THE HISTORY OF ST. GEORGE

The first Mass of the Catholic community
in Newnan, Georgia was said in 1938 in the home of Ellis Mansour with
forty-eight Catholics in attendance. By
1947 the living room of the Mansour home could no longer hold the growing
congregation and Mass was celebrated in the dining rooms of the Swinton and
Virginia Hotel. In February, 1950, the
parish was assigned to the Redemptorist Fathers. Although still a mission, it now had its own priest, Rev. Edward
Coyne, C.S.S.R.
In 1951 a building was designated
(presently the Montessori School) for Sunday worship. Due to the continuous growth of the community, 10 acres of land
on Roscoe Road was purchased in 1967 from the Mansour family, who generously
donated an additional 25 acres. In
April 1969 Father Luke Doheny said the first Mass in the present church. In March 1974 St. George received full
parish status. The parish hall and
classrooms were commissioned that year to accommodate the needs of the community.
For 42 years the Redemptorist order of
priests faithfully ministered to the parishioners of St. George. In June of 1992, Father Leo Herbert became
the first diocesan pastor of St. George. In July of 1995, with over 680
families registered in the parish, plans were made to expand our facilities to
meet the demands of present and future growth. In September of 1998, construction was completed, and we
dedicated Henderson Hall which houses classrooms, meeting rooms, parish
offices, and a 24-hour chapel.
Supported today by over a thousand
families, our community is enriched with a large Latino presence; as a
consequence, a Spanish mass is now a part of our regular Sunday worship
schedule.
In addition to our basic ministries, we
enjoy a very active outreach for the poor, mercy meals for those in need, ESL
classes for our Hispanic brothers and sisters, and a viable ecumenical
cooperation with our sister churches. We also have an excellent preschool
program for three, four, and five year olds.
Pastor
Father Austin Fogarty Ordained in July 1981, Father Austin has served in several parishes throughout Atlanta (more recently St. James, in McDonough). He was appointed pastor at St. Georges in July of 2002.
Parochial Vicar
Father Javier Muñoz Ordained December 15, 1996 in Colombia, S.A, Father Javier was at St. George on the weekends to help with the Hispanic Ministry and to say the Spanish Mass. Fr. Javier has now been assigned as our Parochial Vicar
Deacons
Our parish is blessed with four Deacons.
Rev. Mr. Steve Beers is a small business consultant and owner
of his own business. He and his wife June have two children and have been members of St. George for 13 years.
Rev. Mr. Jim Bishop has been a member of St. George since 1986. He and his wife Andrea have 6 children and 4 grandchildren. Jim is a truck driver, Andrea is a homemaker who takes care of their grandson, Kane. Jim is also a member of the Knights of Columbus, Fourth Degree.
Rev. Mr. Dave Corbett is self-employed as a wall-covering subcontractor. He and his wife Maria have three sons and have been members of St. George for 13 years.
Rev. Mr. Steve Swope is the president and CEO of The Rubicon Group, Inc. He and his wife Marie have been members of St. George since 1985. They have 2 children Jennifer and Matthew. Steve is an active member of St. Vincent de Paul, presides over adult education and is past president of the finance council.
Our four Deacons are available for baptisms, weddings, and home blessings. They also take turns preaching the homily the third Sunday of each month.
Councils
Parish Council
The main goal of the Parish Council is to advise the pastor on the direction,
which the parish should take. All major decisions for the parishs well
being are made at these meetings. The presidents of different organizations
are members along with eight appointed or elected members. Meetings are called
on an as needed basis. The current chairperson is Mike Chase.
Finance Council
Cannon Law states that every parish must have a Finance Board. We have twelve appointed members who meet monthly to review parish finances and plan the annual budget. The current President of the Finance Committee is Laurie Pope
Parish Staff
OFFICE Lorraine Brunelle is the Office Manager. She is
responsible for the bulletin,
MANAGER
scheduling Father Austin’s appointments, correspondence, updating the data-base
and special projects, mailings and booking the Church and/or hall for baptisms,
weddings, receptions...etc. Office
hours are 8:00am to 4:00pm Monday through Friday.
