David Nerbun, STL STD, assisted by permanent Deacon Jeff Vehige. Katie (Kline) Vehige serves as Coordinator of Formation; Amy Hammock as Parish Coordinator; Connie Lassiter as Office Manager; Glenn Bond as Head Sacristan; Marion Cincotta and Laurie Ensworth in clerical/reception roles; Michael Martino as Financial Analyst; Francesca Schaeffer as Director of Music; and David Talty as Social Media Coordinator. The Finance Council is chaired by Mike Hagg with Monica Vehige, Drew Schoonveld, Steven Anderson, and Berry Van der Meer. The Building & Grounds Committee is chaired by Paul Flood. The Tithing Committee is led spiritually by Deacon Jeff Vehige with chair Cheryl Mathieu and members Phyllis Philips, Cassie Nassivera, and Kate Tierney.
- Founding Pastor: Fr. David Nerbun
- Permanent Deacon: Deacon Jeff Vehige
- Coordinator of Formation: Katie Vehige
- Director of Music: Francesca Schaeffer
- Office Manager: Connie Lassiter
- Parish Coordinator: Amy Hammock
- Finance Council chair: Mike Hagg
- Building & Grounds chair: Paul Flood
- Tithing Committee spiritual head: Deacon Jeff Vehige
Liturgical and Music Ministries
The Liturgical and Music Ministries team coordinates all worship roles for Masses celebrated in the temporary Frassati Chapel and Seton School. Roles include Greeters (welcoming visitors), Ushers (seating and offertory), Readers (proclaiming Scripture and announcements), Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Altar Servers (open to anyone who has made First Holy Communion — serving Mass was Pier Giorgio's favorite Church task), and the Head Sacristan. The Music Ministry, led by Director of Music Francesca Schaeffer, supports sung worship. The parish also coordinates a Homebound Ministry that takes Communion to the sick and elderly, and a Prayer Request Ministry that texts requests via Flocknote.
- Greeters, Ushers, Readers
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Altar Servers
- Music Ministry / Choir
- Homebound Ministry (Communion visits)
- Prayer Request Ministry (Flocknote)
Formation and Sacramental Preparation
The parish offers Family Faith Formation for children, with preparation for First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion, and Confirmation for youth 12–17. Adults 18 and older seeking Confirmation, First Communion, or full initiation prepare through the Becoming Catholic (OCIA) process led by Deacon Jeff Vehige. Baptism is scheduled for children under 7 with Katie Vehige and for children 7 and older with Deacon Jeff Vehige. Sacramental Prep covers Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, Marriage, and Holy Orders. Ongoing adult formation includes Little Rock Scripture Study, Discipleship Classes, Called & Gifted discernment, Come & See Q&A sessions, and a Bible Study on scenes from The Chosen.
- First Reconciliation & First Holy Communion
- Youth Confirmation (12–17)
- Adult Confirmation and OCIA / Becoming Catholic
- Baptism preparation
- Marriage preparation
- Anointing of the Sick
- Little Rock Scripture Study
- Called & Gifted, Discipleship Classes, Come & See
- Bible Study: Scenes from The Chosen
Children, Youth, and Families
Because the parish has a high proportion of young families, it invests heavily in next-generation formation. The Middle & High School Youth Group meets regularly and participates in diocesan events like the Jr. High Rally in November and the Diocesan Youth Conference in March. Family Discipleship and a Children's Events Team run four annual parish-wide events: a Children's Valentine's Day Party (Parents' Night Out), a Divine Mercy Easter Egg Hunt, Vacation Bible School, and Trunk or Treat. A Young Adults ministry is also active.
- Middle & High School Youth Group
- Family Discipleship
- Vacation Bible School
- Children's Valentine's Day Party / Parents' Night Out
- Divine Mercy Easter Egg Hunt
- Trunk or Treat
- Young Adults ministry
Social Outreach: Friends of Frassati and the Tithing Committee
Friends of Frassati is the parish's social outreach association, founded to emulate Pier Giorgio's service to the poor, sick, and needy in the slums of Turin and to heed Pope Francis's call to 'go out to the peripheries.' The Tithing Committee — led spiritually by Deacon Jeff Vehige and chaired by Cheryl Mathieu — oversees the vetting and scheduling of the parish's weekly tithe of 10% of the general offertory, distributing funds to vetted local and missionary charities. Other social ministries include the Women of Frassati group and Augustine Way.
