By Gretchen Keiser

Father John Walsh was installed as pastor of St. Pius X in Conyers Jan. 29, as “the one who stands in the midst of the community in the place of Jesus Christ.”

In his homily, Archbishop Eugene A. Marino, S.S.J., pointed out to the parish that a “unique aspect” of the Catholic Church is that “we do not hire and fire our ministers, our priests. We do not select them; we do not vote for them.”

“Ours is a Church where those who preach (the Gospel) were chosen by Christ,” he said, noting that his own authority stems from the fact that he himself was sent by the pope in the name of Jesus to serve as pastor of the archdiocese of Atlanta. In turn, the archbishop said, he sends pastors to parishes in response to the call of Christ and the need to serve and lead Christian communities.

“We are reminded today that (Father Walsh) has not chosen Christ, but Christ has chosen him to bear fruit, fruit that will last,” he said.

Father Walsh, 36, who was ordained in Ireland in June, 1977, has served as parochial vicar in Corpus Christi parish, Stone Mountain; St. John the Evangelist, Hapeville; and St. Jude’s, Sandy Springs, and as administrator of St. Thomas More, Decatur. Named pastor of St. Pius X in Conyers in 1988, he asked the archbishop to formally install him as the new pastor of the 700-family parish.

Special music, including trumpet, organ, guitar and choir, heightened the spirit of celebration and worship. Father Walsh’s parents, John and May Walsh, from Claremorris, County Mayo, Ireland; his aunt and uncle, John and Ellen Mahoney from New York City; cousins Paul and Della Bonomo and their son, Gary, From Syracuse, N.Y., were guests of honor. The church was filled to capacity with parishioners and friends from other parishes where Father Walsh served. He has also been active in Marriage Encounter, Engaged Encounter and Retrouvaille. Concelebrants included Dom Augustine Morre, retired abbot of the monastery in Conyers, and Father Louis Naughton.

“Your pastor comes in his full humanity to teach, to preach, to sanctify in the name of Jesus Christ,” the archbishop said, pointing out that Jesus did not choose for his apostles “the most intelligent, the most educated, the most successful,” but chose instead “the ones he wanted…who would be faithful” to the call to preach the Gospel.

Since the pastor comes “relying mainly upon the conviction that Christ has called him and sent him” the archbishop told the parish, “I urge you, the people of God to receive him.”

The parish community, he noted, will remain, even as pastors come and go. “Give him your cooperation, give him the benefit of your experience…He needs the support of your cooperation, your collaboration, your wisdom…Most of all he needs your prayers. Pray with him as a community of faith and pray for him.”

The springlike January day poured sunlight into the sanctuary as the archbishop prayed for Father Walsh and gave him keys to the church and the Scriptures to proclaim and teach. The two men embraced and the gathering warmly applauded as Father Walsh knelt before the altar and prayed.

At the close of the Mass, both men noted the persistent rapping during the celebration of a bird trying to make its way through the glass into the church.

Father Walsh said the bird was a regular visitor, but had been more determined than usual that morning. Turning towards the archbishop, he speculated that it may have been a good sign because, “It’s a cardinal.”

In response, the archbishop noted that newly-installed pastors “do not have the gift of infallibility.”

In addition to the receiving line to meet the archbishop in his first visit to St. Pius X - a line that lasted for more than one hour - actor Carroll O’Connor, who has been filming in Conyers and Covington, was attracting attention after Mass. The actor who attended Mass there said he will be in the area until April working on a television series.

Mrs. Walsh said her son, John, is the oldest of six children and the only religious vocation in the family. “I was delighted,” she said of the ceremony of installation. “He had done so much and got so far and was so happy.”

Both she and her son expressed hopes he could remain at the parish for a long time.

St. Pius is approximately 10 years old, Father Walsh said, and began on the grounds of the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers, later moving to White’s Funeral Home for Masses. The church was built in 1977 on a 14-acre site on Route 20 in Conyers. An attached building is a parish hall with classrooms for religious education. More building is planned “to respond to the needs of the 700-families,” Father Walsh said.

Father Charles Kerscher is in residence and assisting Father Walsh.