By Paula Day

It was a birthday party for everyone: parishioners, former pastors, friends for neighboring parishes.

Archbishop Marino came. So did Father Gerald Peterson who had served in St. Mark’s for 10 of its 25 years as a parish. Father Frank Ruff, president of the Glenmary Home Missioners, drove down from Cincinnati. Father Bill Hoffman, pastor of Gainesville’s neighboring parish of St. Michael’s, and Father Ed Gorny for Blairsville’s St. Francis of Assisi also came.

The Clarkesville church was filled. Local friends joined the 125-household parish for the jubilee celebration with Archbishop Eugene A. Marino as principal celebrant at the Mass and Father Ruff as homilist. A grand feast was spread and the party continued in the church hall after the liturgy.

“This party is a success,” Father Ruff told the congregation, “if we together celebrate, praise and thank God.”

“The question modern people ask,” Father Ruff said, “is ‘Where’s God? Is God around? Can God dwell with His people?’ What we’re celebrating here tonight is our own answer to that question.”

Reminding the congregation that God had been present the past 25 years in Habersham County in the faith community of St. Mark’s, he emphasized, “You give birth to the body of Christ here in Habersham County. You are a sign of God here.”

Friends from the local Presbyterian Church acknowledged after Mass that St. Mark’s has led the way celebrated during the needy in the county, a fact that was celebrated during the liturgy.

In preparation for the jubilee, contributions were collected for St. Vincent de Paul, Habitat for Humanity, and Caring and Sharing, a food pantry and clothes closet for the needy. These were placed in miniature houses and brought to the altar during the Offertory procession.

“We didn’t want our celebration to be turned inward,” explained Sister Mary Burke, SSND, pastoral assistant.

As is fitting at a birthday party, children were everywhere, a witness to the parish’s growth. Mothers held infants, toddlers escaped parental clutches, pre-teens filled out the rows of pews. The Offertory procession was led by primary school children waving handmade paper flags proclaiming, “peace,” “joy,” “love.”

St. Mark’s was established in May 1964 by Archbishop Paul Hallinan. Prior to that, as early as 1954, Catholics in Habersham County traveled 40 miles to Gainesville to attend Mass.

The first Mass was celebrated in Clarkesville in March 1961 in the Lions Club Hall. Father Gino Doniney, a Verona Missionary serving in Toccoa, Ga., was celebrant. Pete Tartaglia and John Thompson were among the 30 people present then and still recall setting up for Mass each Sunday.

“The portable altar was made of plywood. There were two heavy suitcases that would break your arms that had the vestments and all those different colored antependiums that you hung in front of the altar,” Thompson recalls. “It wasn’t easy to set up and take down chairs, kneelers ad even a confessional.” Now a permanent deacon, Thompson still serves his church community.

Since its foundation as a parish, priests of the Glenmary Home Missioners have staffed St. Mark’s. Father Alex Keenan is the present pastor. The church was completed in 1968 and Father Mert McMahon celebrated the first Mass in the building on February 4. Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan formally dedicated the building on November 24, 1968.

During Father Peterson’s years as pastor, the parish led the Clarkesville community in the ecumenical cooperation that characterizes much of St. Mark’s outreach to the needy today. Father Peter, as he is called, organized the local Habitat for Humanity chapter and was its first president. He also galvanized local clergy and led the town community in providing food and clothing in the Caring and Sharing program. Posted in St. Mark’s church hall are names and telephone numbers of a variety of skilled persons available for service: a medical doctor, veterinarian, banker, notary public, masons, home builders, to name a few.

Summarizing the dedication of St. Mark’s parishioners to their faith community, Sister Mary Burke said, “One thing about the Church in North Georgia is the people are very rooted in their local church. They are very committed to it. Some of that happens because we’re such a minority here. We have to band together. We’re real happy to celebrate 25 years together.”

Father Keenan remarked that many came together to make the celebration a success, both new and long-term parishioners.

“We received some sizeable donations for Habitat, the work of St. Vincent de Paul and Caring and Sharing. That says a lot about where people think this church is going,” Father Keenan commented. “In addition there are people who give of their time as well as their finances.”

In his closing remarks at the liturgy, Father Kennan expressed gratitude to both Archbishop Marino and Father Ruff whose presence, he felt, was a statement of support for the St. Mark’s faith community and ministry in the rural areas.