New archbishop pledges to serve
with ‘fervor and commitment’

Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre blinked back tears as he spoke to members of the media Feb. 8 at the Archdiocese of Louisville Pastoral Center about his appointment as the fifth Archbishop of Louisville. He wept as he expressed gratitude for the life he shared with the people in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. (Record Photo by Marnie McAllister)

When Archbishop Shelton Joseph Fabre (pronounced fob) is installed as the 10th ordinary of the Archdiocese of Louisville, he will move more than 750 miles away from Louisiana, where he has served for the entirety of his priestly life. 

He has served as a pastor in the Diocese of Baton Rouge, as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of New Orleans and as the Bishop of the Diocese Houma-Thibodaux for the last eight-and-a-half years. On Feb. 8, Pope Francis appointed him Archbishop of Louisville.

He will succeed Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, who has led the Archdiocese of Louisville since 2007. Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Archbishop Kurtz, who turned 75 Aug. 18, 2021. As required by canon law, he turned in his resignation to the pope when he reached 75. He will serve as apostolic administrator of the archdiocese until the installation of Archbishop Fabre.

The newly-appointed archbishop will be installed during a Mass at 2 p.m. on March 30 at the Kentucky International Convention Center in downtown Louisville.

During a morning Mass and press conference Feb. 8, Archbishop Fabre pledged to serve the Archdiocese of Louisville with the same “fervor and commitment” he served the people of Houma-Thibodaux. 

He thanked the people of his diocese for sharing their life with him. And with emotion at the press conference, he said he felt “happy and fulfilled” as their bishop, adding that he is grateful for their “love, support and kindness.”

In addition to the clergy, religious and laity he served in the diocese, Archbishop Fabre also leaves behind family in Louisiana, including his older sister — the only one among his siblings — and a brother. He is the fifth of six children, including three brothers who have died.

He was born on Oct. 25, 1963, and his family originally lived in New Roads, what he described as “small-town America,” where everyone knows everyone and “you were everybody’s children.”

Life in the predominantly Catholic town centered around St. Augustine Church, a traditionally African American parish, he said. Before midday on Feb. 8, he’d already heard from many people from the parish.   

It was a wonderful life, he said. His mother, Theresa Ann Vallet Fabre, was a teacher. His father, Luke Fabre Jr., was a bricklayer. The future archbishop graduated in 1981 as valedictorian of Catholic High School of Pointe Coupée.

But by the time Archbishop Fabre had reached young adulthood, two of his brothers had died tragically.

“My family knew great tragedy,” he said during the press conference. “And the church was always there to comfort us.”

Because his family found comfort in the church, and because the church is there to do the same for all, Archbishop Fabre said he chose as his episcopal motto words from the prophet Isaiah: “Comfort My People.”

Those words were with him as he helped the Archdiocese of New Orleans rebuild after Hurricane Katrina devastated the area in 2005. He was installed as an auxiliary bishop there in 2007. His motto was with him again when his own diocese and other parts of southern Louisiana were hit hard by Hurricane Ida in August of 2021.

He recalled these tragedies during the press conference and acknowledged the suffering of Kentuckians affected by the outbreak of tornadoes in December, as well as the 77 people who died as a result.

“Please know of my heartfelt prayers for all those affected as I offer my own assurance of support to the ongoing relief efforts,” he said.

As the first Black ordinary of the Archdiocese of Louisville, Archbishop Fabre was asked during the press conference if he believes his race will have any effect, particularly on people of color.

“I think that the church has a wonderful, wonderful gift of all cultures, African American culture being one of them,” he said in response. “I hope that they will see in me someone who looks like them, someone who knows them and wishes to speak with them, someone who is sent here to serve all the people of the archdiocese.”

Visiting students last May, Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre read “Everyone Belongs,” a book about refugees published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The book was inspired by the USCCB’s statement “Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love, A Pastoral Letter Against Racism,” whose development was led by Archbishop Fabre. (Photo Courtesy of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux)

During his formal statement at the press conference, he addressed racial justice, noting, “While I recognize that our community has faced what some may say is far too great an experience of injustice and disregard for human life and dignity, I come to you with a message of joyful hope.”

Noting that he has faith in work already underway, he said, “I have great hope that through genuine encounter and accompaniment, we will work together to realize an even greater sense of promotion of life, charity, justice and peace as we endeavor to build an even greater civilization of love.”

At the national level, Archbishop Fabre serves as chair of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism. He led the writing of the U.S. Bishops’ most recent pastoral letter on racism, “Open Wide Our Hearts — The Enduring Call to Love,” which was approved and published in 2018. 

Archbishop Fabre discussed the pastoral letter on racism with about 150 people in the Archdiocese of Louisville last March when he led an Archdiocesan Leadership Institute on the subject.

During the event, conducted online due to the pandemic, he discussedwitnessing to the dignity of the human person as an antidote to the grave sin of racism.” 

He offered his listeners — including archdiocesan and parish leaders — six ways to respond to racism. He told them, “The work is hard and the work is slow, but the work must be done. It’s our call as a church and our task as disciples of Jesus Christ.” 

During the press conference, Archbishop Fabre said he looks forward to growing in faith with all people of the archdiocese in all of their diversity.

“While the presbyterate and the people of Houma-Thibodaux will always be in my heart, I pledge to serve the Archdiocese of Louisville with the same fervor and commitment,” he said. “I look forward to making the Archdiocese of Louisville my new home, and I rejoice in the opportunity to become a part of this local church and this unique area of our slice of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.”

He called on Catholics in the archdiocese to “renew our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and again pledge to serve him by serving one another.”

As the Archbishop of Louisville, he will shepherd about 156,000 registered Catholics in 24 counties of central Kentucky, from the Ohio River to the Tennessee border. The archdiocese, which dates to 1808, has 110 parishes that cover 8,124 square miles. About 20,000 students are served by 48 schools from kindergarten to high school.

Read Archbishop Fabre’s full statement here.

Marnie McAllister
Written By
Marnie McAllister
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