BY KATHI STEARNS

Staff Writer

ATLANTA--The triumphant notes of a trumpet soared through the church of St. Paul of the Cross as the 40th anniversary of its establishment was celebrated Sunday, Oct. 22.

The anniversary Mass brought together Passionist priests who have served in the parish, former principals and students of St. Paul of the Cross School, and founding and current parish members who have witnessed the accomplishments of this faith community. The theme of the celebration was "Who Will Follow In My Steps?"

Five of the 15 original members in attendance led the call to worship and signaled that the celebration of the Mass should begin. Four teens performed a liturgical dance before the altar while it was being prepared for the Mass.

The pure white altar cloth was also partially draped with a colorful African-American cloth. The bright flowers surrounding the altar gave it a magnificent appearance for this most significant occasion.

As the choir sang, "Lift High the Cross," colorful banners representing the 23 organizations and ministries of St. Paul of the Cross were raised to adorn the sanctuary and aisles of the church, located at 551 Harwell Road in northwest Atlanta.

The Mass was concelebrated by Father Richard Burke, CP, Father Thomas Brislin, CP, Father Gregory Paul, CP, Father Colman Haggerty, CP, Father Alphonsus Coen, CP, Father Emmanuel Gardon, CP, Father Michael Greene, CP, and Father Melvin Shorter, CP, pastor. The Very Reverend Robert Joerger, CP, provincial, presided at the anniversary Mass.

The first Scripture reading was given by James Hawkins. Giovanni Thurman, Elizabeth Christian and Brother Terrence Skorka, CP, combined their voices for the second reading. The Gospel was proclaimed by Deacon Hilliard Lee.

During his homily Father Shorter challenged the congregation to follow in the footsteps of Christ and his disciples.

"When He sent them out as missionaries to heal, to preach and to cast out demons, He said, 'Don't rely on your provisions, rely on God's provisions; go in faith unencumbered,'" Father Shorter said. "Today He gives the same instruction to all of us. Venture forth empowered by the Holy Spirit and under the Father's authority. Heal broken hearts. Bring my message of hope to the single parent, to the abused, to the confused and depressed, to the underemployed and the unemployed. Cast out the evil of injustice, prejudice, rejection and poverty."

He reminded the congregation that Jesus isn't asking his followers to do anything He has not already done. "He is our model," Father Shorter said. "He came as a poor man among the poor, a homeless one among the homeless, a rejected one to the outcast. He identified with those He came to serve and (to) heal by being one of them."

Father Shorter asked the congregation to let go of fear. "Our history as African-Americans is one rich in overcoming fears," he said, "a history rich in enduring the hardships and sufferings of life because we have a traditional pattern of trusting in God. We have been led by faith and guided by the word of God."

"Whatever segment of our history from 1619 and beyond we select, (we will find that ) there have always been those who sometimes stumbled, but refused to fall; bent, but refused to break; tired, but refused to quit. There were those who were burdened but unbowed. Historically we struck out with little more than a nickel or a nail in our pockets, and we rose against the odds to stand as giants in our time."

Father Shorter said that it is only by opening one's heart and mind to the will of God that African-Americans have been able to transcend their suffering.

"It is in Jesus Christ that we have been renewed and have found courage to live on and to work against hatred, persecution and oppression of all peoples," he said.

"I challenge you to open your hearts and minds to the will of God by asking him to order our steps. For if we let God order our steps there is no need to fear where the Lord will lead us. Order my steps in your world, dear Lord. Then I will know who will follow in my steps."

Throughout his homily Father Shorter asked the congregation, "Who will follow in my steps?" They responded in unison, "I will follow." At the conclusion of his homily the congregation broke into resounding applause, exclaiming, "Amen," and "He is Lord."

"That was the best homily Father Shorter has ever given," said lector Elizabeth Christian. "I've heard him give him some good ones but nothing like this before. His homily was directed at each member of the congregation to carry the message of Jesus."

After the homily Father Joerger asked the congregation to recommit themselves to the service and ministry of St. Paul of the Cross. He then blessed water symbolic of baptism and processed through the church, sprinkling the congregation. He then asked the parishioners to pray for the pastoral team which ministers to the parishioners of St. Paul of the Cross.

