St. Bernadette Church in Cedartown, Ga., this year will celebrate its Silver Jubilee.

Before the present church was built in 1941, Mass was offered for the six Catholic families of Cedartown at the home of Mr. Maurice Najjar. Monsignor Joseph Cassidy, the present pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Milledgeville, was then pastor of St. Mary’s in Rome, Georgia, and attended the spiritual needs of the little community.

Monsignor Cassidy was succeeded in Rome by Father James Grady. It was under his direction that the present church was built.

In the years following, St. Bernadette’s was serviced from Dalton by the Redemptorist Fathers. A Redemptorist arrived every Saturday, and stayed that night in a tiny room to the right of the Altar, a room which understandably has come to be known as the ‘overnight room.’

In 1957, St. Bernadette’s became a parish, with Father Donald Kiernan its first pastor. The construction of the rectory was begun immediately.

The Mission of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Carrollton was placed under the care of St. Bernadette’s, and following Father Kiernan’s transfer to Gainesville, was serviced by Father John Stapleton and Father Richard Morrow.

Father Richard Morrow left St. Bernadette’s to become the first pastor of Our Lady in Carrollton, on May 29th, 1965. It was at that time the present pastor, Father Jarlah Burke came to Cedartown.

St. Bernadette’s is a parish of 46 families, with an active Parish Council of Women, St. Bernadette’s Mens’ Association, and a Legion of Mary.

1966 marks the 25th year of the church. Appropriate celebrations are planned for the Fall of the year to mark this point in its history.