MANCHESTER – St. Elizabeth Seton Mission held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new multipurpose building Sunday, Oct. 23.

The building site will be the first Catholic church in Meriwether County. The mission was established in April 1969. Over the years members have met at various locations. The proposed building will contain a multipurpose room, three classrooms, a kitchen and a pastor’s study. Construction is expected to begin in December and be completed before Easter 1995. The architect is Ron Stotser of Columbus.

Groundbreaking coordinator Terri Mattocks greeted the over 100 parishioners from St. Elizabeth’s, county officials and other local priests.

Rev. David Beville, pastor of the Manchester-Warm Springs Presbyterian Church, gave the invocation.

Father Thomas Gilroy, former priest in charge of the Manchester mission, and Father Kevin Boland, St. Anne Pacelli Catholic Church, Columbus, were also in attendance.

The youth choir from St. Peter’s Church, LaGrange, offered a musical selection before Father John Kieran, pastor, offered the prayer of dedication.

Father Kieran told those in attendance that the new church building would be debt free once completed because of their own contributions and the generosity of parishioners at All Saints, Dunwoody; Holy Trinity, Peachtree City; St. Thomas Aquinas, Alpharetta; St. Andrew, Roswell; St. Catherine’s, Kennesaw, and St. Peter’s.

Three shovels with ribbons tied to their handles were used to do the official groundbreaking. Those participating included Commissioners Norma Phillips and Harrison Bray, representing the county, parishioners Phil White, representing the building committee, Lorna Meier, representing the women’s council, Abby Child, representing the youth, Louise Lovelace, representing the parish seniors and Father Kieran.

The church will be built on Highway 41 at Bussey’s Crossroads between Manchester and Warm Springs.