St. Anthony’s Celebrates Centennial Anniversary

By ERIKA ANDERSON, Staff Writer

Published: October 2, 2003

ATLANTA—In its long and unique history, St. Anthony’s Church has proven the theme of its centennial celebration. The community has indeed “come this far by faith.”

On Sunday, Sept. 21, parishioners old and new, current and former, gathered in the historic West End church for a Mass to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the parish’s dedication.

Gold banners hung from the podiums reading “Praise the Lord” and “100 Years.”

Parishioners settled in excitedly, greeting old friends and former pastors, filling the church to standing room only capacity.

The Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies’ Auxiliary processed into the church, as the choir led the congregation in singing “We’ve Come This Far by Faith.”

In the procession, former and current parishioners brought forth items to represent St. Anthony’s vast 100-year history.

Members brought banners representing the past, present and future of St. Anthony’s, the chalice of the first pastor, Father O.N. Jackson, and candlesticks used at St. Anthony’s first Mass. Sister Mary John Dillard, a Sister of St. Joseph, carried the Baltimore Catechism, representing the years the order taught students at St. Anthony School.

One of the first African-American parishioners, Willie Mae Thomas, carried forth “Atlanta: Triumph of a People,” which documents the contributions of African-Americans to Atlanta, as well as those of St. Anthony’s founding families.

Pastoral council president Rudy Cadney brought forth the parish’s strategic plan in the procession, followed by Carmen Prejean, representing her husband, Charles Prejean, executive director of the archdiocesan Office for Black Catholic Ministry.

Also in the procession were Miles Harris, president of the Newman Club at Lyke House—the Catholic Center at Atlanta University, and Rock Anderson, vice-chair of the parish finance council, who carried a basket of fruit and bread, symbolizing the time, talent and tithes of St. Anthony parishioners of the past 100 years.

Msgr. Paul Reynolds, vicar general, celebrated the Mass as a representative of Archbishop John F. Donoghue, who could not attend. Several priests concelebrated the Mass, including Msgr. Hugh Marren, beloved former pastor, now pastor of St. Benedict’s Church in Duluth, who gave the homily. Retired Episcopal Bishop Judson Child was also in attendance.

With his trademark Irish wit, Msgr. Marren said he felt “privileged and honored” to speak at the Mass. He joked that though he had spent hours working on sermons while serving as pastor from 1994-99, it wasn’t his words that parishioners remembered most.

“I have never, ever had one of you come up to me and tell me you miss my sermons,” he said. “Instead, you say to me, ‘Oh, we sure do miss your Irish coffee, Father.’”

For Msgr. Marren, the fondness is mutual.

“I can tell you, that as much as you miss your Irish coffee, you don’t miss it half as much as I miss St. Anthony’s,” he said. “Some of the happiest and most joyful years of my life as a priest have been here at St. Anthony’s.”

As he reflected on the history of St. Anthony’s, Msgr. Marren said it wasn’t money that kept the original parishioners going.

“They had a deep faith in their hearts though not much money in their pockets,” he said. “And that is what kept them going.”

The idea of building a Catholic church in the West End was conceived in 1902 by Esther LaRose Harris, wife of Joel Chandler Harris, the author of the well-known “Uncle Remus” stories. Together with a group of women who met at her house, she formed the Catholic Ladies Aid Society, a group that convinced church leaders to establish a church in the West End.

The first Mass in the parish was celebrated on the feast of St. Anthony, June 13, 1903, in the home of Mr. and Mrs. George Corley. Representing 24 families, 55 men, women and children attended the Mass. The parish was formally dedicated on Sept. 20, 1902, at a Mass celebrated by Bishop Benjamin Keily of the Diocese of Savannah.

The parish soon began to outgrow the house it had purchased on a lot that straddled Gordon and Ashby Streets. In 1911, ground was broken and a cornerstone laid for the basement of the new St. Anthony Church. The present church building was dedicated on Jan. 15, 1924.

St. Anthony School opened in 1912 with two Sisters of Mercy teaching first and second grades. In 1917, the first school building was replaced when a parishioner gave the parish a building located on the site of the present school building. In the same year, the Sisters of St. Joseph began to instruct St. Anthony’s students. The school closed in 2001.

St. Anthony’s was the third Catholic community to be established in the Archdiocese of Atlanta and now has over 600 members.

Msgr. Marren said that it was the early parishioners who paved the way, reminding the congregation that during the time of St. Anthony’s establishment, the Titanic was the talk of the town.

“It was the unsinkable ship. But where is the Titanic today? And where is St. Anthony’s?” he asked the congregation. “St. Anthony’s is sailing the seas of life, despite the storms it’s weathered, despite the hurricanes. What’s the difference between the Titanic and St. Anthony’s? St. Anthony’s isn’t built on steel or concrete or bricks. It was built on the rock of faith.”

He reminded the community that the church is more than a building.

“St. Anthony’s is not about this building, it’s about you. If you moved to another building, St. Anthony’s would move with you, and this building would become something else,” he said. “It is you, the people, who are the heart and soul of what we know as St. Anthony’s.”

At the conclusion of Mass, current pastor Father Anthony Curran expressed his disappointment that he was not able to celebrate with the congregation.

“I lament that I could not be here in full to celebrate with you all today. I so wanted to be,” he said, adding that he had been sick with the flu for the past few days.

Msgr. Reynolds also addressed the congregation and conveyed the archbishop’s congratulations.

“He also wanted me to express his gratitude for what you do for this community and for the Archdiocese of Atlanta,” he said, adding that he had heard of the deep faith of the people of St. Anthony’s. “But it’s been a blessing, seeing for myself the beauty of this community.”

Following the Mass, a picnic was held on the property of St. Anthony’s School, which is now a charter school.

Sister Dillard, CSJ, who represented her order in the procession, was baptized at St. Anthony’s Church as an infant.

“I have always loved coming here (to St. Anthony’s). I really love the worship and the joy and the participation,” she said. “I’m really glad to be a part of it, and I’m very proud to (have been baptized here).”

Brendel Stewart has been a parishioner of St. Anthony since 1969. She and her husband moved to Atlanta from New Orleans with their twin daughters. They had two more children, and the family considers St. Anthony’s its home.

“The nucleus of our family is here,” she said, adding that her children and their children still attend the parish. “The people here are wonderful. It’s great to know that you can have so many different people here, but we all work together as a family.”

She said that it is awe-inspiring to look back on St. Anthony’s 100 years.

“It’s amazing to think that this church has been here, celebrating, converting Catholics all these years,” she said. “It’s just wonderful.”

Rachel Bailey’s life history is entwined with St. Anthony’s history. She has been a parishioner since 1931 and attended St. Anthony School from first through ninth grade. Her house sits just behind the property of the school, with just a gate between them. Bailey, 79, walks to church every Sunday.

“St. Anthony’s has meant everything to me,” she said. “It has been the center of my life.”

Bailey has a reputation as the parish historian and has been writing brief columns reflecting on the history of the parish for the church bulletin.

“This church makes you feel like family,” she said. “Over the years, I have been to other churches that were maybe more beautiful, but St. Anthony’s is home.”