Music played an important role in the celebration. African-American songs such as "Tu Ma Mina," and "Order My Steps," moved numerous members of the congregation to tears. Some parishioners stood with arms outstretched during meditative songs, caught up in the wondrous presence of God's love. Parishioners clapped as they sang the "Amen" and "On Earth An Army Is Marching." Silence overtook the church as soloist Jeanne Brown McDonald sang, "Blessed Assurance" after Communion. Even young participants held their "Lead Me, Guide Me" hymnals giving praise to their Lord.

"We wanted to use music that might touch the spirit of each person worshipping in our church today," said parishioner Jackie Chandler. In November 1954 the formal announcement of the establishment of St. Paul of the Cross Parish was made at all Masses at Our Lady of Lourdes in Atlanta. At the time Lourdes was the only Catholic parish serving members of the African-American community.

In January 1955 Father Emmanuel Trainor, CP, first pastor of St. Paul of the Cross, took up residence at 29 West Lake Ave., the temporary parish rectory. The first Mass was celebrated Jan. 20, 1955, in the rectory basement. In September 1958, St. Paul of the Cross School opened with five grades and was staffed by five nuns from the Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden, Pa. A solemn blessing and dedication of St. Paul of the Cross Church was held Oct. 23, 1960. In 1989 the last eighth grade class graduated from St. Paul of the Cross School.

John Kelly graduated from St. Paul of the Cross School in 1964. "Today was a homecoming for me," said Kelly. "It brought back all the memories of when we prayed and worshipped together." Currently a parishioner at Immaculate Conception Shrine in Atlanta, Kelly was so moved by the anniversary celebration that he decided to return to the parish of his youth. "I'm coming back," he said. "It is time to go home. God smiled on this parish today. No doubt about it."

A comprehensive journal assembled to mark the anniversary is a record of the racial struggles that many parishioners have experienced during the past 40 years.

For example, parishioner Charlayne Hunter, now journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault, was one of the first two students of African-American descent to integrate the University of Georgia in 1961. She attended classes two days before a riot broke out and it was necessary to remove her from the campus. Throughout the ordeal she held a small statue of Mary which had been given to her by one of the sisters. Later, armed with a court order she was allowed to return to school.

As recently as 1988 a dummy with a black face was found tied to the parish mail box. A rope around the neck of the doll held a sign reading, 'White Power.' The incident was reported to the NAACP. In May of that year Archbishop Eugene Marino, SSJ, the first African-American archbishop in the U.S., was installed in Atlanta.

"We felt that it was necessary for people to know where we started and where we are now," said Jackie Chandler, who helped compile the document. "To illustrate the rich history of St. Paul of the Cross we outlined the struggles along with the successes."

Therefore, those who successfully broke through racial barriers are also documented in the journal. In June 1962 a letter from Atlanta Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan ordered the desegregation of the parochial school system at all grade levels. That same year Michael Yancey became the first African-American student to be accepted at the Marist Military School. The ordination of Father William Calhoun, the first African-American priest ordained for the Archdiocese of Atlanta, followed in 1963. Michael Gaines, a parishioner and graduate of St. Paul of the Cross, was the first black youth from Georgia to be accepted at West Point Military Academy in 1969. In 1982 Emmut Jones, an alumnus of St. Paul of the Cross School, was the first parishioner to graduate from West Point.

In addition to messages from President Bill Clinton, Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell, Georgia Gov. Zell Miller, U.S. Rep. John Lewis, U. S. Senators Sam Nunn and Paul Coverdell, there are more than 70 pages of congratulatory notices from neighbors, parishioners and local businesses which fill the back of the anniversary journal.

Pope John Paul II bestowed an apostolic blessing on the parish, while the Most Reverend Jose Agustin Orbegozo, CP, the superior general of the Congregation of the Passion, Father Joerger and Archbishop John F. Donoghue sent messages of congratulations.

"I don't know if I'll ever get to heaven," Father Shorter said. "But I know I've experienced a bit of it during my time at St. Paul of the Cross."