BUSINESS June
Beers is the Business Manager and is responsible for
all of the accounting
MANAGER including
bills and payroll for the church and preschool. She makes the computer check entries, reconciles all accounts and
prepares all of the financial statements.
She is also a permanent member of the Finance Committee.
RELIGIOUS Lorraine Perez, is the Director of Religious Education. Mrs. Perez is responsible EDUCATION for
all Religious Education programs from preschool through adults, including CCD, RCIA,
Junior Youth, Senior Youth, sacramental preparation
for first reconciliation, first Eucharist and
Confirmation, Children’s Liturgy of the Word. She is also responsible for
providing training for all volunteers involved in these programs. Her normal office hours are 8am – 2pm
Sunday, 9am – 4pm Monday, and Tuesday, Wednesday, 9am until 7pm
The
Religious Education department phone number is (770) 254-9933.
PRESCHOOL Judy
Dixon is the Director of the St.
George Catholic PreSchool, which offers classes for 2, 3, 4, & 5 year
olds.
YOUTH (Vacant
Position) is the coordinator
of the Jr. Youth Group. She plans the
MINISTRY youth activities and retreats for the 6th, 7th and 8th graders. (Volunteer position)
MAINTENANCE Ron
Brouillette is
responsible for the general maintenance and repair work of the Church,
Henderson Hall, and Rectory facilities.
Ron’s work hours are Monday through Thursday, 7:30am – 12:30pm
CUSTODIAN Cath Tomys is
responsible for the cleaning the main church building and Henderson Hall. Her hours are Monday through Friday 6am –
7:30am and 12:30pm – 3pm
MUSIC Mariano Pacetti is the Music Director and is responsible
for the liturgical music and directs the choir. He also is available for weddings, funerals, etc., as the need
arises.
To learn more about our church and staff,
visit our website at www.stgeorgecatholicchurch.org You can also reach our staff members
through their e-mail addresses:
|
Staff Name |
Title |
E-mail Address |
|
Fr. Austin Fogarty |
Pastor |
|
|
Fr. Javier Munoz |
Parochial Vicar |
javier@numail.org |
|
June Beers |
Business Manager |
|
|
Lorraine Brunelle |
Office Manager |
|
|
Lorraine Perez |
DRE |
|
|
Mariano Pacetti |
Music Director |
|
Parish Clubs & Activities:
St. George Men's Club:
The main
purpose of the Men's Club is to foster friendship among the men of the parish,
and to use their brawn for workdays.
The Men's Club organizes a shrimp and catfish supper in the spring,
which has become very popular with the local townspeople. Proceeds from this event are used for
support of a number of various parish activities. All men of the parish, l8 and
older, are automatically members of the Men's Club. Meetings are held the first Tuesday of the month in the church
hall beginning at 6:30 PM, with dinner and a short meeting at 7:00 PM. Feel free to come anytime!
Contact:
The Ladies of St. George:
The St. George
Women’s Guild, now called the Ladies of St. George, is open to all women of the
parish. The women meet for a potluck
dinner and fellowship in the Parish Hall
the second Tuesday of each month.
Occasionally, speakers are invited to share information with the
group. The Guild supports the parish in
many ways including sponsoring the Elizabeth Ann Seton Scholarship, which is
awarded annually. They actively support
the Coweta Crisis Pregnancy Center by donating baby items several times a year.
Contact: President, Alicia Rainwater (770) 304-2405
Feeding Our Families:
An outreach ministry of the Ladies
of St. George that provides meals to families who are
experiencing a crisis or disruption in their normal home routine
because of illness, new baby or other
occurrence in their daily
lives. Healthy meals are provided for a
length of time determined on the
individual family needs.
Contact: Marian Gallati (770) 254-0565
Over 50 Club:
For the grown‑up members of the parish, 50
and older, this group provides the opportunity for socialization and
activity. They meet the third Friday of
each month at 6:30 PM in the parish hall.
Their activities include covered dish suppers, cookouts, trips to
various places of interest in the general area, bingo and cards.
