By Rev. Gerald Peterson, Archdiocesan Rural Life Director

A “Small Town Ministry Workshop” was held at the Archdiocesan Catholic Center in Atlanta on Thursday, September 15. During the all-day session seven individuals shared their experiences and insights regarding the challenge of work in the rural areas. The one message that came across from them and from the 25 participants in the workshop was this: Church workers are enthusiastic in meeting the challenge of establishing the Church in the small town parishes of the archdiocese and have a deep love for their Catholic faith and the people they serve.

Sister Ruth Fagan of Hiawassee and Father Pat McCormick shared their struggles and joys in adjusting to a new ministry. In sharing her first experience in St. Francis Parish of Blairsville, Sister Ruth spoke of her creativity in meeting the folks of Hiawassee and the need of staff support. Father McCormick six years ago came to Toccoa directly from a seminary assignment in Rome. What a cultural shock! After initial adjustment, he told how he came to love his people and shared how much he needed them and their support. During the discussion which followed, it was obvious that both speakers had evoked a similar response in the other participants.

“The Uniqueness of Leadership in Small Town Ministry” was the topic presented by Father Bob Dalton, a Glenmary Missioner working full time in ecumenical relations with the Southern Baptist Convention. He stressed the importance of enthusiasm for our ministry, a love for the people we serve, and the need of a vision of what our ministry can be.

My own assignment after lunch was to explore ways to know the social needs of the poor, statistical facts of the county are helpful, but equally important is the ability to listen to the poor and those agencies that work with them. Then explore the possibilities of cooperative efforts of other churches or governmental agencies in meeting those needs.

In our rural ministry we all need support. By sharing their own experiences, Fr. Ken Bayer of Lawrenceville and Sister Lynne Cooper of Cartersville made us aware of our personal needs. As Father Bayer stated: “We can’t live our Catholic faith without a ‘family’.” Our ‘family’ can be other priests or sisters who meet regularly for sharing or the supportive people in the parish.

Father Bob Poandl challenged us to express and call forth the gifts we see in our people and in one another. He invited us to express in small groups the gifts we see in each other.

Four new arrivals in north Georgia felt welcomed into rural ministry as we presented to each of them a “call home” gift certificate. It’s a joy to see the enthusiasm Jack Howard, a layman, brings to his ministry at The Place in Cumming. Sister Joan Curley and Karen Reiniger seem just as eager to join Sister Lynne Cooper in pastoral service in Cartersville. Sister Toni Kivlahan comes from Dubuque to work with Sister Joan Meyer to build up the Church of St. Paul in Cleveland.

By the end of the busy day, all 25 participants felt a community spirit of support and renewed enthusiasm for their work in rural ministry. The feelings of all were summed up by remarks like: “This was like a day of prayerful retreat” and “We leave feeling good about our own experiences and reaffirmed in our work.” Yes, rural ministers in our archdiocese are alive and well. Such gives me much joy and hope for the future of the Church.