About Saint Peter's Catholic Church · Beaufort, South Carolina
Saint Peter's Catholic Church is a parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston located on Lady's Island in Beaufort, South Carolina. Founded in 1846 as the ninth oldest Catholic church in the Diocese of Charleston, the parish serves more than 2,150 registered families across Beaufort, Lady's Island, and St. Helena Island (where it operates the Holy Cross Mission). Today the parish worships in a 1,200-seat church consecrated in 2006, offers daily Mass in English and Sunday Mass in Spanish, runs an on-site K3–6th grade Catholic school, operates Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in Our Lady's Chapel, and in 2023 opened the Lowcountry Outreach Center to coordinate community service. It is pastored by Rev. Andrew J. Trapp, with a parochial vicar, a resident priest, deacons, religious sisters, and a large lay staff.
- Established
- 1846
- Patron
- St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles
- Rector
- Rev. Andrew J. Trapp
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston
Why belong here
Saint Peter's is one of the oldest Catholic parishes in South Carolina and serves more than 2,150 families across Beaufort, Lady's Island, and St. Helena Island with a wide range of worship, formation, and outreach opportunities. Parishioners can worship at six weekend Masses (including a Spanish Mass), attend daily Mass in the historic 1846 church, spend time in Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in Our Lady's Chapel, send their children to the parish's K3–6th grade Catholic school, and serve their neighbors through the Lowcountry Outreach Center. The parish also runs active small faith groups, RCIA, evangelization programs (Saint Paul Street Evangelization, Reach More Training), and youth formation, offering a place to belong at every stage of Catholic life.
Mass times at Saint Peter's Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 11:00am to 1:00pm — Saint Peter's Main Church
- Sunday 3:15 to 3:45pm — 1st Sunday of the Month, Holy Cross Mission
Adoration times
- Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration — located in Our Lady's Chapel; enter chapel doors at the rear of the main church
Parish History
Saint Peter's traces its origins to 1846, when Irish immigrant Michael O'Connor built a small classical revival church and deeded it to the diocese; it was dedicated on November 14, 1846 by Bishop Ignatius Reynolds as the ninth oldest Catholic church in the Diocese of Charleston. Over the next 170+ years the parish weathered the 1893 storm, the Civil War, and explosive post-military growth, relocating its main campus to Lady's Island in the 1980s and opening the present 1,200-seat church in 2006. The 1846 historic church on Carteret Street was restored in 2012–2013 and remains in use.
- 1846: original church dedicated by Bishop Ignatius Reynolds
- 1847–48: first pastor Fr. Jeremia J. O'Connell
- 1967: Holy Cross Mission on St. Helena Island founded
- 1986: Fr. Martin Laughlin begins perpetual adoration (formalized 1988)
- 1991: parish school founded
- 2006: present church consecrated by Bishop Robert J. Baker
- 2013: historic church re-opened after full restoration
- 2023: Lowcountry Outreach Center opens
Historic Church (Carteret Street)
The 1846 original church at 710 Carteret Street was fully restored in 2012–2013 under Administrator Fr. Paul MacNeil and re-opened on February 22, 2013 with a Mass of blessing celebrated by Bishop Robert Guglielmone. It is now used for occasional weekday Mass (Wednesday noon, 1st-Saturday 9am), small weddings and funerals, and tours of the church and its historic graveyard. A trefoil window was added in 1987.
- Address: 710 Carteret Street, Beaufort, SC
- Restored 2012, re-opened Feb 22, 2013
Holy Cross Mission, St. Helena Island
Holy Cross Mission was founded in 1967 by Fathers Burke and Tuchy and remains part of St. Peter's Parish. A Sunday 4pm Mass is celebrated there, and confessions are heard before that Mass on the first Sunday of the month. The mission is located at 83 Seaside Road, St. Helena Island.
- Founded 1967 by Fathers Burke and Tuchy
- Sunday Mass at 4:00pm
- Address: 83 Seaside Road, St. Helena Island, SC 29920
Parish Staff & Clergy
Saint Peter's is led by Pastor Rev. Andrew J. Trapp, with Parochial Vicar Rev. Jean Philippe Alexis and Rev. Agustin Torm in residence. A large lay and religious staff supports evangelization, music, faith formation, Hispanic ministry, communications, maintenance, finances, and parish life.
- Pastor: Rev. Andrew J. Trapp
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Jean Philippe Alexis
- In Residence: Rev. Agustin Torm
- Director of Hispanic Community: Sr. Margarita del Carmen Morales Galdamez, DJBP
- Coordinator of Hispanic Community: Sr. Maricela de Jesus Gomez Hernandez, DJBP
- Parish Manager: Willard Fosberry
- Assistant to the Pastor: Leslie Tibbit
- Director of Pastoral Care: Al Bryant
- Director of Music: Leslie Gereghty
- Director of Parish Life & Stewardship: Charlene Williams
- Director of Evangelization: Nancy Compton
- Assistant Director of Evangelization: Matthew Crews
- Communications Coordinator: Anna Sudomerski
- Director of Maintenance: Kurt Herkert
- Neighborhood Coordinator: Courtney Fanter
- Director of Lowcountry Outreach Center: Lisa Daly
- Bookkeeper: Theresa Smiley
- Finance: Mark Fornari
- Parish Life Coordinator: Suzanne Zimmermann
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish runs CCD/Religious Education for parish children and supports formation across the life span, including Small Faith Groups that meet to share life, reflect on God's Word, and pray together. RCIA and other sacramental preparation are coordinated through the parish office.
