Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan has announced the opening of a new parish in the Metropolitan Atlanta area. The parish is a former mission of St. Thomas the Apostle parish in Smyrna, St. John Vianney in Austell.

The pastor named to the new parish is Father William Hoffman, who served as principal at Drexel High School and chaplain to the Newman Center at Emory University.

St. John Vianney became a mission of Saint Joseph, Marietta in October 1952. However, it is recorded that Mass was offered in the area as far back as 1890 by a diocesan priest, Father Michael J. Clifford. But the record shows that the Marist Fathers have been serving the South Cobb territory since 1897 when Father J. A. Reis, S.M., offered Mass there once each month.

Through the generosity of the Extension Society, a chapel was built in 1958. Father Charles Duke, S.M., offered the first Mass in this chapel Feb. 7, 1958. Since that time the Catholic population has grown until today the little chapel is no longer sufficient for the needs of the Church. Recently, a 35-acre tract of land was purchased and a building program is planned. There are approximately 200 Catholic families in the fast growing area. Over the past two years, Father Noel C. Burtenshaw, chancellor of the archdiocese, has offered Mass on Sundays.

The boundaries of the new parish are as follows:

“On the North boundary going from Bankhead Highway to Floyd Road, Floyd Road to Austell Road. Austell Road going to Calloway Road. From Calloway Road to Macland Road, taking all of Douglas County.”

Father Hoffman will offer his first Mass as pastor on Sunday, Aug. 4 and will meet with his new parishioners at their annual parish picnic on the same afternoon. The picnic will take place after Mass at Red Top Mountain Recreation Park.