St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church (Mableton, Georgia)
Encyclopedia
St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, located in Mableton
, Georgia
, is the home of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter
(FSSP) in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta
. The community was founded in 1995 and established as a personal parish in 1999 by Archbishop John Francis Donahue. The church (building) was purchased in 1999 and consecrated by Donahue in 2000.
of 1962. Two Masses are celebrated each day, one of which on Sunday is a High Mass
.
. Permission for Mass
according to the rubrics of 1962 was given by Archbishop John Francis Donoghue. The reinstatement of the Rite began at Sacred Heart Church with the support of its pastor, Fr. Stephen Churchwell. In 1994 the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter began saying the Latin Mass at Sacred Heart.
The St. Francis de Sales Latin Mass Community was founded in 1995 with the arrival of a full time priest. A rectory
was soon established in Alpharetta
and the Sunday Mass was moved to St. Joseph's Maronite Church in Atlanta
. In 1998, the community was hosted at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish where a Sunday Mass at the Kelly & Leak Funeral Home was added. St. Francis de Sales finally found a permanent home the following year, in Mableton. The former Grace Baptist Church was purchased and the first Mass said in the new home in January. The community was also elevated to the status of a parish in January 1999, and Rev. Mark F. Fischer, FSSP, was named the founding pastor. He was later joined by Rev. Nicholas Zolnerowicz, FSSP, who served as parochial vicar until his retirement in 2003. He died in 2008.
In the spring of 2003, Rev. Robert Fromageot, FSSP became pastor, but in July 2004 he left to pursue a degree in moral theology in Rome. Rev. Denis G. Bouchard, FSSP, assisted by Rev. Laurent Demets, FSSP, replaced him as pastor until February 2008, when he was transferred to another FSSP apostolate, at which time Fr. Mark Fischer, founding pastor, returned to the parish. He remained there until July 2010, when the current pastor, Fr. Howard Venette, FSSP, arrived. Fr. Demets served at the parish as parochial vicar from 2003–2007, when he left to serve the FSSP community in Little Rock, Arkansas
. He was succeeded by Fr. Roberto Cano, FSSP from 2007–2009, then by Fr. Thomas Fritschen, FSSP (2009–2010), Deacon (now Father) Christopher Pelster (2011) and currently Fr. Matthew McCarthy (2011- ).
Mableton, Georgia
Mableton is a census-designated place in Cobb County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a population of 37,115.It was named for Robert Mable, who in 1843 bought 300 acres of land on September 11...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, is the home of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter
Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter
The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter is a traditionalist Catholic Society of Apostolic Life of priests and seminarians in good standing with the Holy See.-Canonical status:...
(FSSP) in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southeastern United States. It is composed of the northern counties of the state of Georgia and is led by a prelate archbishop, who is also pastor of the mother church, the...
. The community was founded in 1995 and established as a personal parish in 1999 by Archbishop John Francis Donahue. The church (building) was purchased in 1999 and consecrated by Donahue in 2000.
Liturgy
All of the Sacraments at St. Francis de Sales are celebrated according to the Roman MissalRoman Missal
The Roman Missal is the liturgical book that contains the texts and rubrics for the celebration of the Mass in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church.-Situation before the Council of Trent:...
of 1962. Two Masses are celebrated each day, one of which on Sunday is a High Mass
High Mass
High Mass may mean:*Solemn Mass, a Tridentine Mass celebrated with deacon and subdeacon *Missa Cantata, a sung Tridentine Mass without deacon and subdeacon...
.
History
St. Francis de Sales is a Latin Rite parish serving the Archdiocese of Atlanta, which was separated in 1956 from the Diocese of SavannahRoman Catholic Diocese of Savannah
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Savannah is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southern United States comprising the southern counties of the state of Georgia...
. Permission for Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
according to the rubrics of 1962 was given by Archbishop John Francis Donoghue. The reinstatement of the Rite began at Sacred Heart Church with the support of its pastor, Fr. Stephen Churchwell. In 1994 the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter began saying the Latin Mass at Sacred Heart.
The St. Francis de Sales Latin Mass Community was founded in 1995 with the arrival of a full time priest. A rectory
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
was soon established in Alpharetta
Alpharetta, Georgia
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 34,854 people, 13,911 households, and 8,916 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,631.6 people per square mile . There were 14,670 housing units at an average density of 686.7 per square mile...
and the Sunday Mass was moved to St. Joseph's Maronite Church in Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. In 1998, the community was hosted at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish where a Sunday Mass at the Kelly & Leak Funeral Home was added. St. Francis de Sales finally found a permanent home the following year, in Mableton. The former Grace Baptist Church was purchased and the first Mass said in the new home in January. The community was also elevated to the status of a parish in January 1999, and Rev. Mark F. Fischer, FSSP, was named the founding pastor. He was later joined by Rev. Nicholas Zolnerowicz, FSSP, who served as parochial vicar until his retirement in 2003. He died in 2008.
In the spring of 2003, Rev. Robert Fromageot, FSSP became pastor, but in July 2004 he left to pursue a degree in moral theology in Rome. Rev. Denis G. Bouchard, FSSP, assisted by Rev. Laurent Demets, FSSP, replaced him as pastor until February 2008, when he was transferred to another FSSP apostolate, at which time Fr. Mark Fischer, founding pastor, returned to the parish. He remained there until July 2010, when the current pastor, Fr. Howard Venette, FSSP, arrived. Fr. Demets served at the parish as parochial vicar from 2003–2007, when he left to serve the FSSP community in Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
. He was succeeded by Fr. Roberto Cano, FSSP from 2007–2009, then by Fr. Thomas Fritschen, FSSP (2009–2010), Deacon (now Father) Christopher Pelster (2011) and currently Fr. Matthew McCarthy (2011- ).
Clergy
As of August, 2011, St. Francis de Sales has the following clergy:- Pastor: Rev. Fr. Howard Venette, FSSP
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Fr. Matthew McCarthy, FSSP
- Deacon: Rev. Mr. Douglas Anderson