Land has been acquired and a permit granted to St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Smyrna to begin its construction program in 1967.

In making the announcement, Father Richard Morrow, pastor, said that he and the parishioners are all quiet happy with the rapid turn of events in one of the newest parishes in the Atlanta archdiocese. St. Thomas the Apostle parish was established last June to serve the Catholics in Smyrna and the most of south Cobb County. It formerly was part of St. Joseph’s Church in Marietta. Father Morrow said current plans call for building a parish center and a residence for Sisters of the Holy Humility sometime this year. A church and rectory are planned for 1969.

The county use permit grants construction of a church, parish center, school, convent, and rectory on the property located on King Springs Road southwest of Smyrna. It is located west of South Cobb Drive, near the intersection of King Springs Road and Cooper Lake Road.

In the meantime, Father Morrow said Sunday and holy day Masses will continue to be held in the Belmont Theatre in the Belmont Hills Shopping Center in Smyrna. Masses on Sunday are at 8, 10, and 11:30 a.m., and holy days at 6:30, 8 and 10 a.m. Daily Masses are held in the temporary rectory located at the corner of Stalcup Street and Olive Springs Road west of Smyrna.

The early building program will be made possible as the result of the generosity of parishioners who began a parish tithing program with the first Sunday of Advent.

The Sunday collections have about tripled, according to Father Morrow, since the tithing program was begun when compared with collections before the program was initiated. “I’m very grateful for this external expression of the parishioners’ internal love and gratitude for God,” Father Morrow said.

Other recent activities of the new parish included a supper, which was held prior to Christmas to celebrate the feast day of St. Thomas the Apostle. The parish supper was held in the dining hall of the First Methodist Church’s educational building in Smyrna.