Duluth
Georgia
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Saint Benedict Catholic Church
Mission:
We the members of the Parish of Saint Benedict, rich in diversity and unified by our common faith and accept our mission to continue the work of Jesus. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, we commit to the continued building of our faith community. We commit our time, talent and treasures to love all peoples by proclaiming and witnessing the Word of God through prayer, evangelization, social and outreach
History:
The parish was established by the Archdiocese of Atlanta in July 1987 under the leadership of its founding pastor, The Reverend Joseph L. Peacock. The Archdiocese purchased 13.5 acres of hilltop property on Parsons Road in North Fulton County, and thereafter sent Father Peacock to establish a parish community from the burgeoning neighborhoods in the area. A group of 10 founding families began Sunday Mass at Ephiphany Byzantine Catholic Church in Roswell soon grew and a school of religious education was established and began to meet at Northminster Presbyterian Church in Roswell. Expansive growth soon occasioned the need for a Saturdays Vigil Mass which began to be held at Pleasant Hill Presbyterian Church in Duluth.
The parish was never static and continued to experience exponential growth. In 1990 the first building of the parish was at the Parsons Road site; the first mass celebrated in the new building was the solemn Easter Vigil. The spacious new building offering seating for more than 500 individuals, parish offices, a nursery, a 2000 square foot gathering space and ten classrooms for the School of Religion. At the time of August 14, 1990 blessing of the building, the parish had growth to 100 families.
Father Peacock retired from the pastorate in September 1992. he was succeeded as pastor by The Reverend Terry Young, who was assisted by the Reverend Ronald J. Fuchs. Father Fuchs served the parish until January 1994, when The Reverend Gregory D. Goolsby was assigned as the parish's second parochial vicar. Father Young became a Monsignor in December of 1994.
From 1994 to 1996 Father Steward Wilbur was also assigned to the parish in order to open a mission in northwest Gwinnett County. This was meant to serve the growing needs of this area, and to provide a more convenient alternative to an already over crowed Saint Benedict's. at Monsignor Young's request it was name in honor of Saint Monica. In June of 1996, The Reverend Daniel J. Fleming was assigned to the parish as a parochial vicar, Father Wilbur was transferred, and Father Goolsby moved over to the Mission.
Under the leadership of Monsignor Young, Saint Benedict grew to 3700 families by the fall of 199. the parish School of Religion included more than 2000 children in pre-school through senior high. Full-time minister of Music, Elementary Religious Education, Youth Ministry, and Adult Education and Formation had been added to the parish staff between 1992 and 1994 to assist the almost 9000 members of the parish family. In 1993 a parking deck for cars had been added to relieve our most persistent problem.
In march 1995, the parish began an extensive capital fund campaign to finance construction of a permanent church that would seat at least 1200 people. This was followed by acquisition of 6.9 acres to the north of the church property later that year. Almost immediately part of this land was used to construct 150 more parking spaces. A house on land was renovated for more office space and the Adult Formation Program. A year later another 4.3 acres to the north of the 1996 purchase was bought in order to provide more buffer to meet changed county requirements. A house on this land was renovated into a rectory. By the late fall 1997 the new church was completed as well as space in the undercroft for twelve new classrooms. In the summer of 1998 work will begin on the "old school of religion/pre-school" area to provide more office space for the office staff as well as the more that 500 volunteers who work with various ministries and religious education facilities. The temporary worship space will become a parish life center, named in honor of our founding pastor, Father Joseph L. Peacock. The drive for the new church began in 1995 and construction began in 1996.
We the members of the Parish of Saint Benedict, rich in diversity and unified by our common faith and accept our mission to continue the work of Jesus. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, we commit to the continued building of our faith community. We commit our time, talent and treasures to love all peoples by proclaiming and witnessing the Word of God through prayer, evangelization, social and outreach
History:
The parish was established by the Archdiocese of Atlanta in July 1987 under the leadership of its founding pastor, The Reverend Joseph L. Peacock. The Archdiocese purchased 13.5 acres of hilltop property on Parsons Road in North Fulton County, and thereafter sent Father Peacock to establish a parish community from the burgeoning neighborhoods in the area. A group of 10 founding families began Sunday Mass at Ephiphany Byzantine Catholic Church in Roswell soon grew and a school of religious education was established and began to meet at Northminster Presbyterian Church in Roswell. Expansive growth soon occasioned the need for a Saturdays Vigil Mass which began to be held at Pleasant Hill Presbyterian Church in Duluth.
The parish was never static and continued to experience exponential growth. In 1990 the first building of the parish was at the Parsons Road site; the first mass celebrated in the new building was the solemn Easter Vigil. The spacious new building offering seating for more than 500 individuals, parish offices, a nursery, a 2000 square foot gathering space and ten classrooms for the School of Religion. At the time of August 14, 1990 blessing of the building, the parish had growth to 100 families.
Father Peacock retired from the pastorate in September 1992. he was succeeded as pastor by The Reverend Terry Young, who was assisted by the Reverend Ronald J. Fuchs. Father Fuchs served the parish until January 1994, when The Reverend Gregory D. Goolsby was assigned as the parish's second parochial vicar. Father Young became a Monsignor in December of 1994.
From 1994 to 1996 Father Steward Wilbur was also assigned to the parish in order to open a mission in northwest Gwinnett County. This was meant to serve the growing needs of this area, and to provide a more convenient alternative to an already over crowed Saint Benedict's. at Monsignor Young's request it was name in honor of Saint Monica. In June of 1996, The Reverend Daniel J. Fleming was assigned to the parish as a parochial vicar, Father Wilbur was transferred, and Father Goolsby moved over to the Mission.
Under the leadership of Monsignor Young, Saint Benedict grew to 3700 families by the fall of 199. the parish School of Religion included more than 2000 children in pre-school through senior high. Full-time minister of Music, Elementary Religious Education, Youth Ministry, and Adult Education and Formation had been added to the parish staff between 1992 and 1994 to assist the almost 9000 members of the parish family. In 1993 a parking deck for cars had been added to relieve our most persistent problem.
In march 1995, the parish began an extensive capital fund campaign to finance construction of a permanent church that would seat at least 1200 people. This was followed by acquisition of 6.9 acres to the north of the church property later that year. Almost immediately part of this land was used to construct 150 more parking spaces. A house on land was renovated for more office space and the Adult Formation Program. A year later another 4.3 acres to the north of the 1996 purchase was bought in order to provide more buffer to meet changed county requirements. A house on this land was renovated into a rectory. By the late fall 1997 the new church was completed as well as space in the undercroft for twelve new classrooms. In the summer of 1998 work will begin on the "old school of religion/pre-school" area to provide more office space for the office staff as well as the more that 500 volunteers who work with various ministries and religious education facilities. The temporary worship space will become a parish life center, named in honor of our founding pastor, Father Joseph L. Peacock. The drive for the new church began in 1995 and construction began in 1996.