Gainesville
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‘For I was in prison, and you visited me’
By NATALIA DURON, Staff Writer
Published December 1, 2025In a hostile system where faith is shaken and isolation runs deep, Deacon Kenneth Lampert, of St. Michael Church, keeps visiting prisons and jails in Georgia.
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‘Los 72’ catechist program fosters spiritual growth for Hispanic community
By NATALIA DURON, Staff Writer
Published October 4, 2024The “Los 72” catechist program in its fifth meeting on Sept. 21 had attendees laughing, dancing and reflecting upon their purpose to serve in the church. This workshop trains Hispanic and Latino catechists.
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Pandemic brings ‘strategic shift’ for parish faith formation
By SAMANTHA SMITH, Staff Writer
Published August 5, 2021Delayed sacraments, navigating virtual meetings and family engagement were some of the many challenges parish faith formation programs faced during the pandemic. Find out what faith formation leaders learned and how they’re planning for the new school year.
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Gainesville parish partners with health officials to immunize at-risk members
By ANDREW NELSON, Staff Writer
Published March 15, 2021A February collaboration between St. Michael Church in Gainesville and the Hall County Department of Public Health converted the church’s roomy parish hall into a vaccination site to help turn the corner on the pandemic.
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Gainesville Catholic community mourns nitrogen leak victims
By ANDREW NELSON, Staff Writer
Published February 17, 2021Families and friends paid final respects to workers killed at a poultry plant at funeral Masses. Three of the victims of the chemical leak on Jan. 28 at the Foundation Food Group were members of St. John Paul II Mission. A fourth worshipped at Prince of Peace Church, Flowery Branch.
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Parishioners of Gainesville Mission rejoice in a ‘new temple’
By ERIKA ANDERSON REDDING, Special to the Bulletin
Published September 6, 2018GAINESVILLE—The excitement was palpable at St. John Paul II Mission. Festive music sung by bilingual voices greeted Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory, who dedicated the new church home for the mission of St. Michael Church Aug. 18. The enthusiastic congregation filled every seat, occupied every space along the walls and spilled out into the overflow area […]
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Deacon Al Samoranski dies
Published September 4, 2015
GAINESVILLE—Deacon Alfred T. Samoranski of Gainesville died Aug. 23. He was 80 years old. He was born Aug. 22, 1935 to Theodore and Stephanie Samoranski in Wilmington, Delaware. Samoranski attended college at St. Mary’s of Orchard Lake in Michigan and the University of Detroit, where he majored in music and education. He taught school for […] Full Story
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St. John Paul II Center in Gainesville elevated to mission church
By NICHOLE GOLDEN, Staff Writer
Published August 20, 2015GAINESVILLE—In a June 24 decree, Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory elevated the status of the St. John Paul II Pastoral Center in Gainesville to a mission. Father William Canales, parochial vicar at St. Michael Church in Gainesville, will serve as the full-time mission administrator. The St. John Paul II Mission, dedicated as a center in 2010, […]
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Deacon Joseph Fugere, of Prince of Peace Church, dies
Published September 18, 2014
GAINESVILLE—Deacon Joseph Henry Fugere Jr., assigned to Prince of Peace Church in Flowery Branch this spring, died Aug. 14 in Gainesville. He was 74 years old. Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Fugere was the son of the late Joseph and Loretta Fugere. Raised in Johnston, Rhode Island, Fugere assisted in building the community’s high school […] Full Story
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Dream of 24-hour Catholic radio shifts to new type of FM station
By ANDREW NELSON, Staff Writer
Published March 7, 2014GAINESVILLE—Local Catholics hope to share their faith over the airwaves of a low-power FM station, a new type of non-commercial station. The weekly Catholic Hour radio show, a regular Sunday program for six years, earlier suspended its program. Instead Totus Tuus Catholic Radio Inc. is focused on starting a new community station, said one of its founders. “It reaches […] Full Story
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St. Michael Teens Join National Pro-Life Effort
By STEPHEN O'KANE, Staff Writer
Published December 8, 2011Teens at St. Michael Parish are busy this season. Not just with preparations for upcoming holidays but also with their involvement in the national pro-life movement. Beginning in September, the youth group at the Gainesville parish became involved by holding a drive to collect baby items for Catholic and pro-life pregnancy crisis centers as part […] Full Story
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St. Michael Teens Join National Pro-Life Effort
By STEPHEN O'KANE, Staff Writer
Published December 8, 2011Teens at St. Michael Parish are busy this season. Not just with preparations for upcoming holidays but also with their involvement in the national pro-life movement. Beginning in September, the youth group at the Gainesville parish became involved by holding a drive to collect baby items for Catholic and pro-life pregnancy crisis centers as part […] Full Story
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Gainesville Salutatorian May Be Nurse, Counselor
By STEPHEN O'KANE, Staff Writer
Published June 9, 2011Chestatee High School graduate Britni Esson has learned many lessons during her four years in high school. One is the importance of hard work. For her efforts, Britni earned the title of salutatorian in the 2011 graduating class of the Gainesville high school, the second highest academic honor in her class. The daughter of Deborah […] Full Story
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Word Has Spread About Gainsville’s Catholic Outreach
By PRISCILLA GREEAR, Special To The Bulletin
Published April 15, 2010St. Michael Church welcomed about 5,000 people to Easter services at its new pastoral center in a heavily Hispanic enclave near downtown Gainesville, with many walking or riding bikes to services. And since opening last October, the all-Spanish St. Michael Pastoral Center, located about five miles away from the parish, has been drawing some 3,000 […] Full Story
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Nicaraguan Priest Serves In Carrollton, Gainesville
By PRISCILLA GREEAR, Staff Writer
Published September 21, 2006The archdiocese is welcoming priests from across Latin America in order to better serve its growing 61 parish Hispanic ministries across North Georgia. In February they welcomed Father William Canales of Nicaragua. When the 31-year-old priest came, he was initially reunited with Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish community in Carrollton, where he had spent […]
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Peñafrancia Feast Celebrated At Lake Lanier
Published October 20, 2005
Sarong Bangui of Georgia and the Filipino-American community celebrated the feast of Our Lady of Peñafrancia (revered as “Ina,” which means “Mother” in the Philippines) on Sept. 17. Traditionally, the feast of Our Lady of Peñafrancia is celebrated on the third Saturday of September, following a nine-day novena to the Blessed Mother. With respect for […] Full Story