Kelly Engelbert is the new chief financial officer for the Diocese of Charleston. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in accountancy from the University of Notre Dame and previously worked as the chief financial officer and consultant of BOLD Capital Group, and as executive director of STI Cares Foundation, both in Charleston. Engelbert has served as the Finance Committee chair and an Advisory Board member at Bishop England High School, the Advisory Board president at Christ Our King - Stella Maris School, and as a member of the Parish Finance Council at St. Clare of Assisi.

“I am humbled and grateful for the opportunity to serve the diocese as its next Chief Financial Officer,” Engelbert said. “My love for the Church, our faith and Catholic education will guide all that I do. I hope to help increase communication, share knowledge and empower our talented team to safeguard and steward well the gifts of the faithful. I look forward to collaborating with all the parishes, missions and schools of our diocese and assisting them in their mission of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.”

Gloria Purvis has been hired as secretary of the newly created Secretariat of Ethnic Ministries. She came to us most recently as a consultant for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Religious Liberty. She is the creator and host of the EWTN television series “Authentically Free at Last” and has recently collaborated with America Media on “The Gloria Purvis Podcast,” which has provided important commentary on the life of the Catholic Church in the United States. Purvis graduated from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, and worked for two decades in the mortgage industry before becoming a risk management director at a major financial services company. She has served on the National Black Catholic Congress Leadership Commission on Social Justice; as an advisory board member for the Respect for Life departments of the Maryland Catholic Conference, which serves the Archdioceses of Baltimore and Washington, and the Diocese of Wilmington. In Washington, D.C., Purvis also served on the archdiocese's pastoral council, taught Natural Family Planning and helped prepare engaged couples for marriage as a member of a pre-Cana team.

Very Rev. Jay Scott Newman, JCL, VF, has been appointed as the chancellor and canonical counsel for the diocese. In addition to his role as pastor of St. Mary Church in Greenville, Father Newman will work in collaboration with all chancery departments to enhance mission effectiveness. As canonical counsel, he will work under the bishop’s guidance and that of the vicars general, in collaboration with the judicial vicar, to provide canonical legal advice on diocesan governance and operations, and on the ministries, parishes, schools, priests and people served by the chancery. The Office of Matrimonial Concerns, which until now has been in the Office of the Chancellor, is now part of the Office of the Tribunal and will be overseen by the judicial vicar. 

“As chancellor and canonical counsel, I serve at the bishop’s pleasure to manage diocesan documents and assist other chancery departments as needed,” Father Newman said. “I’m delighted to have this opportunity to serve our parishes and schools, our priests and people.”

Very Rev. Canon Gary S. Linsky, VF, has been appointed as the new vicar for priests and secretary for the clergy. In addition to his role as pastor of the Basilica of St. Peter in Columbia, Father Linsky will assist the bishop in management and welfare of priests and deacons. He will serve as liaison between the bishop and clergy, as chair of the Priest Personnel Board and as representative for the clergy on the Curia.

“As vicar for priests, I strive to execute the bishop’s vision of matching our priests’ desires and skill sets with the needs of our parishes and people,” Father Linsky explained, “knowing that priests who are happy and fulfilled in their calling will more generously and joyfully lead the people they serve into the Kingdom of God.”