About Us

To accommodate the growth, the Most Rev. John J. Russell, D.D., Bishop of Charleston, appointed the Rev. Edward V. Chmely on June 14, 1952, to begin a new parish in the southern portion of Greenville county, where many of the new Catholics lived. It was originally named Holy Rosary Parish.

The parish began on a 7.3 acre plot with a 1,200 sq. ft. wood frame house that served as a temporary church, rectory, and parish hall. Bishop Russell dedicated and blessed the structure on October 5, 1952.

In 1955, the parish erected a building that served as gymnasium, school, and temporary church. The building is the current Our Lady of the Rosary Church. In September, four Sisters of St. Francis of Penance and Christian Charity came from New York to begin a school with 156 students in seven grades. The school currently serves K-4 through grade 8.

The Rev. Nicholas Bayard was appointed the second pastor of Holy Rosary in June of 1966. Shortly thereafter the official name of the parish changed to "Our Lady of the Rosary."

Our Lady of the Rosary has had nine pastors and thirteen parochial vicars care for the parishioners during its history. In 2003, Fr. Dac T. Tran, O.F.M., was assigned as administrator of Our Lady of the Rosary. During his tenure, the Vietnamese Catholic community of the Upstate began to call Our Lady of the Rosary home as well.

On August 1, 2010, Fr. Dwight Longenecker came to serve Our Lady of the Rosary as its parish priest. He now cares for the some 520 families who are part of this vibrant and faithful Catholic community. The parish is currently working toward a new chapter in its history by planning to build a new church in the hopefully near future.