Smyrna
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Safe Environment director completes international child protection program
By NICHOLE GOLDEN, Staff Writer
Published September 6, 2018SMYRNA—Perla Freed, director of the Office of Safe Environment for the Archdiocese of Atlanta, is a graduate of the most recent Safeguarding of Minors diploma program at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, Italy. Eighteen students from 13 different countries took the five-month diploma course, beginning last October and culminating in February. Freed was one […] Full Story | En Español
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Martineck to serve as director of Respect Life ministry
By ANDREW NELSON, Staff Writer
Published September 6, 2018SMYRNA—Joey Martineck, who was recently named director of the Respect Life ministry for the Archdiocese of Atlanta, believes painters and writers, along with all artists, can “pierce” the hearts of the community to see the beauty of life“Something more is demanded these days. You don’t just hear a lecture, in this day and age, hear […] Full Story
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AACCW members explore the call to holiness at leadership seminar
By JEAN DRISKELL, Special to the Bulletin
Published August 3, 2018SMYRNA—The members of the Atlanta Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women (AACCW) learned more about Pope Francis’ teaching on holiness at the group’s annual leadership seminar June 16 at the Chancery of the archdiocese. Guest speaker Kathy Kelly-Huey, director of religious education at St. Mary Magdalene Church, Newnan, highlighted the pope’s apostolic exhortation of 2018—“Gaudete et […] Full Story | En Español
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Archdiocesan schools earn AdvancED re-accreditation
By NICHOLE GOLDEN, Staff Writer
Published August 3, 2018SMYRNA—The Archdiocese of Atlanta’s 18 Catholic schools have received re-accreditation from AdvancED following a February engagement review by the accrediting agency. The archdiocese received its first district-wide accreditation in 2013. The nonprofit AdvancED follows a five-year term of accreditation. Its platform is based upon continuous improvement and educational quality. Using a set of rigorous research-based […] Full Story
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Office of Catholic Schools announces new staff members
By NICHOLE GOLDEN, Staff Writer
Published August 3, 2018SMYRNA—The Office of Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of Atlanta welcomed a new director of marketing and enrollment and a new controller for three of its schools. Diane Starkovich, Ph.D., superintendent of Catholic schools for the archdiocese, announced the hiring of Brian Dooling as director of marketing and enrollment and Brenda Leslie as controller for […] Full Story
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David Brown retires as executive director of GRACE Scholars
By ANDREW NELSON, Staff Writer
Published July 13, 2018SMYRNA—When David Brown took over as executive director of GRACE Scholars in 2011, some 240 students were attending Catholic schools in Georgia with the help of the state tax credit program. Now, as Brown retired July 1, more than 1,000 students pursue a Catholic education through the scholarship program. “It is clear it really did […]
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Archbishop names Savannah native to fill stewardship role
By NICHOLE GOLDEN, Staff Writer
Published July 5, 2018ATLANTA—Savannah native Christopher “Kit” Parker is the new executive director of stewardship and development for the Archdiocese of Atlanta. Appointed by Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory May 21, Parker brings a wealth of management and stewardship experience in nonprofit and diocesan settings “Kit comes to us with a deep understanding of stewardship as a Catholic way […] Full Story
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Former director bids farewell as new director of vocations takes over for archdiocese
Published July 5, 2018
ATLANTA—As the Catholic community in Atlanta grows to reflect the global church with worshippers praying in their native languages and celebrating cultural holidays, an immigrant priest was appointed by Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory to accompany men discerning their vocations. Father Tri Nguyen, a native of Vietnam, is stepping into position of director of the Office […] Full Story | En Español
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Information session on May 23 to spotlight Georgia Bulletin pilgrimages
Published May 3, 2018
SMYRNA—Pilgrims and interested travelers are invited to an information session on Wednesday, May 23, that will include highlights of upcoming pilgrimages sponsored by The Georgia Bulletin. All are invited to attend this meeting, which will begin at 7 p.m. at the archdiocesan Chancery, 2401 Lake Park Drive, SE, Smyrna. Belinda Held, a representative of tour […] Full Story
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Marist priest and educator named Atlanta’s newest auxiliary bishop
By ANDREW NELSON, Staff writer
Published February 8, 2018SMYRNA—Pope Francis named a longtime administrator of the Marist School as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Atlanta Feb. 5. Bishop-designate Joel M. Konzen, SM, has served in front of the classroom and as a principal at the respected independent Catholic school for some 28 years. “I look forward to serving the people of […] Full Story | En Español
