Georgia Bulletin

Atlanta

• For eighth year, Holy Week walk focuses on immigrants’ detention

  By NICHOLE GOLDEN, Staff Writer
  Published March 31, 2016

  ATLANTA—A Holy Week pilgrimage focusing on those being held in immigration detention centers and on their families crossed through the Archdiocese of Atlanta and stopped at several Catholic churches on March 23 and 25. Nearly 40 people, some joining mid-route, participated March 23 in one segment of the eighth annual Holy Week Pilgrimage for Immigrants […]

• Praying at city sites, Good Friday pilgrims seek deeper concern for poor

  

  By NICHOLE GOLDEN, Staff Writer
  Published March 31, 2016

  ATLANTA—More than 300 people walked a two-mile route along Atlanta’s busy city streets March 25 for the 36th annual Good Friday pilgrimage, an ecumenical journey from the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception to the Reflection Pool of the King Center. The Archdiocese of Atlanta Justice and Peace Ministries sponsors the program of prayer and reflection, […] Full Story

• Six priests celebrate golden, silver jubilees

  

  Published March 31, 2016

  ATLANTA—Six priest jubilarians were recognized at the Archdiocese of Atlanta Chrism Mass on March 22. Msgr. Francis Pham Van Phuong, pastor of Our Lady of Vietnam Church, Riverdale, is celebrating 50 years of priesthood. A native of Vietnam, he was ordained April 29, 1966, in Saigon. He came to the United States as an exchange […]

• Priests told to be icons of Christ, seeing the ‘forgotten’

  

  By ANDREW NELSON, Staff Writer
  Published March 31, 2016

  ATLANTA—Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory encouraged hundreds of priests at the annual Chrism Mass to be “ministers of compassion and mercy.” The Chrism Mass for the Archdiocese of Atlanta was a key event in Holy Week as clergymen gathered for a day of prayer and reflection leading up to Easter. Archbishop Gregory spoke on Tuesday evening, […] Full Story

• Irish priest’s Civil War heroism remembered

  

  By ANDREW NELSON, Staff Writer
  Published March 18, 2016

  ATLANTA—The Hibernian Benevolent Society of Atlanta and Atlanta civic leaders remembered and celebrated the life of Father Thomas O’Reilly whose heroics during the Civil War left an imprint on the current city of Atlanta. The civic honor of the wartime Irish pastor of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is one of the celebrations associated […]

• Restoring mind, body and community are goals of shelter yoga class

  

  By ANDREW NELSON, Staff Writer
  Published March 18, 2016

  ATLANTA—John McVay directs the dozen men sitting on mats in the downtown Atlanta gym to cross their legs. And when that’s done, he has them alternate their leg position. For these men who call Atlanta streets their home, it’s a deep stretch. Then he tells the men to slow their breath and encourages them to […] Full Story

• Pilgrimage for Immigrants to be held in Holy Week

  Published March 17, 2016

  ATLANTA—The eighth annual Holy Week Pilgrimage for Immigrants on Wednesday, March 23, is an act of faith, solidarity and hospitality. “2 Miles of Solidarity and Love” will start at Plaza Fiesta, 4166 Buford Highway, NE, Atlanta, with prayer and fellowship at 1 p.m. The walk begins with a police escort at 1:30 p.m. Walkers should […] Full Story

• Ecumenical pilgrimage offers Good Friday challenge

  Published March 17, 2016

  ATLANTA—The 36th annual Ecumenical Good Friday Pilgrimage (Urban Way of the Cross), sponsored by the Archdiocese of Atlanta Justice and Peace Ministries, will be held Good Friday, March 25, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. All are welcome to participate The pilgrimage will begin at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, located at 48 Martin […] Full Story

• Father Joseph M. Peek died March 14

  Published March 17, 2016

  ATLANTA—Father Joseph M. Peek passed away on Monday, March 14, surrounded by his parents and siblings in prayer. Father Peek was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia in February 2002, the year of his ordination to the priesthood, and underwent a bone marrow transplant in 2003. He suffered severe complications during the remaining years of his […]

• Sister says lonely work of building bridges affirmed by pope’s words

  

  By NICHOLE GOLDEN, Staff Writer
  Published March 17, 2016

  ATLANTA—Although she doesn’t keep a daily journal, when it comes to important events Sister Simone Campbell, executive director of Network, the Catholic social justice lobby, takes copious notes. Pope Francis’ address to America’s senators and representatives in Congress last September was one of those important occasions. Sister Simone, a member of the Sisters of Social […] Full Story

