St. Thomas More School student Maia Harrell joined chef/owner Billy Allin as junior chef for the day in the kitchen at Decatur’s Cakes & Ale Restaurant.

From picking out the fresh produce at Morningside Farmers’ Market used at the Ponce de Leon restaurant to stirring the gazpacho made with crushed golden tomatoes and baby cucumbers, Maia absorbed many lessons and tricks for a budding chef.

The special day was earned when her mom, Janet Stovall Harrell, purchased the gift certificate donated by Cakes & Ale Restaurant at the school’s annual fundraising auction.

With her day in the kitchen, Maia prepared lunch, guided by Allin, for an exclusive sitting of her mother, her sister, her grandmother and godmother.

Her work paid off with a glorious summer menu.

Members of St. Jude the Apostle Church, Sandy Springs, brought diapers and baby wipes with them when they attended Mass on Sunday, July 25.

The diaper-and-baby-wipes drive was timed for a visit by a priest from Priests for Life who celebrated the morning Masses at St. Jude.

The donations were given to Catholic Charities Atlanta’s Pregnancy, Parenting and Adoption program. The Altar Service Guild and the Respect Life Ministry organized the drive.

The Aquinas Center of Theology at Emory University is growing as the go-to place for Catholics to dive into the church’s intellectual traditions.

According to director Phillip Thompson, the number of persons attending events, visiting its website— www.aquinas.emory.edu —and viewing the online videos shows a steep increase.

In the 2009-2010 academic year, the center had more than 8,000 contacts with people. By contrast, some 1,725 people in 2007-2008 were involved with the center.

The center recently unveiled its fall calendar, including the ongoing Cardinal John Henry Newman exhibit at the Pitts Theological Library; the archives of Trappist monk Father Thomas Keating coming to the Pitts Theological Library; and other events. Learn more details at its website.

The center also announced the addition of six new board members: Terry Trout, vice president at Cbeyond; Pauline Albert, assistant dean, College of Business and Management, St. Edwards University; Susan Henry-Crowe, dean of Cannon Chapel and Religious Life, Emory University; Gregg Capin, partner, Capin Crouse; Professor Judy Raggi Moore, director, Italian studies, Emory University; Steffen Lösel, associate professor of theology, Candler School of Theology, Emory University.

Father Giles Conwill has moved to New Orleans to serve as the university chaplain at Xavier University in New Orleans.

Father Conwill, a priest of the Diocese of San Diego, was on the faculty of Morehouse College where he taught history. He had been in the Atlanta Archdiocese for 23 years.

Xavier University, with some 3,300 students, is the only historically black, Catholic university in the United States.

St. Pius X Church, Conyers, hopes to join other houses of worship in Rockdale and Newton counties to help homeless families. The program is called Family Promise of NewRock.

Parishioner Kathryne Pusch is one of the leaders to get the network of congregations off the ground, along with Father John Kieran. Close to 50 other parishioners have volunteered to help out.

Supporters are hosting Homes from the H’Arts fundraiser. Some 50 local artists donated items to be sold. The event is Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 16 and 17, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1400 Parker Road, Conyers.

The program is still getting organized. The effort needs at least 13 congregations before the organization can open its doors and it just got its eighth congregation on board.

The fundraiser received a match of up to $20,000, so people’s donations will go even farther at the event, Pusch said.