On Father's Day, June 18, approximately 350 Catholics from South Gwinnett came joyfully together to sing praise and thanks to the Lord at the first Mass in the new parish in Snellville. Father Terence Kane, the first pastor of the newest parish of the archdiocese, celebrated first Mass in the cafeteria of South Gwinnett High School on Highway 78 in Snellville. The high school cafeteria was made available to the new parish through the offices of its principal, J. Kenneth Smallwood, and the Gwinnett County Board of Education. The high school cafeteria is a very modern facility with a very bright and colorful atmosphere which lends itself to a very enthusiastic and joyful worshipping ambience each Sunday.

The second Sunday Liturgy was celebrated on June 25 by Archbishop Donnellan, who came to greet and worship with the members of his new parish and to officially install Father Kane as the first pastor of the new parish.

The continuing growth and development in Gwinnett County in recent years is a well-known fact. This growth has its effects on the pastoral ministry of the Church and a new parish was deemed necessary to take care of the spiritual needs of the growing number of Catholics moving into this area.

On April 24, 1978, Archbishop Donnellan signed the canonical decree for the establishment of a new Catholic parish in Snellville. Father Kane had been informed of his appointment on April 15, and was invited to stay with Father Gill and Father Hamilton in Lawrenceville while he began organizing the parish. The first step was to speak to the faithful at all the Masses in the neighboring parishes of St. Lawrence in Lawrenceville, the mother parish of Gwinnett County (established as a mission in 1965, when 14 families gathered for the first Mass in Gwinnett County at the home of Mrs. Gay Mencer on the Feast of Christ the King) Corpus Christi in Stone Mountain, and St. John Neumann in Lilburn (established in 1977).

Father Kane held a general meeting on Tuesday, April 25, at the Snellville Civic Center, which was attended by over 10 enthusiastic Catholic Adults. He informed the people concerning the establishment of the new parish and its boundaries and answered questions concerning the establishment of a Religious Education program to serve the needs of at least 200 children. In 1977, the archdiocese had purchased a ten-acre site east of Snellville on Highway 78, adjacent to the new Summit Chase development. Father Kane discussed plans for the purchase of a suitable house close to the site, which could serve as the Rectory and Parish Center. The name of the new parish was also discussed and it seemed that every name in the martyrology of saints was mentioned.

The new parishioners gave many suggestions as to a suitable place to celebrate the Sunday Liturgy and Father Kane pointed out the multitude of committees necessary for the orderly setting up of a new parish. By the end of the meeting, many had volunteered to serve on the various committees.

During the following two weeks, arrangements were made to obtain the use of the high school cafeteria for Sunday Mass and Sunday School, a house was purchased for use as a rectory at 1318 Summit Chase Drive (close to the future church site), and a mailing was prepared to be sent to the 210 families whose names had been obtained from the neighboring parishes. The mailing contained the geographical boundaries, a letter explaining the necessary requirements for the actual setting-up of a parish, a very detailed questionnaire to help in determining the needs of the future parish, and a request for donations of furnishings for the new rectory. Having accomplished all that, Father Kane took off to vacation with his family in Ireland.

Refreshed and relaxed after his visit to the Island of "Saints and Scholars," Father Kane was pleasantly surprised with the furnishings and household equipment that awaited him on his return in early June.

The City of Snellville is located in the South Central section of Gwinnett County, approximately 18 miles east of Atlanta and 48 miles west of Athens on U.S. Highway 78. It was founded by Thomas Snell and James Sawyer, English immigrants who settled there in the 1870s. The original settlers called the town New London, but gradually it became known as Snellville and was officially given that name. On August 20, 1923, the city received its charter from the General Assembly of the State of Georgia. Its present population is thought to be 10,000 or 11,000 and increasing daily.

During his first week in Snellville, Father Kane received an invitation from Mayor Emmett Clower III to be a guest on the reviewing stand for the Snellville Day Parade in which 15,000 participated. Father Kane was warmly welcomed by the mayor and City Council and the representatives of Snellville's many civic and business organizations.

The Sisters of the Visitation have been the advance guard, so to speak, for the new parish. They moved their monastery from Ponce de Leon Avenue in Atlanta to Snellville in 1974, and the people of Snellville have been grateful for their presence. Many have used the convent for their 10:00 a.m. Mass on Sundays and 8 a.m. Mass on weekdays, for Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament on Sunday afternoons and first Fridays, and for the Office of Evening Prayer each day. The Visitation Sisters support themselves by making altar breads for most of the parishes in the archdiocese. They grow much of their own produce and make beautiful ceramics when they display for sale. They donated a set of ceramic cruets for the new church. The monastery has a number of guest rooms where women are welcome to stay for weekend retreats or for longer periods of prayer and reflection. These days, the Sisters say prayers for the success of the new parish and look forward to visits from the families moving into the Snellville area.

When Archbishop Donnellan celebrated the Liturgy on June 25, he was surprised to hear a beautiful rendition of “Amazing Grace" during Communion by Larry Walton on the bagpipes. Larry, a member of the new parish, dressed in full Scottish regalia for this joyful Eucharistic Celebration.

On July 2, the new parish had its first three baptisms and it is expected to have many more soon, as the number of parishioners grows weekly. Father Kane has already expanded to two Masses on Sunday -- at 9 and 11 a.m. -- at the high school and a daily Mass at the rectory at 9 a.m. except on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. Plans are well underway to provide a Religious Education program for the more than two hundred children registered for September.

The Gwinnett Daily News lists the new parish with times and locations of Masses in its "Church Directory" on Sundays and will do a special feature on the new parish soon.

There is a great sense of excitement and joy among the new parishioners who look forward to building yet another community of God's people in this portion of his vineyard. With God's help and much planning, the Catholic population of the Snellville area look forward to building their parish as soon as possible to provide a place of worship and facilities for use in the education of their children and adults.

The rectory is located in the Summit Chase development off Highway 78, at 1318 Summit Chase Drive; the mailing address is PO Box 605, Snellville GA 30278. The rectory phone number is 770-979-0318.

The Visitation Monastery is located off Pinehurst Road, which is off Highway 124, at 205 Ridgedale Drive; the phone number is 770-972-1060.