The Senate of Priests in the Archdiocese of Atlanta, beginning its third year choose new Officers for the coming year at its regular monthly meeting held last Friday, at the Department of Education building on Ivy Street N.E.

Succeeding the Rev. John F. McDonough, pastor of Holy Spirit Parish, will be the Rev. R. Donald Kieran, pastor of St. Jude’s Parish in Sandy Springs. Former president, Rev. Walter J. Donovan, pastor of Most Blessed Sacrament Parish in South West Atlanta, was elected to the office of vice president succeeding Father Kiernan, who served two years in that post. The pastor of St. John Vianney Parish in Austell, Rev. William Hoffman, was elected secretary-treasurer, the post being previously held by Rev. Michael A. Morris, who is presently the secretary of the National Federation of Priests.

FATHER HOFFMAN

Father William Hoffman studied at St. Bernard’s Seminary in Alabama and the North American College in Rome, Italy before being ordained in Rome, on December 21, 1961. His first assignment in the Archdioceses of Atlanta was as assistant pastor of Our Lady of the Assumption parish in North Atlanta. This assignment was followed by his being named principal of Drexel High School. When Drexel High was consolidated with another high school in the Atlanta area, Father Hoffman was named chaplain of the Newman Club at Atlanta’s Emory University. Last summer Father Hoffman became pastor of St. John Vianney Church in Austell.

FATHER DONOVAN

Father Walter Donovan studied at St. Bernard’s Seminary in Rochester N.Y., and received a master’s degree from the Catholic University School of Social Work. Following Father Donovan’s ordination on July 1, 1944, he was assigned to the Cathedral in Savannah. This assignment was followed by his being named pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Dublin, and pastor of St. Joseph’s Church in Athens. Following World War II, Father Donovan directed the resettlement of over 150 displaced families in Georgia, and became the founding pastor of Most Blessed Sacrament parish in Southwest Atlanta. For a number of years Father Donovan was the diocesan director of Catholic Charities. He was elected the first president of the Senate of Priests in the archdiocese.

FATHER KIERNAN

Father Kiernan studied at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Maryland prior to being Ordained on May 4, 1949. He served as assistant pastor of the Cathedral in Savannah, and the Immaculate Conception Church in Atlanta. Father Kiernan has been pastor of churches in Monroe, LaGrange, Cedartown, Gainesville, and St. Anthony’s Parish in Atlanta. Father Kiernan’s present assignments include acting editor of the Georgia Bulletin, a member of the Archdiocesan Board of Consultors, the Archdiocesan Board of Education, priest-secretary of the Board of Communications and pastor of St. Jude’s Church in Sandy Springs.