- CCD / Religious Education
- Small Faith Groups
- Sacramental preparation (RCIA)
Saint Peter's Catholic School
Saint Peter's Catholic School is a fully accredited K3 through 6th grade Catholic elementary school located on the parish campus. Founded in 1991 in the Education Wing of the main building and moved into its own building in 1996, the school operates under the Diocese of Charleston Schools Office with the motto "Saints and Scholars." Curriculum follows Diocesan guidelines aligned with South Carolina standards, with Religion, Spanish, Music, Art, Technology, Media/Library, and PE.
- K3–6th grade
- Founded 1991
- Motto: Saints and Scholars
- Website: saintpeters.school
- Phone: 843-522-2163
Evangelization & Outreach
The Evangelization office (led by Director Nancy Compton) coordinates the parish's missionary efforts, including Small Faith Groups, Saint Paul Street Evangelization (rosaries, medals, holy cards, and pamphlets offered at public events), and Reach More Training for missionary discipleship. The parish also publishes "A Light for Beaufort" (lightforbeaufort.org), an online series of faith messages.
- Small Faith Groups
- Saint Paul Street Evangelization
- Reach More Mission Training
- A Light for Beaufort (lightforbeaufort.org)
Lowcountry Outreach Center
Opened in 2023, the Lowcountry Outreach Center enables other service organizations to assist those in need in the Beaufort area. It is staffed by Director Lisa Daly and represents the parish's commitment to serving the wider Lowcountry community beyond its own membership.
- Opened 2023
- Director: Lisa Daly
Hispanic Ministry
The parish maintains an active Hispanic Community ministry led by two religious sisters of the Daughters of Jesus the Bridegroom Priest (DJBP). A Sunday 1pm Spanish Mass is celebrated at the main church, and the parish supports sacramental preparation, faith formation, and community life for Spanish-speaking Catholics in the Beaufort area.
- Sunday 1:00pm Spanish Mass
- Director: Sr. Margarita del Carmen Morales Galdamez, DJBP
- Coordinator: Sr. Maricela de Jesus Gomez Hernandez, DJBP
Music & Liturgy
Music at Saint Peter's is directed by Leslie Gereghty and supports the parish's weekend Masses, holy days, weddings, and funerals. In 2023 the parish expanded its bell tower by adding three new bells alongside the original bell, with each bell carrying its own name and story tied to the 16th-century Spanish settlement of Santa Elena on Parris Island.
- Director of Music: Leslie Gereghty
- 2023 bell expansion (3 new bells added)
- Incense used at Sunday 9am Mass
Diocese & Five-Year Plan
Saint Peter's is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston and the Beaufort Deanery. The parish aligns its ministry with Bishop Jacques Fabre-Jeune's five-year diocesan plan: 2025 – Proclaim the Faith (Evangelization); 2026 – Understand the Faith (Catechesis); 2027 – Celebrate the Faith (Sacraments); 2028 – Serve the Faith (Service); 2029 – Share the Faith (Mission).
- Diocese of Charleston
- Beaufort Deanery
- 2,478 households per diocesan directory
Visit, Register & Contact
Newcomers and returning Catholics are warmly welcomed. The parish office is open Monday–Thursday 8:00am to 4:00pm (closed for lunch noon–12:30pm) and Friday 8:00am–12:00pm. A registration form is available on the parish website. The parish also live-streams the 9am Sunday Mass and the weekday 8:30am Masses.
- Parish office: Mon–Thu 8am–4pm, Fri 8am–12pm
- Phone: 843-522-9555
- Address: 70 Ladys Island Drive, Beaufort, SC 29907
- Live-streamed Masses: Sun 9am, Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri 8:30am
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Jeremia J. O'Connell1847–48
First pastor of St. Peter's; later author of Catholicity in the Carolinas and Georgia (1879).
- Fr. James Hasson
Attended the church during the Civil War, focusing on Union troops on Hilton Head.
- Fr. Ronald Anderson1954–66
Active in ecumenical outreach and parish development; oversaw purchase of Pius X Parish Center.
- Fr. Martin Laughlin1986–
Began adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, expanded to perpetual in 1988; oversaw move to Lady's Island campus.
- Fr. Ronald R. Cellini
Presiding pastor when the present church was consecrated on April 29, 2006.
- Fr. Paul MacNeil
Administrator who initiated the 2012 restoration of the historic 1846 church.
- Fr. Andrew J. Trappcurrent
Current pastor; led the 2023 bells-and-beautification campaign and opening of the Lowcountry Outreach Center.