- Friends of Frassati (outreach to poor, sick, and needy)
- Tithing Committee (10% of weekly offertory to vetted charities)
- Women of Frassati
- Augustine Way
Devotions, Patronal Feast, and Prayer Guild
The parish practices several signature devotions tied to its patron. The 'Prayer for the Courage to be Great' is prayed before every Sunday Mass. First Friday Nocturnal Eucharistic Adoration — held in the spirit of Pier Giorgio's own all-night vigils — runs from 6:00 PM Friday through the next morning. The Divine Mercy Chaplet is prayed periodically. The annual Patronal Feast Day is celebrated on July 4 (the date of Pier Giorgio's death) with the 4:00 PM Vigil Mass followed by a pig roast, potluck, and dunk tank. The Frassati Prayer Guild offers Annual Enrollment, remembering each member in the parish's monthly Masses and a novena throughout the year. An annual Lenten Mission is also hosted (e.g., February 15–17 with Deacon Bob Pierce).
- Prayer for the Courage to be Great
- First Friday Nocturnal Eucharistic Adoration
- Divine Mercy Chaplet
- Patronal Feast Day: July 4 (pig roast, potluck, dunk tank)
- Frassati Prayer Guild Annual Enrollment
- Annual Parish Lenten Mission
Our Future: Building the Permanent Campus
Because the parish currently worships in the hallway of Seton School and meets in leased spaces (Frassati Hub & Chapel, Seton School) costing about $100,000 per year, the 'Let's Build It!' capital campaign funds a permanent 8-acre campus adjacent to Seton School. Phase One (the Frassati Parish Life Center) is a 12,340-square-foot facility for worship, fellowship, a kitchen, offices, and meeting space. If the campaign reaches $5 million, a 3,100-square-foot Activities Wing is added; the total $8.2 million goal also covers a Frassati Garden with a bronze life-size statue of Pier Giorgio and columbarium, prayer trails for the Stations of the Cross and the Way of the Beatitudes, and 150 additional parking spaces. As of mid-2026, $7,550,000 of the $8,200,000 goal has been funded (92%). Diocesan policy requires 50% of project cost in cash and the remainder pledged; the parish surpassed that 50% cash-on-hand milestone at Christmas 2025.
- Frassati Parish Life Center (12,340 sq ft): worship, fellowship, kitchen, office, meeting space
- Optional Activities Wing (3,100 sq ft) at $5M raised
- Frassati Garden with bronze life-size statue and columbarium
- Prayer trails: Stations of the Cross and Way of the Beatitudes
- 150 additional parking spaces
- Architectural partner: Boudreaux
- 8 acres acquired from the Diocese adjacent to Seton School
Giving, Stewardship, and Communications
The parish supports its mission through Sunday offertory giving, a 10% tithe to charity, and the multi-year capital campaigns. Donors may give cash, pledges (up to five-year payment plans), stocks, or real estate. The parish communicates with parishioners through its website, weekly bulletins, Flocknote text and email, and active presence on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Visitors and newcomers are encouraged to register as parishioners through the website.
- Sunday offertory and online giving
- 10% tithe to charity
- Capital campaigns: 'Building the Good Adventure' (2023) and 'Let's Build It!'
- Stocks, real estate, and planned gifts accepted
- Flocknote, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Dr. David Nerbun, STL STD2020–present
Founding Pastor of the Catholic Community at Carolina Forest (CCCF) from March 12, 2020; first Mass celebrated July 26, 2020; led the December 2021 naming vote; secured the Vatican's 2023 indult; remains the sole pastor of the territorial parish erected February 6, 2023. Also serves as Vicar for Family Life and as the Myrtle Beach Deanery representative on the Presbyteral Council of the Diocese of Charleston.