By Rita McInerney

Three years after its establishment, the parish of St. Benedict is worshiping in a handsome new building atop a hill at 11045 Parsons Road in Duluth.

The worship area is in the north wing of the first building to be constructed on the 13.5 acre property. A large, light-filled central 2,000 square-foot foyer connects this space with the south wing which houses offices, eight class and meeting rooms, and nursery. Entryways rising 23 feet from the floor to the top of the vault lead into the foyer.

For now, the parish of about 600 families worships in a large area which will become, when the church is eventually built, the parish hall. The first Mass was celebrated there for the Easter Vigil. This became possible, Father Joseph L. Peacock, pastor, said, when a building inspector for Fulton County approved the building that very day.

The pastor, recuperating from a heart attack suffered May 7, said over 100 families have registered since Easter weekend. He has baptized more than 50 babies since that time, 15 of them within one seven-day span.

He is "encouraged that every time we have Mass we have a full church. I am encouraged by the people returning to church after several years because we have a church presence. I am encouraged by the number of young adults showing an interest in the Catholic Church."

Seminarian John Howren, of the Cathedral of Christ the King parish, is assigned to St. Benedict's this summer. In his junior year of philosophy at St. Meinrad's in Indiana, he is grateful for the chance to serve in a new parish.

"It's an interesting and rewarding learning experience," with the opportunity for evangelizing, he said. He shows a pamphlet which invites newcomers and established residents to "Join the Celebration" at St. Benedict's. The pamphlet gives a capsule history of the parish, contains information about the liturgies, other sacraments and activities. It will be distributed to the offices of new subdivisions through parish territory.

The foundation for this first parish structure could only be laid after the solid rock in the hilltop was dynamited, the seminarian said. Now he is happy to be part of the formation of a parish community in its permanent home.

The elation the people feel at being together was apparent on Easter morning, Howren recalled. He found an "electrifying" atmosphere when he arrived early that morning to become acquainted with the people and place of his first assignment.

Since its establishment in 1987, St. Benedict's has worshiped in two different churches. Saturday Vigil Mass was celebrated at Pleasant Hill Presbyterian Church and Sunday Masses were celebrated at Epiphany Byzantine Catholic Church. CCD instruction was held at two other churches, Northminister Presbyterian and Alabama Road Baptist.

Father Peacock said the building will be blessed August 14, the Vigil of the Assumption.

Parishioners taking leadership roles are hopeful for the vitality of the rapidly growing congregation.

Kevin Slattery, volunteer director of religious education, has done a yeoman's job of putting together a CCD program. He anticipates between 225 and 250 families participating with between 300 and 325 children enrolled in classes from kindergarten through 12th grade.

He taught religious education for one year while the parish was still in borrowed quarters and also in Rochester, NY, before moving South.

Right now he is "keeping the faith that the Holy Ghost will supply us with enough volunteers" to make the program successful.

Angie Stokes, in charge of the religious education office, said St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Alpharetta has been helpful in getting the program organized.

Grace Cleary, president of the Women's Guild, said the women will purchase kitchen equipment with funds they are raising. In June, a garage sale brought in $1,900. This was added to $1,000 raised earlier. Another money maker, a kitchen shower and cooking demonstration, is planned for October.

The guild already has outfitted the pre-school nursery with stuffed toys and the necessary cribs, rocking chairs and rocking horses.

Mrs. Cleary is excited about the opportunity the new building offers for a full program of guild events. She is eager to show that the Catholic women's group can offer just as varied programs as the established congregations.

It was good to see how "people stayed and socialized" at the guild reception held after the First Communion held recently at the new church, she said.

The guild also sponsors a welcoming social after Masses on the first weekend of each month.

Father Peacock is pleased with volunteers who are generous with their time and talents.

Mrs. Stokes gives two days a week as church secretary along with staffing the religious education office. Rene Livernois and Margaret Strain each give one day each week as church secretary.

Mr. and Mrs. Jim Taylor are on duty one day each week answering the telephone while Mr. and Mrs. James Craig count the Sunday collection.

Thirty-eight men responded when a notice was included in the church bulletin asking for volunteers to clear fallen trees and other debris from wooded areas around the building.

Father Peacock said a large percentage of the families are young, in their 30s with two or three children and yearly incomes between $50,000 and $70,000. Many are from the Midwest, used to older established parishes where debt is in the dim past.

St. Benedict's owes the archdiocese $2 million. This includes costs of the property and the rectory about a mile distant in the Surrey Park subdivision. Father Peacock said he is hopeful that when this debt is whittled down to one million dollars, a start can be made on the church itself.

This will be built directly onto the parish hall. In fact, the high arched glass door at the Parsons Road or west end of the spacious foyer will open directly into the future church.

Already the 5,600 square-foot worship area, which seats 500 people, is filled at each of the weekend Masses with overflow accommodated in the foyer. Father Peacock said Father Terry Young, principal at St. Pius X High School, helps at weekend Masses when his schedule permits.

The large worship area is flooded with light entering through a huge window behind the altar and smaller ones along the white walls.

Chairs are of oak with seats and attached kneelers upholstered in dusty rose. The deep blue carpet is flecked in the same rose shade.

Marvin Kilgo, of Bull, Brown and Kilgo, architects for St. Benedict's, said the building design is basically of a European motif to blend with the Benedictine background of its patron saint.

Arthur Gray is building committee chairman for the parish. Builders were Beavers-Albertson of Norcross.