By Rita McInerney

The Claretians who will assume care of Corpus Christi parish, Stone Mountain in June, 1992, are members of a congregation founded by St. Anthony Claret in Spain in 1849.

A missionary, Claret preached, taught, organized and counseled throughout Spain, the Canary Islands and Cuba. He struggled for the freedom of slaves, to establish credit unions for the poor and to work on all levels to help people know the peace and freedom to which God calls everyone.

The Claretians of the Eastern Province headquartered in Chicago, number about 45 priests, according to Father Mark Brummel, CMF, editor of Claretian publications. In a telephone interview with The Georgia Bulletin, he said the province, during a “long” discerning process more than a year ago, agreed to try and develop new ministries in the southern United States, an area where priests are needed.

“It was seen as an opportunity for some of our priests who like parish work,” the Claretian said. The moderate climate was also a consideration for some of the older priests.

An ad hoc committee was set up and wrote letters telling of the congregation’s availability to a number of dioceses in the South. The Atlanta archdiocese was among the first to show interest, Father Brummel said.

Through a “winnowing process” where the needs of the dioceses for priests and the needs of the Claretians for parish communities were studied, the committee narrowed the field to Biloxi, Miss., Memphis, Tenn., and Atlanta. Atlanta was the “clear choice,” Father Brummel said.

Father John Adamski, chairman of the archdiocesan Clergy Personnel Board, served as liaison between Archbishop James P. Lyke, OFM, and the Claretians. He said the congregation was “looking to diversify their existing ministries.” After an exchange of correspondence, a team visited here.

The order’s members have the experience of working in multicultural situations, and this “seemed to fit with our needs,” Father Adamski said. The archbishop, he added, sees Corpus Christi parish as “an increasingly multicultural situation.”

Father Adamski, pastor at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in downtown Atlanta, said he was told that there are some younger men in the order who are interested in such a parish community as Corpus Christi.

The crucial need to have the support of the entire religious community was realized when the Claretians “overwhelmingly chose to come to Atlanta. I hope this augurs well for the future,” Father Adamski commented.

He expects the Claretians will take up their new assignment at the time the June reassignments of priests are made.

Since its founding in 1970, Corpus Christi has had three pastors. The founding pastor, Father Joseph Beltran, was succeeded by Father Thomas Kenny, who was pastor for 13 years. Father Leo Herbert was named pastor in June, 1990 when Father Kenny was named rector at the Cathedral of Christ the King.

The Stone Mountain parish has approximately 2,700 registered households, making it the fifth largest in the archdiocese. St. Ann’s in Marietta is the largest, followed by St. John Neumann, Lilburn, All Saints, Dunwoody and Christ the King, Atlanta.

Announcement of the forthcoming change was made at all Masses Sunday, Feb. 2. Staff and parish lay leaders had been informed by Father Herbert the previous week.

Variety is the word for the Claretians’ endeavors. According to information furnished by Father Brummel the eastern province members are engaged in serving immigrants, youth ministry, social justice programs, the elderly, foreign missions and publishing.

They staff four parishes in the Chicago area, one each in Perth Amboy and Lakewood, N.J., and Springfield, Mo. Their pastoral teams include Religious sisters, laity and permanent deacons. They encourage active parish councils.

Outreach to youth is a special priority. Along with active youth ministries in the parishes, they work on college campuses and sponsor volunteers who lead summer programs for children.

Members work with refugees, the homeless, in health care and housing. The Claretian Social Development Fund makes grants to a variety of projects helping the poor develop at a grass-roots level. The order provided seed money and leadership for the building of the Claretian Medical Center of South Chicago and later expanded to a second clinic in the Roseland area in the same section of the city.

The order built a 53-unit apartment house for senior citizens on the southeast side of Chicago. Its purpose is to help elderly people stay in the neighborhood where they have their roots. Villa Guadalupe is directly opposite the Claretian parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Claretians publish two highly regarded monthly magazines, U.S. Catholic and Salt. The former is a frequent prizewinner for timely articles by professionals and its contemporary graphics. Salt has as its focus the social justice aspect of the modern world’s issues. Several newsletters also are published in both English and Spanish.

Father Daniel Drinan, acting provincial of the Eastern Province, said the appeal of Atlanta, the warmth and enthusiasm of Archbishop Lyke when he invited the order to “seriously consider” coming here were factors in the decision.

An all-congregation meeting was held about two weeks ago, he said, “to review options. We always try to use the model of consensus. All approved” although there was “some fear because of the size of the parish. Most see it as a wonderful opportunity.”

He explained that the order has been mainly involved in working in inner-city Hispanic parishes and felt that a number of Claretians were looking forward to working with a predominantly English-speaking parish.

Corpus Christi, he said, with its vitality and varied ministries, offers the Claretians “a great opportunity to serve the Church.”