St. Ann’s Celebrates 25 Years Of Community

By PRISCILLA GREEAR, Staff Writer

Published: October 2, 2003

MARIETTA—In a role reversal, Father Bob Susann, MS, recalls the prayerful support he received from St. Ann’s Church, where he served as pastor for 13 years. He had suffered a stroke, and the support helped in his rehabilitation.

“Two years ago when I had a stroke, on Oct. 22, 2001, when I came back here I could feel the strength of the wonderful prayerful community here at St. Ann’s. … how people prayed for me and gave me the strength to carry on.”

As he awaits a new assignment, Father Susann, who was transferred from St. Ann’s in June, said that some of his most meaningful work at the Cobb County parish served by the Missionaries of Our Lady of LaSalette was done in establishing a “twinning” program with Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Wahaneta, Fla., in 1999 and in establishing St. Ann’s Life Teen program in 1991.

“The participation of the Life Teen core group, of the parents, of (others) who participate and their support, its being centered on Christ, Eucharist-centered, that’s what makes it so successful,” Father Susann said of Life Teen.

St. Ann’s Life Teen program, which is now the national parish hub for Life Teen, is what attracted Debbie Bliese to the Catholic Church. As a Lutheran she began volunteering for the youth ministry in computer support. She found the staff and volunteers to be authentically dedicated to supporting and nurturing the spiritual life of the teenagers.

“I thought, if this is what it is to be Catholic that’s what I want to be,” she said.

It led her eventually to join the parish’s 20-year-old OCIA program, which she found to be “one of the most incredible experiences” and “a real mix of spirituality and (teaching on) what it means to be Catholic.” She’s now been Catholic for two years. “This parish has really shown me what it is to be community.”

Bliese got the point of OCIA, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, said Mary Ann Fischer, director of adult faith formation and Christian initiation. “I think people are learning some really solid stuff but also understanding how important the Scripture is in their life.”

It is the sense of community and care formed in those and some 80 other ministries that makes St. Ann’s, named after the mother of Mary, a home to many of its over 4,500 families. And that care extends into the larger community, with programs such as AIDS ministry and various support groups for those in need.

Father Susann, Bliese and others joined past and present St. Ann’s members for a Mass celebrating its 25th anniversary on Sept. 21. Archbishop John F. Donoghue was the celebrant, and concelebrants were Father Joe Shaute, a former member; Father Susann; Father Ed Thein, pastor of neighboring Holy Family Parish; Father James Kuczynski, MS, vice provincial of the Missionaries of Our Lady of LaSalette, from Hartford, Conn.; and LaSalettes who previously served at St. Ann’s, Father Eugene Barrette, MS, Father John Welch, MS, Father Ronald Gagné, MS, and Father Brian Sheridan, MS. Brother Peter Collins, MS, who served in the parish’s first years, and Father James Henault, MS, pastor of St. Oliver Plunkett Church, also took part, as did parochial vicars Father Leo Cummings, MS, Father Jarek Topolewski, MS, Father Joseph Nolan, MS, and Father Gerry Baril, MS.

During the Mass the new pastor, Father Thomas Reilly, MS, was officially installed as the third pastor. Founding pastor Father Tom Carroll, MS, who died this year, served until 1991. Anniversary songs included “Family of God” written by parish music director Ed Bolduc.

“The LaSalette community has always considered itself blessed, especially in these last 25 years, for the privilege of serving this parish community at St. Ann’s,” said Father Kuczynski. Visiting the parish, “I’ve been able to see and understand what makes your parish so life-giving and dynamic. It’s what you share here together.”

In his homily Archbishop Donoghue compared anniversary celebrations to telescopes which both focus on the past and provide visions and hopes for the future. He spoke of how 27 years ago Archbishop Thomas Donnellan sent his workers out into “this field of Cobb County” to find a place for the church to be and to grow. “Today, we can sweep our telescope over 25 years of labor for the Lord, and for the Lord’s people, and see what they—see what you have done.”

They remember “the priests, servants of God and His Church, servants of Our Lady of LaSalette, who from day one, have devoted their love and their energy to the spiritual care and growth of all the parishioners at St. Ann’s, in service which cannot be surpassed, service which stands as one of the greatest gifts ever given to the Archdiocese of Atlanta,” he said. “And each of you will remember your own families and friends—you will remember births and deaths, homecomings and leave-takings, baptisms and marriages, and all of the events, happy and sad, all the activities and gatherings that surround these events of our lives—events that, in one way or another, we want to connect to God, to Jesus Christ.”