Contact: Arlene
Liebl (770) 252-3843
Choir:
Our wonderful
choir is always looking for new talent.
Whether you sing or play an instrument, we need you! We have both children and adult choirs that sing
at the various Masses. They meet Sunday
at 11am.
Contact: Mariano Pacetti (770) 304-0473
Welcome/Hospitality Committee:
As the name
implies, this group's function is to meet and provide information and resources
to new members of our parish. However, if we miss you, a call to the person
listed below will get you started in meeting our parish family. They also welcome all worshipers after the
Sunday morning Masses with coffee and donuts.
Contact: Dorothy
Pope (770) 251-9615
Children\Youth Activities:
St.
George Catholic Preschool:
St. George Catholic Preschool School
provides a nurturing environment in which 2,3, 4 and 5 year old children
develop, at their own pace, a lively awareness of the world around them
spiritually, mentally, emotionally and socially within a community of faith
marked by an atmosphere of Christian love. The program is offered five days a week (two
days for the 2year olds). Dedicated
staff is there to strive to carry out our purpose by offering experiences that
are meaningful to children at their level of maturity. Classes are Monday through Friday from 8:00
AM to 12 noon.
Contact: Judy Dixon (770) 254-9933
Boy/Cub
Scouts:
A Boy Scout Troop meets on Wednesday evenings. Boys from first (Tiger Cubs) to fifth grades
(10 1/2 years old) are eligible to become Cub Scouts.
Contact: Scout Master is Mike Denny (770) 463-1704
Cub Scout Contact is Michael Triggs (678) 472-4133
Altar
Servers:
This is for boys and girls, 4th
grade through high school. The children
are taught how to assist at Mass and are then added to the Mass rotation
schedule based on their availability.
Depending on the number of children available for each Mass, they
usually end up serving about once per month.
Contact: Bob Kotz (770) 253-8112
Growth in the Spirit.......
Spiritual Programs and Organizations:
Sacristy
Volunteers:
The Sacristy Volunteers are women, men,
and children of the parish who have dedicated some time each week to ensure
that the altar, vestments and liturgical items are always in good order. This is done on a rotating basis, so only
requires a few hours each month. This
group is always looking for more helping hands.
Contact:
Kellie Noland (770) 251-0534
Knights
Of Columbus:
The St. George Council of this
international organization meets the third Monday of the month at 6:30 PM. As a
fundraiser, the Knights participate in the national Tootsie Roll Drive to
benefit the Retarded Citizens of Coweta County. They also sponsor a concession booth at the Georgia Dome for all
the Falcon games. The Knights are
always on hand to help with the cooking and planning for the parish picnic and
newcomer’s welcome breakfast.
Contact: Grand
Knight, Tom Lanyi (770)251-9420 Membership
Legion
of Mary:
The Legion of Mary has a day praesidium
(Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament) which meets on Tuesdays at 9:15
AM. The object of the Legion is the
spiritual growth of its members and to evangelize through spiritual and
corporal works of mercy. Active members meet weekly to discuss assignments such
as: hospital visits, visits to the home-bound, Holy Communion for the sick,
distribution of Catholic literature and sacramentals (rosaries, scapulars,
miraculous medals...etc.), and promotion of Consecration of Families and Homes
to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Auxiliary
members pledge to say one rosary and a few other prayers each day to lend the
spiritual power of prayer to our work.
For information on being an active or auxiliary member call the people
listed below.
Contact:
Jane Hand (770) 502-0143
The
Society of St. Vincent de Paul:
St. Vincent de Paul taught that only
through our Lord can we change the world and that by serving the poor and needy
and letting His love pass through us, we are converted ourselves. Even though our operations of today are
constantly changing and adapting to the situation at hand, so as to be as
effective as possible, we still adhere to this basic philosophy. The St. George conference utilizes,
basically, a person to person type operating philosophy and only our funds and
abilities limit our outreach. If you
are interested in serving God's will through self-sacrifice and service to the
needy please contact us on the St. Vincent de Paul assistance line.