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Preparation and training for potential violence at church draws parish leaders
Published December 21, 2017
SMYRNA—Some 100 people attended a training to prepare church leaders for a potential active shooter attacking at a parish event. At Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory’s request, on Monday, Dec. 4, Bernard King, public programs coordinator for Cobb County Emergency Management Agency, and Alex Hagan, of Catholic Mutual Insurance, led the training The program leaders emphasized […]
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Family tragedy leads father on quest of forgiveness and mercy
By MICHAEL ALEXANDER, Staff Photographer
Published November 2, 2017SMYRNA—It’s another Sunday morning at Smyrna’s St. Thomas the Apostle Church, and Thomas Brito Sr. is heading to the church entrance in his motorized wheelchair before the 9:30 a.m. Mass. His daughter, Shelia, accompanies him. The 86-year-old widower is wearing a baseball cap with the word “FORGIVEN” written across the front. Around his neck are […] Full Story
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New video series supports youth leaders who ‘accompany’ teens
By PRISCILLA GREEAR Special to the Bulletin
Published November 2, 2017SMYRNA—The Office of Faith Formation and Discipleship of the Archdiocese of Atlanta has launched the first video training series based on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ framework for youth ministry. A nationwide collaboration, the series is a pithy digital fusion of creative juices to bolster volunteers who are “Called to Accompany” youth. The archdiocese […]
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Nichols to serve as new director of parish preschools program
By ERIKA ANDERSON REDDING, Special to the Bulletin
Published October 5, 2017SMYRNA—Mary Jo Nichols is no stranger to Catholic schools. Now as the new director of parish preschools for the Archdiocese of Atlanta, Nichols will play an instrumental part in helping to grow Catholic early childhood education throughout north Georgia. Nichols assumed the director position from Terry Graham, who retired this summer. Nichols began her career […]
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Growth of preschools program highlight of Graham’s tenure
By ERIKA ANDERSON REDDING, Special to the Bulletin
Published October 5, 2017SMYRNA—Terry Graham will miss everything about her job—except her commute. After 13 years as the director of parish preschools for the Archdiocese of Atlanta, Graham began her well-deserved retirement this summer. Mary Jo Nichols, former director of the Holy Family Church Preschool in Marietta, is now serving as Graham’s successor. “When you love your job, […] Full Story
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Father Daniel Ketter appointed Atlanta’s judicial vicar
By ANDREW NELSON, Staff Writer
Published October 5, 2017SMYRNA—Father Daniel Ketter was recently appointed the judicial vicar of the Metropolitan Tribunal by Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory. Ordained in 2008, Father Ketter has served in the archdiocesan Tribunal since 2015. He earned a licentiate in canon law that same year from Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Father Ketter is a 1988 graduate […] Full Story
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Georgia Bulletin to offer information session Sept. 21 on upcoming Holy Land pilgrimage
Published September 7, 2017
SMYRNA—The Georgia Bulletin is hosting a pilgrimage to the Holy Land early in 2018, with spiritual guidance by Father Michael Silloway, chaplain at St. Pius X High School in Atlanta. An information session will be held Thursday, Sept. 21, from 6:30-7:30 p.m., for those who are considering—or are already signed up for—the pilgrimage. All are […]
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Tolton Ambassadors Atlanta celebrate blessing of icon
By NICHOLE GOLDEN, Staff Writer
Published April 20, 2017SMYRNA—Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory blessed an icon of Father Augustus Tolton, a priest who served in the archbishop’s hometown of Chicago, April 5 at the Chancery of the Archdiocese. The icon, by artist Joseph Malham, will be displayed in the archdiocesan Office of Intercultural and Ethnic Diversity. Father Tolton, granted the title of “Servant of […] Full Story
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Local parish leaders gain insights on reaching millennials
By ANDREW NELSON, Staff Writer
Published April 6, 2017SMYRNA—Nearly everyone has a smartphone, which has become the new cathedral, the center of culture, a repository of memory, an expression of identity, in addition to being a wonder of technology. Speaking in the archdiocese on March 30, some scholars from Notre Dame University questioned if these touchscreen gadgets are creating a hunger in digital […] Full Story | En Español
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CCHD contest yields art that aims to make a difference
By NICHOLE GOLDEN, Staff Writer
Published April 6, 2017SMYRNA—A cardboard cutout of Pope Francis greeted people arriving to judge the Catholic Campaign for Human Development Multimedia Art Contest at the Chancery of the Archdiocese of Atlanta March 16-17. Each year, CCHD sponsors the contest to help engage youth in exploring the causes of domestic poverty in the context of their faith. The theme […] Full Story