Members of St. Peter’s Church, LaGrange, celebrated the parish’s 75th anniversary on its feast day, June 29.  Some 400 people gathered for Mass, followed by a reception.

Father Theodore Book, the pastor, said it was wonderful to see long-time parishioners, including people there from the parish beginning, gather with former pastors and seminarians.

Also attending the event were the pastors of the Lutheran and Presbyterian churches in LaGrange.

Honored guests were presented with a parish history book that was published for the occasion, as well as a desk clock or flowers.

Priests in attendance included former pastors Father Kevin Hargaden, Father Balappa Selvaraj, Father Larry Niese and Father Eddie O’Connor, as well as former seminarians now priests Father Jack Durkin, Father Timothy Gallagher, and Father Nicholas Azar. Pastors from neighboring dioceses, Father Ronnie Madden and Father Antoo Alappat, were also there.

The celebration continues in the fall. On Sunday, Oct. 23, the parish will have a jubilee festival open to the entire community.  It will include rides, live music, food and entertainment.

More photos can be seen at the parish Facebook page.

A feast dubbed A Taste of Italy came to St. Stephen the Martyr Church, Lilburn, as part of a community fundraiser.

Members of the Knights of Columbus Council 14122, Lilburn, organized the event to assist Shawn Morse, a parishioner with cancer.

The Knights hosted a spaghetti dinner, on May 21, with all the trimmings, conducted a silent auction, raffled a color TV, and held a 50/50 drawing. Father Patrick Donaghey and the Knights presented Shawn with a check for $14,600 to help offset her medical costs.

St. Peter Claver Regional School, in Decatur, hosted an International Spring Festival in April.

The day had games, food, fun, prizes, music, dance, and a silent auction. This event promotes the half-dozen different races, cultures and ethnicities represented in the student body.

Organizers are planning for this to be an annual event at the school, said Oree Williams, the development director for the Decatur school.

Also at the April celebration, school leaders accepted a proclamation from U.S. Rep. Henry “Hank” Johnson from the Fourth District of Georgia. The proclamation outlines the school involvement in the education of young people to enhance their ability to learn and develop and the partnership for family involvement in education.

Sponsoring the event were Georgia United Credit Union; Gregory B. Levett and Sons; The Sulton Pediatric Group; Wal-Mart, Gresham Road; and Red Lobster restaurant, Candler Road.

Victims of the spring tornado in Catoosa County are getting a helping hand from the Catholic community. The St. Gerard Majella Church Men’s Club sponsored a raffle to aid the relief effort.

With only 100 tickets to sell at $25 apiece, the fundraiser sold out.

The most excited was the ticket holder, Tracey Foster, who took home $1,000.

The remaining $1,900 was given to the Catoosa Organization Acting In Disaster for victims who have exhausted all other means of assistance. Contributions for another $400 bumped up the donation, which was accepted by Phil Ledbetter, coordinator of COAD.

According to a report from the Fort Oglethorpe parish, folks liked supporting the raffle to donate to the cause knowing the money would help neighbors, instead of giving money to large national organizations.