All Saints Church, Dunwoody, recently celebrated the Year for Priests with balloons, a party and an outpouring of affection.

Msgr. Donald Kiernan and Fathers Daniel McCormick and Brian Higgins, along with Archbishop-emeritus John F. Donoghue, were the honored guests at the festivities on Sunday, Nov. 22.

At the celebration, parishioners could fill out postcards in a show of support for the priests, as part of an ongoing postcard project. The writers can use the postcards to show the prayers they are offering for the priests, from a rosary for the priest’s intentions to an hour of Eucharistic adoration. A note can be scribbled at the card’s bottom to add a personal touch.

People can slip the postcards into a miniature mailbox, and they are delivered to each priest weekly. The postcards can also be sent by mail to other priests who have ministered to people and their families in the past.

“What a wonderful way to prepare for the birth of Christ this Christmas as we pray and share our love with our priests and one another!” wrote Olga Myers, a parishioner and the organizer of the event. Myers, along with parishioners Mark and Kitty Moots and other ministries helped organize the celebration.

Deacon Bill Garrett read the Gospel at each of the Masses and thanked each celebrant for his dedicated service. The music ministry sang, “You Are a Priest Forever “ by Annie Karto.

Also, during Year for Priests Sunday, people could order black Pray for Priests T-shirts with white letters. On the back is a cross with a heart and a quote from St. John Vianney, patron saint for all priests: “The priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus.”

Pray for Priests gold balloons came from parishioner Barbara Lee’s Heaven’Lee Balloon Creations.

A display table offered prayer cards and rosary for priests leaflets, and the prayer by U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops that is to be prayed as a parish was available.

Kevin Cunningham, the facility manager at Holy Trinity Church, Peachtree City, was awarded the 2009 Catholic Mutual Annual Risk Management Award.

Cunningham received the award from Steve Brown, of Catholic Mutual, Atlanta, and Father Michael Kingery, the parish pastor.

“Kevin received the reward because of his years of pro-active efforts at property loss prevention and liability risk management. Kevin has attended all the Annual Safety Seminars sponsored by the AD and CMG Atlanta and is very deserving of this recognition,” Brown wrote in an e-mail.

Cunningham has worked at the Peachtree City church for about a dozen years.

Michelle Gadoury, the parish bookkeeper, praised Cunningham as a fun person to work with but also someone who is very serious about his job. “He is Mr. Entertainment. He always has things hopping,” she said.

But he does not joke about safety issues and making sure the parish buildings are in top shape, she said. “He is a perfectionist. He is very conscientious about making sure everything is done properly.”

A team of chefs and volunteers dubbed “the holy rollers” rolled dough for the $Dough$ for Dough dinner roll fundraiser at Mary Our Queen Church to raise money for the parish’s depleted emergency aid fund.

Folks at the Norcross parish used unusual ways to replenish the aid fund that helps parishioners and the needy in the community.

Chef Michael Baylot, owner of Catering by Michael, and Katie Welch, both graduates of Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts School, mixed the dough while volunteers made dinner rolls from the dough.

Some of the holy rollers were Elaine Fuerst, Jo Odio, Jessie Odio, Marie Sacca, Christine Martin-Santos, Mary Sue Schulen and Beth Wright.

The freshly baked dinner rolls were sold to parishioners for $5 a dozen before Thanksgiving. The team sold more than 200 dozen. The result: folks got delicious rolls to go with their turkey, and the emergency fund got needed cash.

Another parishioner is helping the cause with her creative and artistic talent. Anita Welch, president of Club Impressions, is making customized bows of all sizes for parishioners and decorating parishioners’ homes for the holidays. Bows of all colors and sizes will add the perfect touch to the Christmas tree top, that special package, a basket, a wreath and general holiday decorations. All proceeds from Welch’s efforts go to the emergency fund.

The parish will share its success with others. Those who want to try the dinner roll fundraiser can contact Fuerst, or those in need of that special bow or holiday or event decorating advice can contact Welch. Both women can be reached through the Mary Our Queen main office at (770) 416-0002.