Photo by Kathi Stearns

The Paris Olympics will soon conclude with the closing ceremony on Aug. 11. Like many of the games that have come before, this year’s event was characterized by dramatic moments, emotional victories and defeats, and some controversy. In that respect, the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta were not that different.  

Preparations for the 1996 Games were well underway in Atlanta in the months leading up to the opening ceremony on July 19. Just under a year prior, a “World of Welcome” kickoff ceremony was held at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on July 23, 1995. The Shrine’s proximity to event venues, Centennial Olympic Park, and tourist attractions like the World of Coca-Cola and Underground Atlanta made it a spiritual hub for locals and visitors alike.

Olympic festivities took place near the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, at right, and the World of Coca-Cola, center. Photo by Kathi Stearns

The “World of Welcome” kickoff was held to embrace the spirit of hospitality, featuring an international festival of song and dance. The sanctuary was adorned with banners welcoming visitors in multiple languages. On site for the event were representatives from Atlanta HOST, a program set up to house families of Olympic athletes in volunteers’ homes.  

Catholics remained involved as the games commenced. Father Pat Bishop (pastor of Transfiguration in Marietta), Kathi Stearns (associate editor of The Georgia Bulletin) and Janet Kelhoffer (archdiocesan school psychologist) were among the local Catholics who carried the Olympic Torch in the final stages of the relay leading up to the opening ceremony.  

Hundreds of volunteers assisted with the influx of visitors at the Shrine and at the Georgia Tech Catholic Center, where Olympic athletes attended Mass. More than 300 Catholic families ultimately participated in the HOST program, making up almost a quarter of total host homes. 

There were challenges along the way. Shrine pastor Father John Adamski expressed concerns over disruption to the parish’s outreach and assistance to the city’s homeless population. Father David Dye, archdiocesan liaison for the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games, reportedly fought for use of the Georgia Tech Catholic Center as an official worship space for athletes. But as Archbishop John F. Donoghue said at the “World of Welcome” event, “Remember always to welcome strangers, for by doing this, some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” In that spirit, the Catholic faithful of the archdiocese opened their homes, churches and hearts to the world.