By Michael Motes

Pope Paul VI, President Jimmy Carter, Governor Busbee, Archbishop Donnellan and Mayor Maynard Jackson are but a few of the well-wishers who have contacted Father Terence Kane at Our Lady of Lourdes parish during the last few days.

The occasion is the 65^th anniversary celebration of Our Lady of Lourdes Church and School, which officially begins on Saturday, November 19, and will continue through Tuesday, November 22, which Mayor Jackson has proclaimed “Our Lady of Lourdes Day” in Atlanta to mark the day in 1912 when the parish to be was founded.

Conveying the message from the Holy Father to Father Kane, Apostolic Delegate Jean Jadot wrote:

“On the occasion of the 65^th Anniversary of the parish of Our Lady of Lourdes, November 22, 1977, it is my privilege to inform you that His Holiness, Pope Paul VI, is pleased to impart his Apostolic Blessing. This blessing is intended to all who have been associated with Our Lady of Lourdes over these many years. The Holy Father wishes to remember in a special way the current parishioners.

“The parish and school of Our Lady of Lourdes have a long and distinguished history. Their moments of greatest pride have come under the leadership of black members who have contributed so generously both in talent and material resources. The result is a strong and caring community built in the spirit of Jesus Christ.

“It is the prayer of the Holy Father that the future of Our Lady of Lourdes will be characterized by an ever-growing Christian spirit. It is hoped that this attitude will be manifested by a generosity not only to the local parishioners but to all who have need of help …

“Please permit me to add my own personal best wishes to the greetings of the Holy Father. May God richly bless all who have contributed unselfishly to Our Lady of Lourdes these past 65 years.”

From the White House came, “Congratulations on the anniversary of your church and school. It is a pleasure to send my very best wishes to all of you and to join in your prayers for continued spiritual strength for all Americans.”

In his congratulatory message, Governor Busbee stated that the parishioners “can take great pride in the outstanding ministry and Christian education that Our Lady of Lourdes has provided for Atlantans during these past 65 years.”

The historical accomplishment of the parish was also noted by Archbishop Donnellan, who said, “The history of the parish for all these years is an inspiration to the whole archdiocese, and indeed to all our neighbors in Atlanta. The work of the priests and sisters in serving God’s people has elicited a response in faith from the parishioners that is wholly admirable.

“May I assure you and your people of my congratulations and of my prayers for God’s continued blessing on the parish in the years ahead. I am confident that under the guidance and inspiration of God’s Holy Mother, the parish of Our Lady of Lourdes will continue to flourish.”

Mayor Jackson calls the parish “an inspirational and strong influence on the City of Atlanta” and says, “Many of our city’s outstanding citizens were educated by Our Lady of Lourdes School and benefit from their continued association with your church.”

The mayor also pointed out that the parish “has long recognized that the quality of one’s spirituality is of far more importance than one’s economic standing or skin color.”

Plans Made In 1911

The initial work on what was to become the first parish for Negroes in Atlanta began in 1911 when the Very Reverend Ignatius Lissner of the Society of African Missions (SMA) visited the city to attend the consecration of the Most Reverend John Edmond Gunn, SM, bishop-elect of the Diocese of Natchez, Miss., which took place at Sacred Heart on August 29.

Father Lissner had been in the state since January 1907, when he arrived in Savannah as the first delegate from the Society of the African Missions at Lyons, France, to minister to the spiritual needs of “The Colored People in the State of Georgia.” By the time of his visit to Atlanta, he had accomplished the establishment of Black mission churches in Savannah and in Augusta.

Staying a few days in Atlanta, Father Lissner explored the city and came to the conclusion that the opportunity was ripe for a successful “Colored Mission.” He revealed his plans to a local Marist priest, Father George Rapier of Sacred Heart, who encouraged him to proceed with the new and difficult task.

