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ATLANTA—Members of the Georgia Knights of Columbus promoted a pro-life message on six billboards visible to drivers on I-75 throughout the state from May to August.

Bruce Sabatino, one of the organizers, said an abortion-vulnerable woman can call a counseling hotline of Heartbeat International promoted on the billboard to be referred to a crisis pregnancy center for a free ultrasound.

Sabatino said a woman after an ultrasound is more likely to choose a life-affirming decision. The Knights of Columbus believe this program can “save Moms and babies from the evil of abortion and promote a culture of LIFE in our land,” he said.

The unique helpline listed on the billboards will allow the Knights to receive reports about the number of calls from people seeing our billboards. Sabatino said the organization is hopeful to publish the results showing the effectiveness of billboards, which will encourage other state councils to adopt this program.

We now use that title for the men who gave their lives on the very soil many of us walk daily. It was the first beatification ever celebrated in Georgia, and the first in the American South.

I confess that I stood in that assembly with a full heart. When I served as Bishop of Savannah, I was privileged to carry forward a cause that my predecessors, Bishop Raymond Lessard and Bishop Kevin Boland, had faithfully nurtured, and which Bishop Stephen Parkes continued. The Franciscans first sought this cause in 1950; Bishop Lessard formally opened it in 1984. Many who prayed and labored for this day did not live to see it. I remembered them at the altar, and I trust they rejoiced with us.

Who were these men? In the closing years of the 16th century, a small band of Spanish Franciscans came to the Georgia coast to serve the Guale people. They learned the Guale language, lived among the villages, endured the heat, the insects and the isolation of that frontier and preached Christ with patience. Many Guale received baptism.

At the mission of Tolomato, near present-day Darien, Friar Pedro de Corpa cared for a young baptized Guale man named Juanillo, heir to the chieftaincy. Having promised at his baptism to live in faithful marriage with one wife, Juanillo sought to take a second. Friar Pedro admonished him, and Friar Blas Rodríguez at the nearby mission supported that. Juanillo left in anger and gathered warriors. Between Sept. 14 and 17, 1597, five friars were killed. A sixth was taken captive and survived to tell what had happened.

Tradition holds that Friar Blas, knowing what was coming, asked to celebrate Mass one final time before he died. I find that detail unforgettable. He went to his death the way every priest is meant to live—from the altar, offering himself with Christ.

Martyrs for the  truth of marriage

These friars did not die for an abstraction. They died because they would not tell a baptized man that the promise he had made before God no longer mattered. In an age when the meaning of marriage is so often obscured, Blessed Pedro and his companions remind us that the covenant between husband and wife is holy, that it is worth defending, and that fidelity is itself a form of witness.

Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv., is photographed at the solemn Vespers on the eve of the beatification of the Georgia Martyrs, Oct. 30, at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Savannah.  Photo by Julianna Leopold

That witness does not belong only to the married. It speaks also to those whose marriages have been wounded or broken, to the young discerning their vocations, and to all who serve families in the Church. The friars held truth and charity together; they were firm because they loved. We are called to the same balance—never to soften the Gospel, and never to wield it without mercy.

The Church does not beatify an era; she beatifies persons whose faith was proven unto death. We can honor these friars while also remembering honestly that the arrival of Europeans brought great suffering to the native peoples of this land, including the Guale. The friars’ own lives—learning a people’s language, living among them, and laying down their lives rather than taking up arms—point us toward a different way. Their beatification invites all of us, in a divided time, to set aside the weapons of contempt and to seek the reconciliation that only Christ can give.

Sons of St. Francis

As a Franciscan myself, I cannot help but note the providence of the timing. These friars were raised to the altars in the year the whole Church marks the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi in 1226. Francis sent his brothers into the world with little more than the Gospel and their own poverty. Blessed Pedro and his companions took that mandate to the edge of the known world and to the end of their lives. Their witness belongs to all of us now, but my brothers and I give thanks that they are sons of St. Francis, the Poverello. It is fitting that they were beatified on the vigil of All Saints. The next morning, we celebrated the great multitude of holy men and women, known and unknown, who now behold the face of God.

