The Reverend H. Gregory West, JCL – Pastor
Father West was born in Charleston during the eye of a hurricane and was raised on Sullivan’s Island, where his family had been members of Stella Maris Parish for five generations. At age six, he was playing "Mass" with neighborhood children. He attended Stella Maris School in Mount Pleasant from Kindergarten through eighth grade, and Bishop England High School in downtown Charleston.
He graduated from the College of Charleston with a B.A. in Urban Studies, then worked in the maritime industry for six years before entering Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. There he received a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Church History.
Father West was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Charleston on July 6, 1991 by the late Most Reverend David B. Thompson, JCL. From 1993 to 1995, he studied at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome—founded by Saint Ignatius Loyola—where he earned a Licentiate in Canon Law magna cum laude.
His past assignments include: Parochial Vicar at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, Charleston; Founding Pastor of Saint Gregory the Great Parish and School, Bluffton; Pastor of Saint Andrew Parish, Clemson; Founding Pastor of Saint Paul the Apostle Parish, Seneca; Diocesan Chancellor; Diocesan Master of Ceremonies; Founding Dean of the Lowcountry (now Beaufort) Deanery; and Co-Vicar for Priestly Vocations.
He holds the rank of Knight Commander in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, established in 1099 to guard Jerusalem, and is also a chaplain to the Sovereign Order of Malta, a lay organization founded in 1113 that provides humanitarian aid around the world.
In February 2014, Bishop Robert E. Guglielmone appointed him Founding Pastor of Saint Clare of Assisi Parish on Daniel Island. Father West also serves as a Judge in the Diocesan Tribunal, deciding marriage cases for Decrees of Nullity.
He has traveled to more than 30 countries, 44 U.S. states, and has jumped out of perfectly good airplanes.
□ Email Father West
□ Direct Phone: 843.471.2672