More than 100 Saint Ben’s alumni were back on the Saint Joseph Abbey and Seminary College campus on April 14 for Alumni Day 2023.
The day included a general meeting, alumni Mass, social and dinner. Seniors were honored during the general meeting and received their alumni pins.
The classes of 1963, 1973, 1983, 1993, 1998, 2003, 2013, and 2023 were honored and the 2023 Alumnus of the Year and Son of Saint Ben were recognized.
The Most Rev. Shelton Fabre, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Louisville, has been named the 2023 Alumnus of the Year for Saint Joseph Seminary. He is a graduate of the Class of 1985. David Dawson, Director of Parish Support for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, was named the 2023 Son of Saint Ben. He is a member of the Class of 2004.
The Alumnus of the Year and Son of Saint Ben awards are bestowed annually on an individual who personifies Saint Joseph Seminary College’s tradition of excellence and service. Alumnus of the Year is awarded to an alumnus whose class is 20 years or prior to the presentation year; while Son of Saint Ben goes to an alumnus whose class listing is within the last 20 years.
Most Rev. Shelton Fabre
Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre was born Oct.25, 1963 to Luke Fabre Jr. and Theresa Ann Vallet Fabre and is the fifth of six children. He attended primary and secondary schools in New Roads, La., graduating in 1981 as valedictorian of Catholic High School of Pointe Coupée. He then entered Saint Joseph Seminary College, graduating with a Bachelor of History degree in 1985.
After completing his studies at Saint Joseph, Fabre was sent to the American College of Louvain in Leuven, Belgium. He received additional priestly formation there while studying at the Katholieke Universiteit te Leuven. He was awarded a Bachelor of Religious Studies degree in 1987 and a Master of Religious Studies degree in 1989 from Katholieke Universiteit.
Fabre was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Baton Rouge on Aug. 5, 1989. After his ordination, he served as Associate Pastor of the parishes of St. Alphonsus Liguori Church in Greenwell Springs, St. George Church in Baton Rouge, St. Isidore the Farmer Church in Baker, and St. Joseph Cathedral in Baton Rouge. He served as Pastor at both St. Joseph Parish in Grosse Tete and Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Maringouin, as well as Pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Baton Rouge.
Fabre’s diocesan positions during this period were as chaplain at Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, Defender of the Bond for the Marriage Tribunal, and Dean of the Northwest Deanery. He also served on the Diocese of Baton Rouge Priest Council, College of Consultors, School Board, Clergy Personnel Board, Chairman of Pastoral Planning, and Director of the Office of Black Catholics.
On Dec. 13, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Fabre as Auxiliary Bishop of New Orleans. He was ordained by Archbishop Alfred Hughes on Feb. 28, 2007, in New Orleans. As Auxiliary Bishop, he worked to help rebuild the Archdiocese of New Orleans after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.
On Sept. 23, 2013, Pope Francis appointed Bishop Fabre as the Bishop of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. He was installed at the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales on Oct. 30, 2013. His leadership in Houma-Thibodaux leaves a legacy where he will be remembered for his listening and availability, as well as pastoral planning and efforts for priestly renewal.
On Feb. 8, 2022, Pope Francis appointed Archbishop Fabre as the 10th Bishop and fifth Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Louisville. He was installed as Archbishop at the Kentucky International Convention Center on March 30, 2022.
Archbishop Fabre serves as the chair of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism and 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. He serves as a bishop-consultor on the USCCB Committee of Domestic Justice and Human Development and as a member of the USCCB Committee on Laity, Marriage, and Family Life. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Catholic Relief Services, on the Board of Trustees of the National Black Catholic Congress, and on the Board of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States.
David Dawson
David Dawson Jr. is married to Kate Dawson, and they have 9 beautiful children.
They reside in Thibodaux, La., and Dawson works for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux as the Director of the Office of Parish Support. Previously, he worked as the Family Life Director for the Archdiocese of New Orleans and the Diocese of Lake Charles and served on the board for the National Association of Catholic Family Life Ministers.
David and Kate were responsible for beginning the U.S. chapter of Domestic Church, a lay movement for Catholic married couples founded in Poland through the help of St. John Paul II. It is now active in 14 dioceses across the country.
Dawson grew up in Baton Rouge and graduated from Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School (now St. Michael’s) in 2000. He graduated from Saint Joseph Seminary College in 2004 and completed two years at Notre Dame Seminary before discerning in prayer that God had other plans. He later completed his Master of Theology degree at Notre Dame Seminary while employed with the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
Dawson has maintained a relationship with both seminaries through his work in the Church and remains involved in vocation recruitment in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux.