Georgia Bulletin

Clayton

• Memorial garden at St. Helena offers sacred space

  

  Published August 4, 2017

  CLAYTON—The completed columbarium/memorial garden at St. Helena Church in Clayton was dedicated earlier this year on April 2. Bishop Luis R. Zarama presided at the Mass of dedication, concelebrated by the church’s pastor, Father Pedro Poloche. Following the Mass, a formal dedication and blessing of the columbarium and garden was conducted at the site. The […] Full Story

• St. Helena elevated to parish status; Father Poloche named pastor

  

  By NICHOLE GOLDEN, Staff Writer
  Published September 4, 2015

  CLAYTON—Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory, in a June 24 decree, elevated the St. Helena Mission in Clayton to the status of a parish. Father Pedro Poloche, former judicial vicar of the Metropolitan Tribunal, will serve as St. Helena’s pastor. It is his first pastorate. “I’m so excited and not afraid to admit it,” said Father Poloche. […] Full Story

• Clayton’s St. Helena receives OCP grant

  Published February 20, 2014

  St. Helena Church, in Clayton, has received a $2,000 grant from Oregon Catholic Press publishing house. Ron Schuessler, who serves on the parish finance council, said the parish grant will pay to update school of religion materials, including those for youth religious education and RCIA classes. Teachers will have access to new DVDs, CDs, textbooks and […] Full Story

• New parish life center dedicated at St. Helena’s

  

  By MARILYN CALLAHAN, Special to the Bulletin
  Published July 4, 2013

  CLAYTON—In early June, Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory dedicated the new parish life center at St. Helena Church following the bilingual Mass for the feast of Corpus Christi at 11 a.m. Father Jose Luis Hernandez and Father Alvara Avendano, administrator of the mission, assisted at the dedication. In his homily, Archbishop Gregory spoke of food in […] Full Story

• St. Helena Dedicates New Church, Despite Fire

  

  By STEPHEN O'KANE, Staff Writer
  Published September 3, 2009

  For 10 years he shepherded St. Helena Church, but on Aug. 23 Bishop-elect Luis Zarama joined Atlanta Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory, visiting priests and the whole community to dedicate its new church building. St. Helena, a mission of St. Mark Church in Clarkesville, was doubly joyous to celebrate the dedication Mass because the original date […] Full Story

• ‘We All Are Impacted,’ Archbishop Tells Clayton Catholics

  

  By ANDREW NELSON, Staff Writer
  Published April 9, 2009

  Hundreds of parishioners of St. Helena Church crowded the Civic Center in Clayton on Sunday, April 5, to celebrate Palm Sunday. In a show of solidarity with the Catholic community, Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory led the congregation—more than 400 strong—in the Mass, as the faithful held palm leaves to mark the start of Holy Week […] Full Story

• Arson Caused St. Helena Church Fire

  By ANDREW NELSON, Staff Writer
  Published March 19, 2009

  Fire investigators have blamed arson for the March 1 fire that gutted the new St. Helena Church as it was nearing completion. A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered for tips leading to the arrest and conviction of the arsonist that caused the damage to the church building at 137 Meadow Stream Lane, […] Full Story

• Fire Mars Nearly Completed Clayton Church

  By ANDREW NELSON, Staff Writer
  Published March 13, 2009

  An early morning fire on March 1 damaged a new church being built for St. Helena Mission just as parishioners hoped to be settling into it. Church members planned to leave their 1960s-era church building for the new 250-seat sanctuary on Meadow Stream Lane next month. Now it may not happen until the fall. “It’s […] Full Story

• Ceremony ‘Tops Off’ New Clayton Church

  Published November 20, 2008

  Onlookers watched Oct. 22 as a shiny new steeple and cross were placed at the top of the new church now being built to replace St. Helena’s current church building. Those in attendance for the topping off ceremony included parishioners, workmen, architect George Hlavenka and contractors from Ron Cantrell Construction, Inc. A topping off ceremony […] Full Story

• Groundbreakings Signal Growth In North Georgia

  By ANDREW NELSON, Staff Writer
  Published April 17, 2008

  On a recent Sunday, some 100 people filled the parish hall at St. Helena Church, Clayton, straining to listen and watch Mass on a large screen TV as the sound from the stereo speakers faded in and out. A year from now, the parishioners of this small country parish in the North Georgia mountains, near […] Full Story

• Civic Center Mass Honors St. Helena

  Published September 6, 2007

  Catholics in the scenic mountain town of Clayton, situated between the Tennessee and North and South Carolina borders, gathered to celebrate the feast day of St. Helena on Sunday, Aug. 19, with a bilingual Mass at 11 a.m. at the Rabun County Civic Center. The Mass was celebrated by St. Helena Mission’s pastor, Father Abel […] Full Story

• Mountain Church Gives Archbishop Warm Welcome

  By BUD and JOAN ATTONITO, Special Contributors
  Published October 6, 2005

  On Sunday, Aug. 28, on a beautiful, clear day in the northeast Georgia mountain town of Clayton, nearly 400 people gathered for a truly special occasion. Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory celebrated an outdoor bilingual Mass for the parishioners of St. Helena Church and their visitors. The setting for this, the fifth annual outdoor Mass, was […] Full Story