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By Erika Anderson
Staff Writer
LILBURN--The celebration is twofold for parishioners of St. Stephen the
Martyr Church, who broke ground for their first church the day after it
officially became a parish.
“These are exciting days,” said Father Paddy Donaghey, the first
pastor of the newly named parish. “They really are. Everyone is just
waiting and anxious.”
Archbishop John F. Donoghue declared the mission of St. John Neumann Church
in Lilburn an official parish on June 24. On June 25, parishioners broke ground
for their first church.
Plans for the new $2.4 million project include a church, with seating for
500 people, eight classrooms, parish offices, a nursery and a fellowship hall.
Architects CDH Partners and contractors JTV are working to design and construct
the L-shaped building.
Father Donaghey said that the archdiocese has projected significant growth
in his parish. The church currently has about 360 families registered and the
archdiocese predicts that that number could reach close to 1,200 families over
the next few years. When the parish outgrows the church currently under
construction, it will eventually become a fellowship hall and a larger church
will be built, according to Father Donaghey.
In 1995, the archdiocese purchased 15.7 acres on the corner of Wydella and
Rockbridge roads to build the new mission. Approximately 300 people gathered on
Sept. 17, 1995, for the mission’s first Mass at nearby Parkview High
School. Father James Fennessy, pastor of St. John Neumann, was the main
celebrant.
For the first four months of the mission’s existence only one Sunday
Mass was celebrated each week. In January 1996, a second Mass was added to
allow for the needs of the growing community. Since the congregation cannot
hold liturgies at the high school during the week, holy day Masses are also
celebrated at Horis Ward Funeral Home in Mountain Park or at St. John Neumann.
Daily Masses are held in the basement of the rectory, located on the same
property as the new church.
Parishioners have participated in the design of the new church, which will
feature several pieces from Canadian sculptor Timothy Shmalz and includes a
statue of a kneeling Mary in a pro-life memorial garden. With a parishioner-led
building committee and interior design committee, Father Donaghey said that
anticipation for the opening of the church, which could be finished as early as
May, is high.
“Everyone is excited and they are really, truly waiting,” he said.
“People are extremely active here. We really do have great participation
and people are trying to make it their parish, as much as possible, through
their involvement. They are very spiritual people as well.”
Father Donaghey, who was assigned as the priest-in-charge of the mission in
1996, said that parishioners now feel a sense of ownership toward St.
Stephen’s, and the pastor is also glad that he no longer has to divide his
loyalties between St. John Neumann and St. Stephen’s.
The parish will begin an Order of Christian Initiation for Adults program
this year as well as add religious education classes for special needs children
to its existing religious education program. Father Donaghey is looking forward
to leading his parish into the new millennium and believes that the church has
been blessed by an exceptional group of parishioners.
“There is a tremendous family sense within this parish,” he said.
“The people are absolutely wonderful.”
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