Shelton Fabre

Shelton Joseph Fabre (born October 25, 1963) is an American Catholic prelate who serves as archbishop of Louisville in Kentucky. He previously served as bishop of Houma-Thibodaux in Louisiana from 2013 to 2022 and as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleans in Louisiana from 2007 to 2013.

Early life and education Fabre was born in New Roads, Louisiana on October 25, 1963. He attended primary and secondary schools in New Roads, graduating in 1981 as valedictorian of Catholic High School of Pointe Coupée. He then entered Saint Joseph Seminary College in St. Benedict, Louisiana, graduating with a bachelor's degree in history in 1985.

Fabre then continued his formation at the American College of Louvain in Belgium, also studying at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in religious studies in 1987 and a Master of Arts in religious studies degree in 1989. He was consecrated by Archbishop Alfred Hughes on February 28, 2007, in New Orleans at the Saint Louis, King of France, Cathedral Basilica. He was the youngest bishop in the U.S. at the time.

Bishop of Houma-Thibodaux

On September 23, 2013, Pope Francis appointed Fabre as bishop of Houma-Thibodaux. He was installed at the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales in Thibodaux, Louisiana, on October 30, 2013.

In May 2018, Fabre was elected chair of the Ad-Hoc Committee against Racism of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. In November 2018, Fabre released "Open Wide our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love", a pastoral letter addressing racism in the United States and the Catholic response to it.

In January 2019, Fabre released a list of 14 priests in the diocese with credible accusations of sexual abuse against minors. The list went back to 1977, the founding of the diocese.

Archbishop of Louisville On February 8, 2022, Pope Francis named Fabre as archbishop of Louisville. He was installed on March 30, 2022.

Personal life Fabre is a cousin of his fellow Black Catholic prelate, Bishop John Huston Ricard, superior general of the Josephites. Both are from New Roads, Louisiana.