Returning to Savannah, Father Lissner submitted his newest project to Georgia’s bishop, the Most Reverend Benjamin J. Keiley. A few days later, the missionary priest received the formal approval from the bishop, who wrote:

“Have courage, dear Father Lissner, the task before you is a laudable, but a most difficult one; however, remember the words our Lord addressed to His apostles, ‘They will persecute you and drive you out of their city, and think they have performed a good work if they execute and kill you; but I will be with you; I have conquered the world.’ Be then of good heart, I pray and hope God will bless your noble work for the salvation of immortal souls.”

Citizens ‘Up In Arms’

Bishop Keiley had been most prophetic in his advice to Father Lissner.

Within three months after his return to Atlanta, where he resided at St. Anthony’s in West End, Father Lissner incurred the wrath of property owners in the Highland Avenue area of that sector of the city. Two pieces of property in West End had been tentatively purchased as the site for the Colored Mission.

An article in The Georgian, a defunct Atlanta newspaper, on February 6, 1912 was headlined, “Negro Church Plans Stir Highland Avenue.”

According to the article, a meeting of indignant property owners was scheduled to protest the “violation of agreement between races.”

“The building of this church according to attorney H.W. Witchers, one of the largest property owners in that section, will be a violation of an agreement entered into more than a year ago between white and Negro leaders in that section.” The Georgian stated, “Under this agreement, Mr. Witchers says Highland Ave. was to be maintained strictly as a white thoroughfare, no property in the street being sold to Negroes, and Negroes to make no effort to invade the street.”

The article continued, “As it is, the citizens of the vicinity of the church site are up in arms, and declare they will use every possible effort to stop further progress of the movement.”

Father Lissner was the culprit but was defended by The Georgian to some degree because of his unawareness of the “agreement between the races.”

“The movement in the new church is said to have been started by Father Lissner, a priest of the Catholic Church in Savannah, who came to Atlanta some time ago for this purpose. Father Lissner, the property owners say, had no knowledge of the agreement between the whites and Negroes as to Highland Avenue, else they are satisfied he would not have fostered the movement.”

The meeting resulted in a direct appeal to Bishop Keiley to stop the plan. Headlined “May Stop Negro Church By Appeal To The Bishop,” The Georgian reported later in February 1912, “An appeal will be made direct to Bishop Keiley of Savannah to prevent the building of the proposed Negro Catholic church on Highland Avenue between Hilliard and Fort Streets against which residents of that section have raised a storm of protest.”

“Indignation was expressed by the property owners and after much discussion as to the best methods of procedure, a resolution was adopted appealing to Bishop Keiley to interfere. The resolution will be forwarded to the bishop and, in the meantime, the protesting citizens will anxiously await his reply,” The Georgian reported.

The news report also stated that the sellers had been unaware of the plans for the property and had “announced willingness to withdraw from the trade.” Father Lissner also agreed “to give up the project provided the property owners will insure him against any possible damages of breach of contract.”

Highland Avenue and the West End section of Atlanta were abandoned as the site for the Mission.

J.J. Spalding Intervenes

Undaunted by the encounter with the Highland Avenue protesters, Father Lissner retained as his counsel, attorney J.J. Spalding, the grandfather of prominent Atlanta Catholic Jack Spalding, editor of The Atlanta Journal; attorney Hughes Spalding, Jr.; Dr. Spalding Schroder, and Father John J. Schroder, SJ, Director of Ignatius House.

When Our Lady of Lourdes Parish observed its 25^th anniversary in 1937, a special publication for the event praised Mr. Spalding for his work in establishing the parish: “The real credit for the successful outcome of the objections raised against the erection of a Catholic Colored Mission in this city is entirely due to Mr. J.J. Spalding, KSG, who worked with unremitting zeal to abate the opponents to Fr. I. Lissner’s new project. Neither Fr. I. Lissner, nor the Rev. Fathers associated with him will ever forget the invaluable services Mr. Spalding has rendered them and the Colored Mission at that critical time and ever since.”

After long and heated deliberations, Father Lissner obtained the site for his mission. In March 1912, the present location on Boulevard Street was purchased and shortly afterwards construction began on the combination church, school and “Catholic hall.” The three-story building of Stone Mountain granite, which still stands, was completed at a building cost of $16,000.

