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PAGE 8 - The Georgia Bulletin, July 19, 1990
'Come Join
The Celebration' At Saint Benedict's
BY RITA McINERNEY
Three years after its establishment, the parish of St. Benedict
is worshiping in a handsome new building atop a hill at 11045
Parsons Road in Duluth.
The worship area is in the north wing of the first building to
be constructed on the 13.5 acre property. A large, light-filled
central 2,000 square-foot foyer connects this space with the south
wing which houses offices, eight class and meeting rooms, and
nursery. Entryways rising 23 feet from the floor to the top of the
vault lead into the foyer.
For now, the parish of about 600 families worships in a large
area which will become, when the church is eventually built, the
parish hall. The first Mass was celebrated there for the Easter
Vigil. This became possible, Father Joseph L. Peacock, pastor,
said, when a building inspector for Fulton County approved the
building that very day.
The pastor, recuperating from a heart attack suffered May 7,
said over 100 families have registered since Easter weekend. He
has baptized more than 50 babies since that time, 15 of them
within one seven-day span.
He is “encouraged that every time we have Mass we have a
full church. I am encouraged by the people returning to church g
after several years because we have a church presence. I am j
encouraged by the number of young adults showing an interest g
in the Catholic Church.” |
Seminarian John Howren, of the Cathedral of Christ the King 1
parish, is assigned to St. Benedict’s this summer. In his junior
year of philosophy at St. Meinrad in Indiana, he is grateful for
the chance to serve in a new parish.
“It’s an interesting and rewarding learning experience,” with
the opportunity for evangelizing, he said. He shows a pamphlet
which invites newcomers and established residents to “Join the
Celebration” at St. Benedict’s. The pamphlet gives a capsule
history of the parish, contains information about the liturgies,
other sacraments and activities. It will be distributed to the
offices of new subdivisions throughout parish territory.
The foundation for this first parish structure could only be laid
after the solid rock in the hilltop was dynamited, the seminarian
said. Now he is happy to be part of the formation of a parish
community in its permanent home.
The elation the people feel at being together was apparent on
Easter morning, Howren recalled. He found an “electrifying”
atmosphere when he arrived early that morning to become
acquainted with the people and place of his first assignment.
Since its establishment in 1987, St. Benedict’s has worshiped
in two different churches. Saturday Vigil Mass was celebrated at
Pleasant Hill Presbyterian Church and Sunday Masses were
celebrated at Epiphany Byzantine Catholic Church. CCD
instruction was held at two other churches, Northminister
Presbyterian and Alabama Road Baptist.
Father Peacock said the building will be blessed August 14,
the Vigil of the Assumption.
Parishioners taking leadership roles are hopeful for the vitality
of the rapidly growing congregation.
Kevin Slattery, volunteer director of religious education, has
done a yeoman’s job of putting together a CCD program. He
anticipates between 225 and 250 families participating with
between 300 and 325 children enrolled in classes from kinder
garten through 12th grade.
He taught religious education for one year while the parish
was still in borrowed quarters and also in Rochester, N.Y.,
before moving South.
Right now he is “keeping the faith that the Holy Ghost will
supply us with enough volunteers” to make the program
successful.
Angie Stokes, in charge of the religious education office, said
St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Alpharetta has been helpful in
getting the program organized.
Grace Cleary, president of the Women’s Guild, said the
women will purchase kitchen equipment with funds they are
raising. In June, a garage sale brought in $1,900. This was added
to $1,000 raised earlier. Another money maker, a kitchen shower
and cooking demonstration, is planned for October.
The guild already has outfitted the pre-school nursery with
stuffed toys and the necessary cribs, rocking chairs and rocking
horses.
Mrs. Cleary is excited about the opportunity the new building
offers for a full program of guild events. She is eager to show
that the Catholic women’s group can offer just as varied
programs as the established congregations.
It was good to see how “people stayed and socialized” at the
guild reception held after the First Communion held recently at
the new church, she said.
The guild also sponsors a welcoming social after Masses on
the first weekend of each month.
HANDSOME BUILDING -- The new building offers room for a variety of parish activities.
Father Peacock is pleased with volunteers who are generous
with their time and talents.
Mrs. Stokes gives two days a week as church secretary along
with staffing the religious education office. Rene Livemois and
Margaret Strain each give one day each week as church secre
tary.
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Taylor are on duty one day each week
answering the telephone while Mr. and Mrs. James Craig count
the Sunday collection.
Thirty-eight men responded when a notice was included in the
church bulletin asking for volunteers to clear fallen trees and
other debris from wooded areas around the building.
Father Peacock said a large percentage of the families are
young, in their 30s, with two or three children and yearly
incomes between $50,000 and $70,000. Many are from the Mid
west, used to older established parishes where debt is in the dim
past.
St. Benedict’s owes the archdiocese $2 million. This includes
costs of the property and the rectory about a mile distant in the
Surrey Park subdivision. Father Peacock said he is hopeful that
when this debt is whittled down to one million dollars, a start
can be made on the church itself.
This will be built directly onto the parish hall. In fact, the high
arched glass door at the Parsons Road or west end of the
spacious foyer will open directly into the future church.
Already the 5,600 square foot worship area, which seats 500
people, is filled at each of the weekend Masses with overflow
accommodated in the foyer. Father Peacock said Father Terry
Young, principal at St. Pius X High School, helps at weekend
Masses when his schedule permits.
The large worship area is flooded with light entering through
a huge window behind the altar and smaller ones along the white
walls.
Chairs are of oak with seats and attached kneelers upholstered
FIRST PASTOR - Father Joseph Peacock is en
couraged by the numbers who attend Mass in St.
Benedict’s parish.
in a dusty rose. The deep blue carpet is flecked in the same rose
shade.
Marvin Kilgo, of Bull, Brown and Kilgo, architects for St.
Benedict’s, said the building design is basically of a European
motif to blend with the Benedictine background of its patron
saint.
Arthur Gray is building committee chairman for the parish.
Builders were Beavers-Albertson of Norcross.
Vacationing Pope Refreshed
By Restful Mountain Retreat
INTROD, Italy (CNS) - Pope John Paul II, vacationing in the
Italian Alps, said the mountains make "thoughts rise" to God
who manifests himself in "the majesty of nature."
The 70-year-old pontiff was speaking to young people July 15
at the Marian sanctuary near Introd. He said being in the
mountains makes it easier to "notice God’s presence, to speak of
him, the eternal creator."
Pope John Paul began his annual retreat to the mountains amid
news media speculation that he is in poor health.
The Vatican has vigorously denied that he is ailing. A
spokesman, Msgr. Piero Pennacchini, said the pontiff is in
"excellent health, but has need of a rest, as has everybody after
a year of work."
Speculation was fueled by the pope himself, according to
reports, when he was quoted as telling an unidentified individual:
"The years go by and one’s possibilities grow less. Soon you
will have some surprises."
Msgr. Pennacchini later said the surprises would be "the long
walks" the septuagenarian pope would be taking in the moun
tains.
Pope John Paul told the youths that "it is possible to catch a
glimpse, in the harmony which surrounds us, of the signs of
(God’s) omnipotent love, which made everything with care, even
in the smallest details."