By Susan Stevenot Sullivan, Staff Writer

PEACHTREE CITY - Father Michael L. McWhorter, 31, who several months ago celebrated the second anniversary of his priesthood, became pastor of Holy Trinity Parish’s 1600 families effective Feb. 23.

“I did not expect to be pastor of a large parish at this point,” said Father McWhorter.

Father McWhorter, who served as parochial vicar at St. John Neumann Church in Lilburn in his first assignment, was assigned to Holy Trinity as parochial vicar in September of 1994.

Following the December car accident of the previous pastor, Father William Calhoun, who remains hospitalized at Shepherd Spinal Center, Father McWhorter was named administrator of Holy Trinity.

Father McWhorter, who is a native of Stone Mountain and a graduate of St. Meinrad Seminary in Indiana, said he and Father Calhoun arrived at Holy Trinity the same day. It was the first time the growing parish had two permanently assigned priests.

His months of service at Holy Trinity will be a help, he said, in providing continuity.

“They know who I am and kind of what to expect from me,” said Father McWhorter. “I think that continuity is important.”

He is looking to his previous pastor at St. John Neumann, Father James Fennessey, for support.

“He is a wonderful pastor,” said Father McWhorter. “He can relate to pastoring a large parish in a growing community.”

“I was very fortunate in the former pastors I had,” Father McWhorter said. “Both were very open to my suggestions and recognized my love of liturgy. I didn’t have to wait to be pastor to guide the liturgy of the parish.”

“They set out for me a model of collaborative ministry which I hope to follow,” he said.

Father McWhorter said two nearby pastors, Msgr. Henry Gracz in Hapeville and Father James Caffrey, MS, in Fairburn have also offered their assistance.

Father McWhorter said the only thing that saddens his joy over his first pastorate is the tragic circumstance of Father Calhoun which led to it.

Father McWhorter is already aware of some of the long-standing issues in the parish, such as the need to expand the church, which currently seats 350 for five weekend liturgies. Blueprints have been drawn up for the expansion and some funds collected, but plans have been put on hold because of health problems of the two previous pastors, Father Calhoun because of his accident and father Edward O’Connor, who suffered a heart attack.

There is also the possibility of a mission church to be founded from Holy Trinity to address population growth in the area.

Building will not be confined to wood and concrete. Father McWhorter also has plans for spiritual expansion.

“Building up the community is important. We’ll begin the Renew program this fall,” he said. “This will help our large community break up into smaller faith groups.”

Father McWhorter spent time as a seminarian in Corpus Christ Parish, Stone Mountain, Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, Decatur, and Queen of Angels Parish, Thomson. He joined the Catholic Church when he was 20 years old through Corpus Christi Parish after a faith journey that began with baptism in the Baptist Church.

He has a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Georgia State University and a master’s in theology from St. Meinrad. He was ordained at the Cathedral of Christ the King Dec. 12, 1992 by visiting Bishop Thomas Larkin during the illness of Archbishop of James P. Lyke, OFM.