A Church At Last

The tides had turned for Father Lissner. On October 5, 1912, The Georgian reported, “The formal inauguration service of the new church of Our Lady of Lourdes will be held tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. The program of the ceremony will consist of the blessing of the altars, etc., singing of hymns by members and friends of the parish. The first Mass will be said by the Very Rev. Father Lissner for all of the benefactors of the handsome new structure. The Rev. Fr. George S. Rapier, pastor of Sacred Heart Church, will deliver the sermon.”

Earlier he had angered citizens, but now Father Lissner had won their respect. The Georgian stated, “Prominent citizens have given advice and generous help to Father Lissner in his work.”

The building, which continued to be used as originally designed until the present church was dedicated on February 12, 1961, was described as a combination “church and school building with an auditorium equal to the best in the city.”

Father M. Scherrer, SMA, was appointed as first Superior of the mission.

Blessed Sacrament Sisters.

An early benefactor of Father Lissner was Mother Katherine Drexel, founder in 1891 of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, a religious order to work solely among Blacks and Indians.

Mother Katherine had taken her vows before Philadelphia’s Archbishop Patrick J. Ryan, who died on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes (February 12) in 1911. The Colored Mission was therefore named Our Lady of Lourdes and the new school was christened the Archbishop Ryan Memorial School in his honor.

From 1913 to 1974, Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament staffed the parish school. The pioneer sisters included Mother M. Aquinas, Sister Mary Carmelita, Sister Mary Imelda and Sister Mary Mildred. The convent was a two-story frame building situated behind the new school building. Bishop Keiley honored the sisters with a visit on the day of their arrival in 1913 and offered Mass in the chapel of the convent the following morning.

Sister Mary Elizabeth, current president of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, recently remembered the early days of her order in Atlanta when writing of the 65^th Anniversary of Our Lady of Lourdes:

“Congratulations … bring us back to the first years of its foundation when Mother Katherine Drexel and her Sisters encountered the deep faith and the beautiful spirit of the ‘people of God’ who formed and built up the vibrant parish which is Our Lady of Lourdes in Atlanta today … We thank God for the privilege which has been that of so many Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament of teaching the students and sharing through genuine friendship and love in the lives of the thousands of men and women who can say today that they attended Our Lady of Lourdes School.”

A note of interest is that the first students at Archbishop Ryan Memorial School were charged ten cents per week tuition!

Parish Growth

The Society of African Mission Fathers and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament witnessed dynamic growth as the “Colored Mission” and its school developed.

Each year more children entered the classrooms. Each year more visitations to the homes of the children were undertaken. Each year saw more Baptisms, First Communions and Confirmations.

Societies began to form within the only Negro parish – although still a “Colored Mission” – in Atlanta, which in these earlier years of the 20^th Century was still a North Georgia outpost of the Diocese of Savannah; although progress definitely had been made from the days when all of Georgia’s Catholic population were a part of the Diocese of Charleston, S.C.

Included in the early Colored Mission Societies were the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the Tabernacle Society, the Ave Maria Club for girls, the Tarcisius Club for boys and the Blessed Martin Club. The Parent-Teacher Association of the Archbishop Ryan Memorial School became one of the largest of its kind in the City of Atlanta. In order to reach more Black people in the city, eight centers for religious instruction were opened by the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament in various homes in the parish.

A major development occurred in 1944 when Mother Anna Dengel and Sisters Regina Green and Claire Carroll opened the “Catholic Colored Clinic” as an outgrowth of the work Mother Katherine Drexel had launched in the mission in 1913, when the Sisters first arrived.

Father McKeever Arrives

In 1945, Father Michael McKeever, SMA, who is now retired and lives at Holy Spirit, became the pastor. During his pastorage the facilities at Our Lady of Lourdes evolved as we see them today.

In 1958 Father McKeever extended the school and in 1960 built the new church.

When the formal dedication of the present church was held on February 12, 1961, Father McKeever shared his thoughts with his parishioners: “After I had been appointed pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes, I asked my parishioners to pray fervently and constantly to Blessed Martin de Porres to help us get a new church. I fully realized that the road to

the fulfillment of our prayerful desire would be strewn with disappointment and false hopes. But I never believed they could come so often and with such intensity.