• St. Jude student to dance at World Irish Dance Championships

  Published March 17, 2016

  ATLANTA—Georgia Stephens, a sixth-grader at St. Jude the Apostle School, will compete as a soloist at the 2016 World Irish Dance Championships, in Glasgow, Scotland, March 21-27. She prepared for months for the international contest that combines strength, athleticism, musicality and artistry. Georgia qualified by placing in the top 10 percent of her age group […] Full Story

• Nancy Creek is centerpiece for new Marist campus trail

  Published March 17, 2016

  ATLANTA—Marist School received a donation of 200 tree saplings from Trees Atlanta, a nonprofit dedicated to replacing trees and protecting green space in the Atlanta area. The saplings were planted along Nancy Creek, where Marist School has been doing extensive work to remove invasive species. “The trees we received will grow into the banks, helping […] Full Story

• ‘24 Hours for the Lord’ offers reconciliation March 4-5

  

  Published March 3, 2016

  ATLANTA—Following are some of the parishes in the archdiocese offering “24 Hours for the Lord” on Friday, March 4, and Saturday, March 5, as part of the Year of Mercy observances. Pope Francis, in announcing the jubilee year, requested that these two days preceding the Fourth Week of Lent should offer special opportunities for people, […] Full Story

• Deacons from archdiocese view refugee crisis in Greece

  

  By NICHOLE GOLDEN, Staff Writer
  Published March 3, 2016

  ATLANTA—Refugees from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq are arriving by the thousands daily in the nation of Greece, a country struggling with its own devastated economy. Deacons Steve Swope and Bill Hampton of the Archdiocese of Atlanta are spreading the word about the plight of refugees following a nine-day trip to Greece and Serbia for Catholic […]

• Medical center jobs are breakthrough for young adults with disabilities

  

  By NICHOLE GOLDEN, Staff Writer
  Published March 3, 2016

  ATLANTA—Ryan Carroll’s favorite place to be is on the job at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. In his power wheelchair, Carroll navigates the hallways of the hospital’s Scottish Rite campus with ease and speed as he delivers lab specimens from the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center to various departments. Carroll, 26, has been a Children’s […] Full Story

• Catholic Foundation of North Georgia announces 2015 fall grant awards

  Published March 3, 2016

  ATLANTA—According to Nancy Coveny, executive director, The Catholic Foundation of North Georgia issued 36 grants totaling $85,500 for the 2015 fall grant cycle. These grants will support the Catholic community through a variety of causes within the Archdiocese of Atlanta. The Catholic Foundation attracts, professionally manages, and invests gifts to support the current and long-term […] Full Story

• Area Catholic athletes sign on to play college sports

  

  By MICHAEL ALEXANDER, Staff Photographer
  Published March 3, 2016

  ATLANTA—This year’s National Signing Day took place on Wednesday, Feb. 3. Catholic seniors in public, private and Catholic high schools joined other athletes around the country by making it official when they signed binding national letters of intent to play sports at the college or university of their choice. The list below includes area Catholic […]

• Marist student’s doodle catches the eye of Google

  

  Published March 3, 2016

  ATLANTA—Ian Otten, a Marist School seventh-grader, earned the top prize as the Georgia winner of the Doodle 4 Google, a national competition. The competition challenged students from across the country to use Google’s homepage as a canvas to doodle and show what makes them unique. Ian’s doodle was titled “My Love for Sports.” He was […] Full Story

• Holy Spirit Prep’s march toward Final Four comes to a halt

  By MICHAEL ALEXANDER, Staff Photographer
  Published March 3, 2016

  ATLANTA—Holy Spirit Prep boys basketball team and first-year coach Greg McClaire fell a game short of making the school’s second Final Four appearance in the Georgia Independent School Association Class AAA state basketball playoffs. After a 70-47 defeat Feb. 24 of Westwood School, the visiting team from the southwest Georgia city of Camilla, the only […] Full Story

• 2,044 newcomers to the church are ‘living signs of God’s fidelity’

  By ANDREW NELSON, Staff Writer
  Published February 19, 2016

  ATLANTA—On the first Sunday of Lent, 2,044 women, men and teenagers declared their intention to join the Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Atlanta at Easter, one of the largest groups the archdiocese has received. The annual Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion welcomed the catechumens and candidates on their journey leading to […] Full Story