The Mass was a time to pray for the future of the parish, through which the faith will be passed down to their children and others. St. Ann’s “is a gigantic picture, that captures at once, a universal reality—the Church in the world—and at the same time, the most detailed realities of what each and every person here feels in his or her heart. It is God and man. It is the past and the future. And because of what Jesus Christ has done, it is everlasting sacrifice and eternal love,” he concluded. “Therefore, in union with our Lord’s own sacrifice and love, let us solemnly promise on this anniversary of our spiritual home, to embrace the two arms of our Lord, who reaches to us from the Cross—let us promise to sacrifice what is needed, in order to love what He has given us: each other, and all mankind. And putting the telescope of this day’s remembrance aside, let us walk confidently into the future.”

In preparation for the Eucharist, longtime members brought forward the gifts. Paul Babcock, first president of the parish council, brought up the by-laws of the parish council; Linda Field, parish office manager for over 24 years, and Claire Pringle, first parish director of religious education, brought forward the book of sacraments; Fran and Tom Cramer, who started the first youth group, brought forward the LaSalette cross; Carol and John Braun, who have been involved in construction projects, brought up the book of lists of memorials; Sue Deering, first pastoral care worker, brought up the book of the sick and their relatives; Ed Eckert, a Knights of Columbus founding member, carried wine and his wife Carolyn, one of the first women’s guild presidents, carried a guild cookbook; Kathy Mawn, first head of liturgy, and Muriel Root, first sacristan, carried bread and wine; and Ann and Joseph Shaute Sr., parents of Father Shaute, brought forward oils in thanksgiving for his ordination.

Founding member and director of pastoral care Mickie Boyle said that the book of the sick is carried up at every weekend Mass, reflecting the parish’s attempt to learn of all needs in the parish despite its size. She feels that that closeness is one of its strengths, as people, especially through small group interaction, are there for one another. “That’s the kind of community this has always been. When somebody needs help, the community enfolds them … We are a community of faith, but we’ve moved beyond just a community of faith to a family committed to each other and the entire community.”

A short slide show was shown during Mass, beginning with a picture of the horse farm on which the church was built. It “was a nice trip down memory lane and one way of remembering how we have grown not just in size and building, but we’ve grown in faith and community over the last 25 years,” Boyle said.

While the building was being constructed, the parishioners worshipped at a Methodist church. The church building was dedicated in 1981 and a balcony added in 1983, and in 1985, a parish center. The church, which seats 1,000, seems smaller and more intimate than its size, just like the parish, Boyle said.

Reaching also into the larger community, her office offers support groups for divorce, bereavement, caregivers, cancer patients and their loved ones. One of its most successful groups is its Career Quest job search support group.

“I’ve run into people in the community and mention St. Ann’s and they say, ‘Oh, they have that job networking. I used to go to that,’” she said.

And with its Mass music ranging in style from traditional and Spanish to family-oriented and contemporary, she believes there’s “a different sense” with the spirit and enthusiasm of worshippers in liturgy.

Following the Mass, members, including many converts, showed that spirit at a celebration reception as they chatted and reminisced.

Bliese was overcome with a sense that “I’m so glad I’m Catholic. It’s such a family of faith. There’s so much history … I just couldn’t contain myself.”

Carolyn Eckert said that when the first pastor, Father Tom Carroll, was there, he recognized the value of a strong women’s guild and set the right direction for it. The guild now has about 100 active members who hold a fashion show, monthly outings around Atlanta and spiritual events. While other strong women’s guilds shrink, St. Ann’s guild members hold the “Apple Annie Christmas” craft fair, begun in 1982, which has become one of the largest holiday bazaars in the Southeast. “I think the priests here recognize the value, and the women’s guild is alive today because of that.”

Another founding member, David Heath, commented that the warmth is reflected in how “people go to the parish who don’t even live around here.”

“It’s been a great ride,” he said.

He and his family had just moved to the area and were attending Holy Family when Father Carroll made an announcement about the new church. “We looked at the boundaries and we were in it.” Heath, who with his wife still meets with other parish couples with whom they made a Marriage Encounter weekend 20 years ago, recalled Father Carroll as a good builder in terms of expansion projects and welcoming the many members who relocated to Georgia.

“He created an environment where we could be family, and Father Bob came and built on that … Father Bob was more instrumental in taking risks,” he said, noting the “second-to none” youth ministry, and that the more contemporary music offered with the hiring of singer/songwriter Bolduc was uncommon at the time. In providing pastoral care upon the death of Heath’s father-in-law, Father Baril “just did an outstanding job for our family and for my wife, and for me in the hospital when I had knee surgery.”

Father Susann recalled that during his time at St. Ann’s he tried to encourage the laity to lead the church, as he brought people together “to celebrate community, to walk and grow together through the good times and the bad, through the sickness and sadness, the laughter.”

Kelly Simpson, who was helping her mother with clean-up following the reception, said she enjoys fellowship at the Life Teen liturgies and Life Nights, which stimulate her curiosity to learn “more in depth of what it’s about, how it can help me grow in faith.”

“It’s the community. It’s the people you always know that love you,” said Simpson, 14.