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The Soulhern lOO* Diocese of Savannah OSS Election 2000: U.S. Bishops’ STATEMENT —SEE PAGE 2 Vol. 80, No. 38 Thursday, November 2, 2000 $.50 PER ISSUE Columbus Millennium Mass draws 1,700 Left: Sisters Philomena Fogarty, FMM, and Mary Aurelia Benedetto, RSM, present the gifts of bread and wine for the Eucharist. Right: Bishop J. Kevin Boland incenses the gifts at the Columbus Millennium Mass. Photos by Mike Haskey Scriptural readings and the celebration of Mass made for a jubilant occasion. The jubilee theme, T ne unattahoocnee valley came alive with the “Open Wide the Doors to Christ,” was prevalent as sounds of moving music, inspirational songs a crowd of 1,700 people attended the event. By Tommy Desselle Columbus lhe Chattahoochee Valley came alive with the sounds of moving music, inspirational songs and prayers, as the Columbus Civic Center was the scene of a festive Millennium Mass on October 29. In observance of the Jubilee Year, Bishop J. Kevin Boland, as spiritual leader of the Catholic Diocese of Savannah came to west Georgia to lead the cele bration. Giving glory to God through song, dance, The bishop, who served 12 years at Saint Anne’s from 1983 to 1995, told his audience how Catholicism had flourished in the area since 1835, when the Church of Saints Phillip and James was established. Faithful missionaries, priests, brothers and sisters helped spread the Gospel through middle Georgia, east Alabama and north Florida. The foundation laid by early missionaries has con tinued to expand and grow. The church of Saints Phillip and James, which became the Church of the Holy Family in 1880, is the mother church of Catholicism in west Georgia. The Columbus Deanery now comprises seven faith communities. Saint Benedict the Moor began as a mission in 1956, and was established as a parish on April 15, 1959. Our Lady of Lourdes was erected June 15, 1958, and Saint Anne, in 1961. Christ the (Continued on page 3) Left: the Columbus Deanery Choir leads the music at the Millennium Mass. Right: Catholics of Korean heritage participat ed in their native dress.