“Once I actually felt that Blessed Martin had decided against our request, but, it is said, the darkest hour is always before the dawn. Our dawn came with the creation of the Diocese of Atlanta (1956) and the God-sent appointment of the Most Reverend Bishop Hyland as the first bishop of the Atlanta diocese.

“Realizing the urgency of a church for our parish – as we had been using the school basement as a church since 1912 – the bishop ordered Mr. Verdi and Associates to draw plans for a new church at Our Lady of Lourdes parish. When the plans were completed, and having received episcopal approval, the DeGive Construction Company estimated the cost of the construction of the new church to be $90,000.

“His Excellency informed me that perhaps other parishes would like to help to finance the construction of the new church. I approached Monsignor Cassidy, pastor of Christ the King Cathedral, and Father Bozhetko, pastor of Sacred Heart Church, requesting their permission to appeal for funds in their respective churches. The permissions were immediately granted. The appeals were a success.

“I realized $3,600 from Christ the King and $1,000 from Sacred Heart. I also received $7,000 from the people of Our Lady of Lourdes and $1,000 from the school children; also a check for $1,000 from Mr. and Mrs. J. Doran and family.

“It gave me great pleasure to present Bishop Hyland a check for $13,000. Although the amount was insignificant in comparison with the total cost of the construction of the new church, it nevertheless was recognized by the Bishop as a determined effort to help to defray the building expenses.”

Bishop Hyland was impressed with the monetary tributes, which symbolized the sincerity of all those involved in expressing the need for expansion of Our Lady of Lourdes by erecting a new church.

In May 1960, Bishop Hyland authorized the DeGive Company to begin construction.

The weeks that followed were full of “wrecking and bulldozing,” according to Father McKeever, who further remembered:

“After the ‘Marines’ in the construction field had completed operations, the brick masons, electricians, and plumbers took over. By the fall, Mr. Verdi’s paper church had materialized into a solid and beautiful structure of cement block with redbrick facing, surmounted by a copper steeple with a cross on top.

“The ever-changing skyline of Atlanta was again enhanced with the erection of another beautiful edifice; the bishop had added another church to satisfy the spiritual needs of his growing flock, and another Cross loomed against the sky as an ever-constant reminder of love and justice for all.”

Present Church Dedicated

On February 12, 1961, with the “Paternal Apostolic Blessing” of Pope John XXIII conveyed by Cardinal Tardini, the present church of Our Lady of Lourdes was dedicated by Bishop Hyland.

The date of the dedication was significant. It was 70 years to the day on which Mother Katherine Drexel had made her first vows.

Recalling Mother Katherine, Bishop Hyland spoke of her as the “co-founder” of the parish at the dedication, at which he equally remembered Father Lissner and his followers in the Society of African Missions.

In his sermon, Bishop Hyland enumerated all those topics on which he might speak: “the significance and importance of the parish church … or … the glorious patron, Our Blessed Mother under the title of Our Lady of Lourdes …

“Instead, my dear people, I am going to speak to you today about one who in my opinion was the greatest benefactress of the Negro people in the history of our country,” he preached.

The pre-ERA Bishop Hyland made it clear that he used the word “benefactress” because he was “referring to a woman,” and stated, “I might just as well use the word ‘benefactor’ because I doubt if anyone, man or woman, ever surpassed Mother Mary Katherine Drexel in her love and concern for the most neglected of God’s American children – the people of the Negro and Indian races.”

Being of the wealthy and socially prominent Philadelphia Drexels, Mother Katherine “who at the age of 28 … turned her back on the world and entered the convent” was especially praised by Bishop Hyland for her contribution of “more than $12 million” to the Negro and Indian Missions in the United States.

“If Mother Katherine were alive today (she died in 1955) she would surely be a valiant supporter of the just aspirations of the Negro people to acquire the full rights to which they have every claim and title as members of the one human family, as children of the same God and as citizens of the United States of America,” Bishop Hyland stated in his sermon.

