Photos and story
By David Tisdale
HATTIESBURG -- A packed Lake Serene
Clubhouse in West Hattiesburg signaled the
beginning of a new era for the Catholic faith
in Hattiesburg as St. Fabian Parish held its
first Mass at 6 pm, Monday, Jan. 20.
An estimated 450-plus made it a standing
room only affair as Father Tommy Conway
celebrated Mass for the new church which he
was recently chosen to lead as founding pas-
tor after completing 13 years of service in the
same role at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic
Church in Hattiesburg. The service coincided
with the feast days for St. Fabian and St.
Sebastian.
Pope Fabian led the church from 236-
250 and died a martyr in his last year as
pontiff.
Father Conway praised the strong faith
community that makes up St. Fabian and
said the focus would be on its people rather
than a building as efforts progressed toward
a new building. “It’s like the birth of a
child,” Father Conway said of the beginning
of the new church. “Tonight we begin rais-
ing that child named St. Fabian Catholic
Church.”
Until construction is completed on the
new church, future Masses will be held at
Benedict Day School on Highway 589 in
West Hattiesburg beginning with a Sunday
Mass at 10:45 am. According to Father
Conway, additional Masses would be sched-
uled depending on attendance at the cur-
rently scheduled service. He also said a
website and Facebook page for the church to
keep its members apprised of the latest news
about St. Fabians would be forthcoming.
Father Conway said a new church for the
Hattiesburg community has been discussed
for the past 30-40 years and he said he was
proud to be a part of it becoming a reality.
He praised the generosity of Richard Fabian
McCarthy, who contributed the property on
which the church will be constructed.
McCarthy received the middle name Fabian
from that of a Mercy Sister that his parents
had close ties with, and stipulated that the
church be named in her honor.
St. Fabian will be located off of U.S. 98 in
West Hattiesburg. The area has enjoyed tre-
mendous residential and commercial property
growth in the last 25-plus years, and with it
has come the need for a church to serve
Catholics living there.
“I felt blessed to be a part of the first St.
Fabian Mass,” Carolyn Petro said. “We are all excited
about building a new church in West Hattiesburg, and
very excited that Hattiesburg now has four Catholic
churches.”
Carolyn Nation, a member of St. Thomas, attended
the Mass in support of Conway and to witness the
beginning of a new chapter in the story of Catholicism
in the Pine Belt.
“As a St. Thomas parishioner, I would love to be
cloned in order to be part of both churches,” Nation
said. “I was pleased to be part of the standing room
only crowd. I felt as if I was part of history in the mak-
ing. It’s going to be so exciting to watch the develop-
ment and growth of both churches.”
Large turnout on hand for St. Fabian Parishʼs first
Mass
Father Tommy Conway, left, and usher Beanie Shirer,
right, discuss logistics for seating prior to the first Mass
of St. Fabian Parish Monday, Jan. 20 at the Lake Serene
Clubhouse in west Hattiesburg.
The congregation at the first Mass of St. Fabian Parish
eagerly await the beginning of services Monday, Jan. 20,
at the Lake Serene Clubhouse in West Hattiesburg.
Father Tommy Conway delivers the homily at the
first Mass of St. Fabian Parish Monday, Jan. 20 at
the Lake Serene Clubhouse in West Hattiesburg.
28
Gulf Pine Catholic
•
January 31, 2014