Few of us will be asked to shed our blood for Christ. All of us are asked to be faithful—in our marriages, our vows, our promises and our daily duties. That quieter martyrdom of fidelity is the soil in which saints grow.

I invite every parish, school and family in our archdiocese to come to know these new Blesseds. Visit the bronze monument to the martyrs at Nativity of Our Lady Church in Darien, or the painting of them at Holy Spirit Church here in Atlanta. Learn their story at thegeorgiamartyrs.org. Above all, ask for their intercession, especially for marriages and families, and share any favors received through their prayers.

Their path to canonization continues, and it may well pass through the prayers of the faithful of Georgia. Tertullian wrote that the blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church. In 1597 that seed fell on our coast. Four centuries later, we have seen it bear fruit.

Blessed Pedro de Corpa and Companions, pray for us.

Through their creative gifts, participants honored the five Franciscan friars, whose witness to the Gospel continues to inspire them more than four centuries later.

The contributions ranged from an exhibition of artwork at the Savannah Convention Center to worship by young musicians singing through downtown Savannah.

Blessed Pedro de Corpa, Blessed Blas Rodríguez de Cuacos, Blessed Miguel de Añón, Blessed Antonio de Badajoz and Blessed Francisco de Veráscola were Spanish Franciscans who served the indigenous Guale communities along the Georgia coast. They were killed in September 1597 after defending the Church’s teaching on marriage.

The martyrs were beatified during a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Frank Leo of Toronto at the Savannah Convention Center, with nearly 10,000 participants.

In March, the Diocese of Savannah invited artists to submit pieces for an art contest to create the official image of the Georgia Martyrs.

More than 100 pieces were submitted, and about half entered the competition. In the convention center, an art exhibit was open to attendees to see the contestants’ work.

Painting the hope of the friars

Savannah artist Jared Matthew Seff won the contest with a watercolor painting titled “The Georgia Martyrs.” The image depicts the five friars surrounded by golden light, each holding an object connected to his life or martyrdom. The artwork was unveiled during the beatification Mass.

Savannah artist Jared Matthew Seff won the contest with this watercolor painting, “The Georgia Martyrs.” The image depicts the five friars surrounded by golden light, each holding an object connected to his life or martyrdom. The artwork was unveiled during the beatification Mass. Photo by Julianna Leopold

Other artists brought their own interpretations of the friars to the exhibition.

Eva Winfree, a seventh grader from Sarasota, Florida, displayed a model of the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist that she first built as a fifth-grade student in 2024.

Using foam board, chopsticks, popsicle sticks, paint and hot glue, Winfree recreated the Savannah cathedral basilica, studying photographs and visiting the building to understand its architectural details. According to Winfree, she is especially proud of the columns leading up to the spires.

Eva Winfree, a seventh grader from Sarasota, Florida, displayed a model of the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist that she first built as a fifth-grade student in 2024. Her work was part of an exhibition of pieces for the beatification of the Georgia Martyrs. Photo by Julianna Leopold

“It’s just so pretty,” she shared with spectators about the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist. Nicknamed the “Sistine of the South,” the cathedral basilica stands out in Savannah with its Gothic architecture and distinctive white exterior.

Natalie Ruiz, who lives in Evans and attends St. Teresa of Avila Church in Augusta, submitted an oil painting of the five martyrs. She completed the work in a little under two months, spending hours at a time painting after entering the contest late.

To help portray the friars, Ruiz asked friends and local priests to pose as models. In her painting, the men look upward with expressive eyes. For Ruiz, the goal was to create an image that directed viewers beyond the artwork itself.

“My only objective with this piece was that anyone who sees the painting looks up to heaven,” she said.

In her piece, the martyrs are surrounded by a glowing light. Ruiz shared her vision for this was to emphasize something the friars have instilled in Catholics around the world.

“Hope,” she said. “That’s what I wanted to portray. The hope they’ve given us.”

Ruiz said Catholic art can communicate emotions and aspects of faith in ways that words alone sometimes cannot.

“Catholic art is so important and necessary for our faith because we like to depict so much emotion through art, especially in our parishes,” she said.

Gospel on Savannah’s streets

While artists filled the convention center with paintings and creative displays, a different kind of expression could be heard across Savannah.

