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Within the past ten years, the Catholic population of Gwinnett
County has grown steadily. Catholics in the Norcross-Lawrenceville areas were
served by the priests of Holy Cross Parish under the administration of its
pastor, Father Eusebius J. Beltran.
Since 1967 sites have been explored for the future church
construction and in 1969 the Parish of Saint Patrick’s, Norcross was
established and the Mission at Lawrenceville was served by its pastor, Father
Daniel J. McCormick.
Under the guidance of the present pastor of Saint Patrick’s,
Father Sean Fleury, M.S.F.S., the Catholic Community at Lawrenceville has grown
and sought to establish itself as a separate parish. With continual growth in
numbers and projects for still further expansion, the Catholic Community
recently erected a church and religious education facility in Lawrenceville.
In a view of these facts, the Archdiocesan Board of Consultors,
the Archdiocesan Personnel Board and Father Sean Fleury recommended that the
Catholic Mission of Lawrenceville be established as a parish.
Therefore, having had the benefit of these deliberations and
recommendations, I hereby decree that the Mission of Saint Lawrence in
Lawrenceville, Georgia is, by virtue of this document, formally established as
a separate parish, retaining its present name, with Reverend Gerard F. Gill,
M.S.F.S. as its first pastor. The effective date of this decree is June 17,
1974.
The boundaries of Saint Lawrence Parish will include: The entire
parish area lies in Gwinnett County. Beginning at the Gwinnett/Barrow County
Line on Interstate No. 85; follow Interstate No. 85 south to the
Norcross/Lawrenceville Road; Norcross/Lawrenceville Road south to Paden Drive;
Paden Drive south to United States Highway No. 29; United States Highway No. 29
north to Arnold Road; Arnold Road south to Five Forks Trickum Road; Five Forks
Trickum Road southwest to DeKalb County Line.
The establishment of this parish is a tribute to the faith of the
Catholic Community of Lawrenceville, as well as an indication of the zeal of
the priests who have faithfully served that area for the past ten years.
To Father Gill and the parishioners of Saint Lawrence, I extend my
prayerful best wishes for God’s blessings.
Given in Atlanta, Georgia this 17th day of June, 1974.
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