About Holy Family · Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Holy Family Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, serving the island and surrounding coastal communities as part of the Diocese of Charleston. The parish welcomes both year-round residents and the many visitors who come to the island, and offers Mass in both English and Spanish. With around 1,400 households and a long history dating to 1961, it is the principal Catholic parish on Hilton Head, recognized for its large 1,100-seat worship space, daily Eucharistic Adoration, and active faith-formation and youth programs.
- Established
- 1966
- Patron
- The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Christopher Brenden Loester (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston (Beaufort Deanery)
Why belong here
Holy Family is a welcoming parish rooted in more than six decades of island life, offering daily Mass and extended Eucharistic Adoration most days of the week. It is one of the few parishes on Hilton Head with a weekly Spanish Mass and a vibrant Hispanic Ministry, and it runs OCIA for adults becoming Catholic, a structured Youth Faith Formation program for children, and a newly formed Youth Ministry for ages 13–18. Parishioners also gather for daily Rosary, a Men's Sunday Scripture Bible Study, and Knights of Columbus events, making it easy to find community in a busy coastal setting.
Mass times at Holy Family
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday–Friday after the 8:00 am Mass
- Saturday 3:30–4:30 pm
- Sunday 12:30 pm (in Spanish)
- By appointment — call (843) 785-2895, ext. 220
Adoration times
- Monday–Friday: 7:00 am – 6:00 pm (Adoration Chapel)
- Saturday: 7:00 am – 4:00 pm (Adoration Chapel)
- Sunday: Closed
About Holy Family Catholic Church
Holy Family is the principal Roman Catholic parish on Hilton Head Island, in the Beaufort Deanery of the Diocese of Charleston. The parish community includes around 1,400 registered households and welcomes both year-round residents and the island's many seasonal visitors. Sunday worship is offered in English and Spanish, and the church is open for daily Mass and extended Eucharistic Adoration nearly every day of the week.
- Founded as a mission of the Diocese of Charleston in 1961
- Parish canonically erected in 1966
- 1,400+ households / 1,100-seat worship space
- Daily Mass Monday–Saturday at 8:00 am
- Sunday Mass in English (8:00, 9:30 summer, 11:15) and Spanish (1:00 pm)
- Eucharistic Adoration Monday–Friday 7:00 am–6:00 pm and Saturday 7:00 am–4:00 pm
History of the Parish
The parish's story begins in 1961 when a small group of Catholic businessmen invited Father John Simonin to celebrate Mass at the William Hilton Inn. Within a decade, worship had outgrown the inn and the Adventure Inn, and the Fraser family of the Sea Pines Company donated land for a permanent church. Ground was broken in 1971, and the first church was dedicated in 1973. The Diocese formally created Holy Family Parish in 1966 from the territory of St. Andrew Parish.
- 1961 – First Mass at the William Hilton Inn (about 40 worshippers)
- 1966 – Holy Family Parish erected by the Diocese of Charleston
- 1971 – Groundbreaking for the first church building
- 1973 – Dedication of the original 340-seat church
- 1977 – Religious Education/Parish Hall built under Father David J. Schiller
- 1988 – Larger 1,100-seat church dedicated under Father Philip A. Hamilton
Parish Staff and Clergy
Holy Family is served by a pastor/administrator, parochial vicar, retired supply priest, and four deacons, supported by a full lay staff for music, religious education, youth, Hispanic ministry, business, and facilities.
- Rev. Christopher Brenden Loester — Pastor/Administrator
- Rev. Gustavo Corredor, STL — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Allen McDonald — Supply Priest, Retired
- Deacon Bill Garrett — Bible Study
- Deacon Thomas McGivney — OCIA
- Deacon Don McArdle — Retired
- Deacon David Ritter — Business Manager
- Dr. Pamela Kane — Director of Music
- Martha Rivera — Director of Religious Education
- Merideth Johnson — Office Manager
- Elizabeth Jordan — Hispanic Ministry / Youth Ministry
- Herb Wilkins — Property Manager
- Steffen Kobleuer — Maintenance Assistant
Faith Formation and OCIA
Children's faith formation, sacramental preparation, and the adult OCIA process (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) form the core of the parish's evangelization and catechesis. Registration for the 2026–2027 Youth Faith Formation year is currently open, and OCIA runs year-round, culminating at the Easter Vigil.