More than 100 Catholic young adult musicians from Music for Missions, an initiative of the Regnum Christi Music Collective, performed original songs on Savannah’s streets on Halloween night.

The Regnum Christi Music Collective grew from a desire among members of the international Catholic movement to create music that would draw people closer to the Catholic faith. Since its founding in 2019, the collective has expanded its work by collaborating with Catholic musicians and singers both inside and outside the movement.

Strapped with instruments and a willingness to meet people where they were, members of Music for Missions echoed their talents through the city’s Plant Riverside District.

The musicians spoke with strangers and collected prayer intentions. They later gathered near City Market for night prayer, bringing the intentions they had collected and inviting people they had met to join them.

Members of Music for Missions played original songs in the Plant Riverside District of Savannah on All Hallows’ Eve praising, singing and collecting prayer requests from those they met. The group is part of the Regnum Christi Music Collective and grew from a desire to create music to draw people toward the Catholic faith. It was founded in 2019. Photo Courtesy of Music for Missions

Traveling from different states, each musician brought different instruments and talents. Janie Levergood of Smyrna played piano and sang, while Maddie Smith of Winchester, Virginia, brought her ukulele and voice.

Levergood described the musicians as a group eager to flock together and share their gifts to others.

“We’re little songbirds for the Lord,” she said.

Smith said the mission also gave young adults the freedom to share their faith with others who understand the importance of authenticity.

“It feels very free and liberating to just be yourself and share your gifts with other people very organically,” she said. “You’re just radically yourself, and it draws other people to you through your gifts.”

Martin Vasquez of Bowling Green, Ohio, sang and played guitar and piano. He shared that he believes music can make evangelization more approachable.

“I think evangelization through music helps break the barrier of what can be more complicated,” he said. “It can help settle people into the spiritual world.”

The beatification was also an opportunity for Vasquez to encounter the history of the Church in a more personal way. Growing up he often wondered what it would have been like to live during the time of the saints. Being in Savannah, so close to the places connected to the martyrs, gave him a new perspective.

“To be so close to the martyrs here, it just makes my faith stronger,” he said.

Vasquez shared that the choir was especially stunning and solidified his love for worship.

Dr. Paul Thornock, director of music at the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist, conducted the choir during the Mass. The liturgy included music in English, Spanish and Latin, with pieces including a Spanish setting of Psalm 116 by Marc Cerisier and the Communion motet “Eternal Glory” by Jessica French.

Vasquez shared that a choir can help bring people together and make the liturgy more engaging.

“I think it elevates the worship because it starts the fire for participation, it helps us all unify,” he said. “Having quality music really helps elevate the ways we focus on the liturgy.”

Levergood shared the same perspective, noting that during the beatification Mass, the group tended to sing along with the choir.

“It was beautiful,” she said. “It was like we were there with a whole choir of angels from heaven.”

Singer Vicky Freeman traveled from Marietta to sing with Music for Missions. For her, the opportunity to be with the group and attend the Mass was “absolutely incredible.”

“I was very grateful to be there because I understood the privilege and the gift that it was,” she said.

The artwork and music offered different ways to share the story of the five friars and the faith that shaped their lives.

The Georgia Martyrs traveled from Spain more than four centuries ago to share the Gospel with the Guale people. In Savannah, artists and musicians used their own evangelization tools, paintbrushes, pastels, guitars, ukuleles and voices, to invite others to encounter that same faith.

The visit marks Pope Leo’s first return to Peru since his election and brings him back to a country where he spent two decades that shaped his ministry as an Augustinian missionary and bishop in Peru. He first arrived in Peru as a missionary priest in 1985 and later returned to lead the Diocese of Chiclayo, serving as its bishop from 2015 to 2023.

In his very first speech as pope, he gave a special shoutout in Spanish from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica to “my beloved Diocese of Chiclayo, in Peru,” where, he said, “a faithful people has accompanied its bishop, shared its faith and given so much, so much, to continue being a faithful Church of Jesus Christ.”

For the people of Peru, the apostolic visit is not just a welcoming of the Vicar of Christ; it’s the return of a missionary, a neighbor and a shepherd who understood the realities of those who lived there, particularly the poor and the marginalized. Many signs and welcome banners with images of the pope are spread across the streets of Chiclayo as the city awaits his return.

