By Gretchen Keiser

The Shrine of the Immaculate Conception will be rededicated May 25, 1984, a year and nine months after a fire raced through the historic church and threatened complete destruction of Atlanta’s oldest building.

The rededication liturgy, at 6 p.m., will be concelebrated by Archbishop Thomas Donnellan and other celebrants, including the present and former staff of the Shrine. In addition to Father Warren Louth, O.F.M., the pastor, former pastors Father Thomas Giblin, O.F.M., and Father Arthur Murray, O.F.M. are expected to attend. Both the city and state have proclaimed the day in honor of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

Other specialty invited guests include Father Kevin Condon, C.M., vice president of All Hallows College in Dublin, Ireland, the seminary attended by two of the Shrine’s most famous pastors: Father Thomas O’Reilly and Father Thomas Cleary, who served in the late 1800s and were buried in a vault beneath the church.

In addition, representatives of state, city and county governments have been invited to attend the rite of rededication at the Shrine, which holds a unique place not only in the history of the archdiocese, the Shrine is the mother church whose doors opened up the church of Atlanta.

The Atlanta archdiocese recently received an award from the city’s Urban Design Commission for the preservation of the Shrine, which is over 100 years old. Prior to the fire of August 6, 1982, the Shrine was the oldest complete building in Atlanta. Her history was indelibly linked with the history of Atlanta by Father O’Reilly, whose efforts saved the Shrine, four other city churches and the City Hall and courthouse from the burning of Atlanta by Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman in 1864.

Nearly 120 years later it was the flames of the Shrine herself which illuminated the night sky of Atlanta. Afterward, only a shell of the church was left, providing the framework for the rebuilding of the Shrine with a new roof, new stained glass windows and a completely renovated interior. In addition to the renovation, the work in progress led to the rediscovery of the crypt beneath the church where Fathers O’Reilly and Cleary were buried in the 1800s.

The renovation work was overseen for the archdiocese by Christopher Knott. The architect was Henry Howard Smith of Atlanta and Malcolm Durden was the general contractor.

While work was underway, the Shrine’s parishioners have been attending Mass using the hospitality of the neighboring Central Presbyterian Church and the Shrine’s Saturday lunch program for the hungry, St. Francis Table, has been housed at Trinity United Methodist Church.

As the date nears, Father Louth said he and the staff are “excited and tired.”

“We’re looking forward to having the people back – to bringing people back to the parish,” he said.

The choir of the Cathedral of Christ the King, under the direction of Hamilton Smith, will sing congregational and choir music for the rite of rededication, including a contemporary choral setting of the Hail Mary. Cathedral organist Keith Langsworthy will be the first to play the new 2,947 pipe organ, one of the striking features of the renovated church. The cantor will be Claud Shirley, who grew up in the Shrine parish and once sang in the choir there.

After the liturgy there will be a general reception at the Garden Room next door to the Shrine.

In addition to the formal rededication, the parish will celebrate a Homecoming Mass on Sunday, May 27 at 11 a.m. This first parish Mass will begin with a procession and the May crowning of the statue of Mary in the church. After Mass there will be a reception for the parish.