By Peter K. Ilchuk

Growth is the key word in the Archdiocese of Atlanta, now half way through its Expansion Drive begun in January of 1965. New facilities to serve the growing Catholic population are springing up in all parts of North Georgia through the efforts of the Drive and various individuals and groups.

Paramount in the expansion drive program are St. Joseph Village in Southwest Atlanta and Spalding Chapel and Newman Center on the University of Georgia campus in Athens. The former, designed by architect Gerald Deckbar, is scheduled for occupancy in February of 1967. Dedication for the latter building is set for November 6. The Newman Center complex, which will serve the needs of Catholic students attending the University, was designed by Albert Ordway.

Parish churches and religious centers are rapidly being developed in the Atlanta area. Holy Cross Parish, Chamblee, has begun clearance of the parish site and has received approval to begin construction.

Father Leonard F.X. Mayhew, pastor of Holy Cross, said, that “construction will begin immediately on a parish center which will include an auditorium, library, offices, meeting facilities and kindergarten facilities.” Mass will be celebrated in the auditorium with a Church and School in Religion planned in later phases of the building program.

Father John F. McDonough, pastor of Holy Spirit parish, has also announced plans for the immediate construction of parish complex.

“We are going to build a parish center,” he said, “to function as a church and place of our CCD classes.” Albert O. Ordway is the architect of the circular building which will include a gymnasium in the center in which Mass will be celebrated and classrooms, a cafeteria and a kitchen on the periphery.

The design is one of the recent innovations in a functional building to be used as a place for instruction.

“The center may later be converted to a school, although an additional school building is in the planning,” Father McDonough said.

The newly formed St. Thomas the Apostle Parish serving the Smyrna area has purchased a parish house and will soon begin planning for their parish buildings. Pastor of St. Thomas is Father Richard Morrow.

The missions of north Georgia have recently been expanded with the addition of a mission at Whistleville dedicated last month.

Growth has been the keyword in Catholic population. Fifty years ago only 15,000 Catholics resided in the entire state of Georgia. Now, according to the 1963 census, 43,432 live in the 71 North Georgia counties served by the Archdiocese of Atlanta. This represents an increase of 83 percent since the establishment of Atlanta as a diocese in 1956.

Of the number, 36,168 Catholics live in the metropolitan Atlanta area. One-fourth of those counted lived in the archdiocese only one year, indicating that half of the newcomers to this area from out of state are Catholics.

Plans are now being made for a new census which will reflect the vast growth that has taken place in the last three years.

These Catholics have pledged $2,102,500 towards the expansion of archdiocesan facilities. Of that amount, “41.6 percent has been paid as of May 31. This reflects approximately one-third of the total number of pledges filled,” one official of the campaign stated.

Planned for the near future is a Lay Center in downtown Atlanta which will include an ecumenical library, meeting facilities, auditoriums and offices.