By Sy Reitman

Over 600 parishioners watched as Archbishop Eugene A. Marino, SSJ, anointed their new altar with chrism at the dedication of the Holy Cross Church in Chamblee and installed their new pastor at a special Saturday evening Mass Sept. 9. With the words “we now bless this altar and anoint this building,” he brought to fruition a dream of over 20 years for the parish community.

Archbishop Marino in his homily spoke about the meaning of the Eucharist for the community and the significance of coming together that day to “celebrate the sacred mysteries of our faith for the very first time” in the new building.

He thanked the parishioners for their sacrifices and willingness to work together “to make this church a reality. It is important” he pointed out, “that this building is a beautiful structure. More important is who it is that gathers here and what it is we come to celebrate. I urge you to continue making this place sacred by the mysteries you celebrate here.”

He asked the community “to reach out to those without faith, who have no hope, and share, with confidence, the hope that you have.”

Archbishop Marino thanked Father Dan Shanahan, departing pastor, for his leadership and extended thanks to the Dominican Order of Preachers that has provided the parish with its priests for many years.

Among the 18 priest who concelebrated the Mass was Father Paul Philibert, O.P., prior provincial of the Dominican Province of St. Martin de Porres, other Dominicans who served at Holy Cross and priests of the Atlanta archdiocese.

The archbishop expressed his gratitude to the parish building and finance committees and “all the people of the parish whose work and effort were brought to fruition today.”

As the rite of dedication began the archbishop received the door key from Rick Cylc, chairman of the building committee, and passed it to the pastor, who unlocked the door.

Following his homily and the Litany of the Saints, Archbishop Marino deposited relics of three saints in the altar. These were Saints Sixtus, a pope martyred around 125 A.D.; Saint Maurus, six century abbot and companion of St. Benedict, and St. John Leonardi, a 16^th century priest responsible for founding the forerunner to today’s Society for the Propagation of the Faith.

He then anointed the altar and walls with chrism as a visible symbol of Christ, assisted by 12 of the priests participating in the Mass.

The gifts were brought to the altar by members of the building committee prior to celebration of the Eucharist.

Father Edward E. Everitt, O.P., pastor, received the key to the church and the Book of Gospels from the archbishop with the advice to “keep in mind that you are a preacher of the Word.”

Father Everitt was educated at the Aquinas Institute in St. Louis, Mo. and did graduate work at East Texas State University. His background includes many years of college level teaching and campus ministries. His most recent assignment was director of the office of clergy development on the staff of the archbishop of San Antonio, Texas.

Father Everitt thanked Father Shanahan for bringing to completion the new church first proposed during the pastorate of Father Alberto Rodriguez, who came from his parish in Miami to participate in the Mass.

The new 22,000-square-foot building contains not only the church, but also a large indoor gathering area, a new daily chapel and a reservation chapel where oils for anointing the sick will be kept.

Stained white oak chairs and pews seat 750 persons in an amphitheater arrangement facing the altar. The altar is of imported Italian white marble matched by marble facing on the ambo.

The overall interior effect is a natural wood appearance enhanced by natural lighting from the overhead windows in the clerestory areas above the church.

The 40- by 60-foot daily chapel is located on a lower level of the indoor gathering area. The entrance to this area adjoins a 72-foot-long canopy covered vehicle drop off.

Designed by architect James Barker of Barker, Cunningham and Barrington, the building stands 54 feet high at the top of the 36-foot diameter cupola atop the domed roof. From the floor of the church to top of the steeple is 111 feet.

People with disabilities enter the new church from the canopied drop off or from a mildly sloping concrete ramp from the courtyard formed by the three interconnected buildings. The hearing impaired may request one of the newly purchased FM receivers with earphones.

The new church was built by Dave Martin, owner of T.D.M. and Associates, Inc. Actual construction took only 13 months and cost under $2 million.

Prior to dedication of its first church building, Holy Cross parish had been constructed for multipurpose use. The area formerly used as a church will now be converted into a parish hall.

The Holy Cross community actually began as a mission under the auspices of St. Thomas More Church in Decatur in 1956. It later was transferred to Immaculate Heart of Mary parish and became known as St. Francis de Sales Mission. The parish of Holy Cross was established in 1964.

Sy Reitman is a member of Holy Cross parish.