By Marie Mulvenna

St. Philip Benizi parish in Jonesboro celebrated the tenth anniversary of the parish's founding with a special Mass on Sunday, September 21, celebrated by Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan. Part of the anniversary ceremonies included the installation of Father John Kieran as fourth pastor of the Jonesboro church.

St. Philip's had its beginning in Clayton County almost 18 years ago when a fund-raising effort began to secure land for a mission in the Jonesboro area. By 1965, Catholics of the surrounding section had saved $10,000 and requested permission from the late Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan for regular celebrations of Mass. After parish efforts to renovate the old Jonesboro drug store, the archbishop assigned Father Daniel O'Connor as priest-in-charge of the small mission.

On September 12 of that year, the first Mass was celebrated with a surprising overflow crowd that soon necessitated additional weekly Masses. By July of 1966, the parish bought a site and construction of the new church edifice began in January 1967. In June the mission receive parish status and Father O'Connor was named the first and founding pastor.

He was followed in successive years Father Joseph Beltran and Father Alan Dillman. Father Kieran comes to St. Philip's after service at St. Jude's, St. Anthony's, Blessed Sacrament, and as pastor of St. Joseph's in Dalton.

The parish now boasts approximately 700 families, all active in a wide variety of parish organizations and programs. A spanking new parish newspaper was born several months ago and parishioners of St. Philip's just recently sponsored a refugee Vietnamese family.

In his message to parishioners in the newspaper, Father Kieran said, "As we begin our second decade, surely we should step out in confidence, trusting that He who began this good work of bringing us together, will also give us the wherewithal to be instruments in bringing others into the Church."

Sunday's special program also included the unveiling of a memorial plaque dedicated to Ware Hutcheson, recalled as "Mr. Catholic" for his untiring efforts to begin a new Church to serve Catholics of the Clayton County area. New sacred vessels, donated by members of the parish community, were blessed and special parish handbook, printed with updated data and information on parish programs, was distributed.

A reception at the parish center followed the 6 p.m. Liturgy, with all parish organizations donating their efforts for the event.