After invoking Mother Katherine Drexel to “pray and intercede for all of us before the throne of the merciful God,” Bishop Hyland concluded the Solemn Dedication of the new church of Our Lady of Lourdes.

‘Miss Christine’

No account of the history of Our Lady of Lourdes would be complete without mention of Christine Bullock.

Born on St. Patrick’s Day 1897, ‘Miss Christine’ has been a permanent fixture at the parish for over half a century.

Her baptism on June 1, 1913 is among the earliest records of the parish. Since then she has not failed to serve her church on a daily basis.

Being one of the first Catholic converts from the Negro population in Atlanta, Christine is an authority on the history of Our Lady of Lourdes parish. She served as housekeeper for the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for 52 years and is still a daily communicant at the church.

In 1974 she received the Beni-Merenti Award from Pope Paul VI and was the subject of a feature story in The Atlanta Constitution.

“Miss Christine,” as had Bishop Hyland, speaks highly of Mother Katherine Drexel. She says:

“Mother Drexel brought religion to Georgia for the colored folks. The other churches didn’t know the colored folks existed back then,” she reminisced.

“Miss Christine” is still a daily visitor to the Lourdes rectory, according to Father Kane.

“The parish wouldn’t be the same without her,” he says.

Anniversary Celebration

Beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 19, a “Pageant of Past and Present History” of the parish will be presented by children of the school and parish. Father Kane has prepared a photographical history of the parish which will be on display. A reception is scheduled after the pageant.

On Sunday, November 20, a Eucharistic liturgy concelebrated by former pastors and assistants is planned, beginning at 11 a.m. Father Schroder of Ignatius House will be the homilist. The principal concelebrant of the Mass will be Father McKeever.

Sunday’s special guests will include representatives of the Blessed Sacrament Sisters who formerly staffed the school and past and present lay teachers. The parish will host a reception following the liturgy.

Bishop Howze To Attend

On Monday, November 21, an ecumenical service will begin at 7:30 p.m. The major address will be delivered by Bishop Joseph L. Howze of Biloxi, Mississippi, the first Black Ordinary consecrated in the United States in the 20^th Century.

Also scheduled to attend are Archbishop Donnellan; Bishop H.I. Bearden of the Sixth Episcopal District, AME Church; the Right Reverend Dom Augustine Moore, OCSO, Abbot of the Monastery of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit in Conyers; the Reverend Grant S. Shockley, president of the Interdenominational Theological Center; the Reverend Harmon D. Moore, executive director of the Christian Council of Metropolitan Atlanta; Father Robert L. Kinast, formerly of Atlanta and now of the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.; Father Frederick Kirchner, OFM, pastor of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception; the Reverend Barbara King, pastor of Hills Chapel and Truth Center; the Reverend John Calvin Houston, pastor of Rice Memorial Presbyterian Church and associate director of the Urban Training Center; Rabbi Donald Peterman of Temple Beth Shalom in Stone Mountain; Mayor Maynard Jackson, and Mrs. Christine King Farris of the Martin Luther King Center for Social Change.

On Tuesday, November 22, which is the actual day of the founding of the parish 65 years ago, Archbishop Donnellan will be the principal concelebrant with the priests of the archdiocese at a solemn liturgy of Thanksgiving beginning at 7:30 p.m. The MLK Center will host a buffet dinner and reception immediately following to which all are invited.

More Lourdes History

Father Kane, pastor since 1975, has been busy preparing for the 65^th anniversary celebration of his parish. A recent visit found the rectory a shambles, but not without cause.

Father Kane has been diligently at work on a history of Our Lady of Lourdes parish, which will be available at all of the scheduled events to mark the founding of the parish.

To gather information for his highly acclaimed history, Father Kane has literally “torn the place apart” seeking historical data. He confided to the Georgia Bulletin that many of his notes came from an old safe that he had finally “cracked” after three years.

Father Kane’s history of the parish is available to all those in the archdiocese and may be obtained by writing to Our Lady of Lourdes: P.O. Box 89126, Gate City Station, Atlanta, Ga. 30312.