Contact: Assistance
Line (770) 301-0283
Respect
Life Ministry:
The Respect Life Ministry is dedicated to
all aspects of promoting pro-life values - through prayer, peaceful
demonstrations, education (videos, literature), and knowledge of legislative
events. Pope John Paul II's Encyclical Evangelicum
Vitae/Gospel of Life is our guide; and we work in close conjunction
with Priests
for Life. For more info call
the people listed below.
Contact:
Silvana Credidio (770) 304- 3993 Jane
Hand (770) 502-0143
Religious Education
Religious
Education Department (770) 254-9933
CCD
Programs:
Sunday morning and Wednesday evening classes
are provided for Preschool through 8th
grade. Registration through the
Office of Religious Education is required.
The Office of Religious Education sets policies and establishes
guidelines to be followed using the directives set forth by the Archdiocese of
Atlanta.
Sacramental
preparation is a
two-year program. Regular attendance is
required in first and second grade to receive First Holy Communion at the end
of second grade. Consistent
participation in the 8th
through 10th grades and
service hours are necessary to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.
9th
- 12th grades
meet together in an adult discussion-style format of education. In a setting of peer friendships, they
discuss their faith and any other concerns they may have.
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This is a program for those interested in learning more about the
Catholic faith, and possibly choosing to become members. RCIA begins in September and runs until
mid-May. Classes are on Sunday morning
after attending the Liturgy of the Word at the 10am Mass as well as Wednesday
evenings. For more information contact
the Religious Education Department or Deacon Steve Beers.
Catholics
Returning Home:
Catholics Returning Home is a process by
which Catholics who have been separated from the Church, through alienation or
for any reason, can become reconciled with the Church once again. They become familiar with the changes that
may have occurred in the Church since they left and initiate a healing and spiritual
journey through an interactive and educational process that is affected
primarily through class participation and instructor facilitation. Contact Linda Patti for this parish ministry
program.
Adult
Education:
Classes are offered at a variety of times and days. Various speakers are invited to lecture on a variety of topics. There are also some excellent tape series that are used as a focal point of many of the classes. Advance notice will be given in the St. George bulletin for each session. Contact the Religious Education office for details.
Youth Ministry
Mary
Pat Geoffrion is the
Coordinator of the Junior Youth Group for
grades 6th, 7th & 8th. Each month at least one activity is planned
to get the youth together. Activities
include bowling, roller-skating, ice skating, movies, trips to the monastery
& retreats. Each year the Jr. Youth
host an Italian Candlelight Dinner.
This is held in the fall in with the proceeds used to provide food
baskets for needy families at Thanksgiving & Christmas. I look forward to meeting new middle school
students. If you have any questions or
suggestions for the group
The
Senior Youth Group,
grades 9th - 12th, under the direction of Joe Cebulski, meet weekly as a group
for study and social activities, coordinated by Sherry Cornay, such as the Annual Life Chain, Rafting Trip,
Mission Trip, Live Stations of the Cross and the Senior Banquet. Planned activities with other youth groups
throughout the metro area are on going.
STEWARDSHIP
.... A Partnership with God
.... A Way of Life
Spiritual growth and renewal are a
continuing part of the life of any Christian.
They are also basic parts of our parish life. An important part of this spiritual growth is embodied in the
principle of Stewardship. Through
Stewardship, we thank God for all of His blessings by returning to Him a
portion of the gifts that He has given to us.
Please reflect on the three facets of Stewardship and how or whether
they are a part of your life.
TIME .... How much time do we set aside each week
in prayer
and involvement in volunteer activities
in our parish and in our
community?
TALENT .... How are we using our talents for the betterment
of our parish family and for the
community as a whole?
TREASURE .... What percentage of our annual income do
we
presently give to support our Church and
other charitable concerns?
************************************
OFFERTORY ENVELOPES - It takes from 1 to 3 months for the offertory envelope
company to process additions. In the
meantime you can:
1)
Write a check for your offering or,
2) If you prefer to give cash, use a
plain envelope with your name and address on it.
This way your contribution will be recorded for your Income Tax
purposes.
"For your heart will
always be where your riches are" (Matthew 6:21)