By Sand and Jerre Cline

It was probably a very lucky thing that Holy Cross received its name rather than that of some saint of limited scope, whose reputation would find it hard to live up to the parish’s “can-do” spirit.

Holy Cross is not just a church, but rather a group of Christian families who are guided by their pastor in their search for a true Christian community. Holy Cross is truly an attitude, rather than a church, a pastor and a parish organization.

In truth, there is no church, but rather a community center, where the largest assembly room doubles as a church on Sundays; there is no parochial school, but rather a special building dedicated to religious education of all the Christian family, not just the children.

It is hard to determine just where the attitudinal change took place. Perhaps, it depends on when you joined the parish. Longtime members of the parish will tell you that the difference stems from the time they decided in favor of a Parish Community Center and a school of religion instead of a church and parochial school. Newcomers will tell you that the emphasis on community and a school of religion focuses the parish somewhat differently. In any case, the Christian community of Holy Cross is different. It requires involvement, and it reaches out to its non-Catholic neighbors.

A parish such as this requires a special kind of pastor: a pastor who guides, but doesn’t dictate; one who stimulates but doesn’t make all the decisions; one who advises, but doesn’t govern, and most of all one who provides the liturgical and spiritual atmosphere to make a Christian community such as Holy Cross function properly. It is fortunate that from the beginning Holy Cross has had this kind of leadership.

HISTORY

When Holy Cross parish was founded in July 1964 by Father Leonard F.X. Mayhew, the parishioners initially attended Sunday Mass at Cary Reynolds School in Doraville. At this time there were less than 200 families in the parish. By July 1967 when the present parish center was opened at 3175 Hathaway Court, Chamblee, the number of families had reached more than 600. Today there are more than 1,000.

Very soon it became apparent that there would have to be more religious education classrooms provided. The Parish Center could not hold the 950 children in the School of Religion. A $190,000, 16-room classroom building was opened in October 1968, and barely in time, as the enrollment swelled to nearly 1,400 children by the end of the year.

This building is a landmark in archdiocesan educational building construction as it is the first building erected in the archdiocese strictly for the purpose of handling a school of religion.

THE PASTOR

In November 1966, Father Eusebius J. Beltran became the second pastor of Holy Cross. He came to Chamblee after serving in several other parishes in the archdiocese. He had been pastor of St. Mary’s in Rome, Georgia, just prior to relocating at Holy Cross. Although originally from Pennsylvania, he was ordained at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Atlanta, and has served on the Metropolitan Tribunal of the archdiocese since 1961. He is currently presiding judge of the Tribunal. His brother, Father Rev. Joseph Beltran, is also of the archdiocese.

MISSIONS, ASSISTANTS

Unlike the strongly situated parishes of the North, it is essential for Southern parishes to maintain an active mission program. In this area, Holy Cross is currently blessed with two mission endeavors. The newest, and the largest of the two, is in Norcross, Georgia, where in mid-1968 Holy Cross, with the assistance of the archdiocese and the Extension Society, purchased the old Methodist church and parsonage and had them rehabilitated and refurbished.

This mission is made up of more than 60 Holy Cross families who live in that area. The parish house serves as the living quarters for all of the priest of the parish.

Norcross is the particular concern of Father Thomas Kenny, who is charged with its operation as a liaison with Father Beltran. As an assistant of Holy Cross, Father Kenny is also coordinator of the parish youth program.

Father Kenny came to Holy Cross in August 1968. He attended All Hallows College, Dublin. He was ordained in June 1965 and has served in the Atlanta archdiocese since that time. He is a native of Easkey, County Sligo, Ireland.

Holy Cross has also maintained a mission in Lawrenceville, Georgia, since 1965. The mission here consists of slightly over 30 families, and is the special concern of Father James Fennessy, another Holy Cross assistant.

Father Fennessy is a native of Clonmel, County Tipperary, Ireland. He attended St. Patrick’s College in Carlow, Ireland and was ordained last summer. He is the spiritual director of the St. Vincent De Paul Society at Holy Cross and is also in charge of the altar boys.

Another member of the parish clergy is Father Richard Kieran, who teaches at St. Pius X High School. In residence at Holy Cross, he is spiritual director of the exceptional children of the archdiocese and also archdiocesan director of Cursillos.

RELIGION SCHOOL

Holy Cross, when it was in its formative stages, decided to place its emphasis on a school of religion which was professionally directed and administered. The school was to be a bulwark of spiritual instruction for the entire parish population, not just the children. This meant finding personnel possessing both great technical and religious backgrounds.

In August 1968, two Immaculate Heart of Mary sisters, with strong academic backgrounds and experience in catechetics took over the administration of the school and the curriculum development program. Backed by a strong parish board of education, Sister Marie Russell and Sister Marie Anne have developed and are presently helping to teach an adult education series on the Bible.

They are administering the religious training program of the near 1,400 children attending religion classes and are supervising the 77 catechists that teach the program. In their other capacities, the sisters also teach parents on preparing children for first communion and first confession. Sister Marie Anne is presently conducting a sex education series for the children in fifth grade and up, with the help of a parish physician, Dr. Charles Ward. Sister Marie Russell is advisor to the Senior Youth Council.

Obviously a parish of this kind requires strong participation by the men’s organizations, the women’s circles and the youth groups.

The number of women’s circles has continued to grow with the parish so that now there are 22 of these neighborhood groups which foster neighborliness as well as performing good works.

During the past year the youth have formed a Junior and Senior Youth Council which are gradually gaining momentum in the endeavor to validly engage young people in the life of their parish.

The men participate in a variety of organizations such as the building and grounds committee’s “exclusive,” the ushers, lectors and the Choir.

The question is, does this mean that everyone at Holy Cross actively participate in the organized structures of the parish? Unfortunately, no. But the percentage of participation by the laity is much higher than in the average parish, and should continue to grow as the goal of a true Christian community is more closely attained.

LIBRARY GROWS

The 2,500 volume library, which has doubled in the past year, grew from the pastor’s private collection in 1966. Now it includes books far beyond the religious treatises and philosophies one might expect in a church library.

From its inception, the library was intended for use by the whole community as well as by members of the parish. With this in mind, books are being bought not only about Catholicism, but also about other religions.

St. Gerard’s Circle, which first took on the cataloging of the pastor’s books as its project, has continued its library work as the collection grew.

PREPARE RETARDED

Today retarded preschoolers attend a school that was a dream just a year ago.

Any weekday morning a visitor at Holy Cross might see a little band of preschoolers in the nursery or out for a walk with their teacher, learning to obey simple rules, learning to share, learning to learn.

These small students, brought to Holy Cross’s nursery, attend pre-school sponsored by the Christian Association for the Retarded.

Men and women from Holy Cross and three local Protestant churches meet weekly since January 1967 to plan a community effort to help retarded children. After much consultation and with advice form Atlanta’s leaders in education for the retarded, they decided to concentrate upon serving the needs of these small people.

Early in 1968 plans began to solidify, and in July the Christian Association for the Retarded was chartered. Mrs. Judy Stanley, an experienced professional directress, was hired. Classes began in September with four children, and enrollment has doubled as more parents discover the school, some coming out from as far away as Buckhead.

Mrs. Stanley is assisted by women volunteers from the sustaining churches.

The original four churches of the Christian Association, St. Bede’s Episcopal, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian, Embry Hills Methodist and Holy Cross have been joined by the First Baptist Church of Tucker and the First Methodist Church of Tucker. Father Beltran, Holy Cross pastor, held a dedication ceremony Nov. 30 at the parish center for the parents, children and representatives of the Christian Association in recognition of the Christian cooperation and involvement of the six churches.