- Youth Faith Formation (Director: Martha Rivera) — registration $30/child or $60/family
- Sacramental prep: First Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation
- OCIA — year-long journey for adults 18+ (Deacon Thomas McGivney)
- OCIA culminates at the Easter Vigil (April 4, 2026)
- Baptismal and First Communion certificates required for new students
Youth Ministry
Open to all youth ages 13–18 and all faiths, the parish's newly formed Youth Ministry meets at Holy Family and runs service projects such as the Matthew 25 Service Project.
- Open to ages 13–18
- All faiths welcome
- Recent: Matthew 25 Service Project (June 21–26)
- Contact: Elizabeth Jordan (Hispanic Ministry / Youth Ministry)
Bible Study and Adult Groups
Adult formation at Holy Family includes a weekly Men's Sunday Scripture Bible Study and deacon-led Bible study sessions, alongside parish-wide retreats and pilgrimages.
- Men's Sunday Scripture Bible Study
- Deacon-led Bible Study (Deacon Bill Garrett)
- Immaculee Retreat (hosted at the parish)
- Parish pilgrimages
Hispanic Ministry and Spanish Mass
The parish serves the Spanish-speaking Catholic community on Hilton Head with a weekly Sunday Mass in Spanish, a dedicated Hispanic Ministry assistant, and Spanish-language confession. The Our Lady of Guadalupe shrine on the south portion of the campus is a visible expression of this ministry.
- Sunday Mass in Spanish — 1:00 pm
- Spanish confessions — Sunday 12:30 pm
- Hispanic Ministry Assistant: Elizabeth Jordan
- Our Lady of Guadalupe shrine on campus
Sacraments
Baptism, marriage, funerals, and adult initiation are coordinated through the Parish Office, with Elizabeth Jordan as the primary contact. Sacramental preparation for children is offered through the Youth Faith Formation program.
- Baptism — contact Elizabeth Jordan
- Marriage — contact Elizabeth Jordan
- Funerals — contact Elizabeth Jordan
- First Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation — via Youth Faith Formation
- OCIA — for adult initiation or Confirmation (Deacon Thomas McGivney)
Visiting and Parish Registration
Holy Family explicitly welcomes visitors and encourages seasonal residents to register as parishioners, with an online registration form available on the website and a physical Parish Office during posted hours.
- Online 'Register for Our Parish' form on holyfamilyhhi.org
- Parish Office: Mon–Thu 8:30 am–4:00 pm, Fri 8:30 am–12:00 pm
- Phone: (843) 785-2895, ext. 220
- Email: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John Simonin1961–1966 (mission priest, originally of St. Andrew Parish)
Celebrated the first Mass on Hilton Head at the William Hilton Inn; Holy Family was carved from his territory in 1966.
- Father David J. Schiller
First pastor of Holy Family; built the 1977 Religious Education/Parish Hall which was originally named for him (later renamed the Education Building).
- Father Paul F. X. Seitz1966–1973
Listed as pastor 1966–1973 in the St. Gregory the Great parish history (likely covering mission/early years and the 1973 dedication).
- Father Philip A. Hamilton1985 (plans) – late 1980s
Developed plans in 1985 for the larger church; oversaw construction completed with the dedication Mass on October 30, 1988.
- Father Edmund McCaffrey1996–2003
Former Abbot of Belmont Abbey; installed new Crucifix, Altar, Tabernacle, lighting, and built the Our Lady of Guadalupe shrine.
- Father Hayden Vaverek2004–2008
Added the new Adoration Chapel, opened the west wing, relocated the Stations of the Cross, and repainted the interior.