“It feels like the return of a family member who’s been away,” Mildred Camacho, Pope Leo’s 31-year-old goddaughter, told OSV News the day before his arrival.

Camacho, who was named after Pope Leo’s late mother, Mildred, is serving as a volunteer for the papal visit. Then-Father Robert Francis Prevost was just 40 years old when she was baptized shortly after turning 1 in August 1996 in Chulucanas, Peru.

The papal flight touched down at the Callao Air Base in Lima at about 5 p.m. local time after traveling around 2,000 miles on a four-hour, 20-minute flight from Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Pope Leo XIV waves as he arrives at Callao Air Base in Lima, Peru, Nov. 11, during his Nov. 6-17 apostolic journey to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru. OSV News photo/Daniel Becerril, Reuters

Peru’s President Keiko Fujimori welcomed Pope Leo at the foot of the stairs, and two children presented him with flowers. A children’s choir sang hymns in Latin and people in the crowds lining his walkway shouted with excitement as he greeted people, especially babies and children, and accepted gifts.

Pope Leo’s first stop in Peru was at the Palacio de Gobierno for the official welcome ceremony and a private meeting with Fujimori, who in July became the country’s ninth president in 10 years.

People lined the streets waving and cheering to catch a glimpse of the papal motorcade as Pope Leo traveled from the airport to the city center. The Holy See estimated 3 million people were present on Lima’s streets to welcome Pope Leo that evening.

The pope addressed the nation’s political authorities at Lima’s Grand National Theater that evening in his first speech in Peru.

“This return visit holds a very special meaning for me,” he said. “My history with Peru began long before the Lord entrusted me with the Diocese of Chiclayo. For decades, I shared in the lives of its people, listened to their concerns, and learned from their faith. Many opened the doors of their homes to me, shared their table with me–and, of course, some good ceviche–and made me feel like one of their own.”

Noting he received Peruvian citizenship in 2015, he added, “That act symbolized a bond that this people had been weaving into my life long before. Today I understand how much of this land remains with me and how much of my own story also belongs to you.”

Now as pope, he said, he recognizes how the Lord was “forming me as a shepherd” while in Peru.

“If I were granted the chance to relive those years, I would do so with joy, embracing both their happy moments and their difficulties,” he said. “That is why I can tell you, with deep gratitude, that I am also returning to my homeland.”

He spoke about the impact of the Gospel on Peru’s history when it was first proclaimed there 500 years ago. “The faith took deep root in these lands and found expression in their traditions and in countless works of charity,” he said. “Suffice it to recall that the first flower of Latin American holiness bore the name ‘Rosa,’ and that this Rosa was Peruvian”– a nod to St. Rose of Lima, a Dominican tertiary who lived in Peru’s capital 1586-1617, and was the first canonized saint of the Americas.

He urged the officials to listen to the Peruvian people, noting that “Democratic life implies recognizing that no one has all the answers and that differences do not prevent us from sharing a sincere concern for the good of the country.”

“I would like to encourage everyone to cultivate honesty, integrity, and a willingness to engage with others–qualities that sustain trust among people and give strength to the life of institutions,” Pope Leo said.

Families should not be deprived of peace, which, for them, includes “going out to work without fear, caring for one’s children, and returning home with peace of mind,” he said.

The Associated Press has reported that crime, extortion and killings have been on the rise in Peru, with homicides reaching 10.7 per 100,000 inhabitants, up from 5.8 five years ago.

The pope acknowledged the suffering caused by violence and the Church’s desire “to remain close to those who endure it,” he said. He also said that “providing for one’s family with dignity is also part of that everyday peace” and that development has a “cultural, moral, and spiritual” dimension as well.

“There are goods that no economic prosperity can replace: peace of conscience, the certainty of being loved, and the freedom to seek the truth and to guide one’s life according to it,” he said.

Pope Leo XIV waves as he arrives for a meeting with the bishops of Peru in the chapel of the archbishop’s residence in Lima Nov. 12, during his Nov. 6-17 apostolic journey to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru. OSV News photo/Yara Nardi, Reuters

Among Peru’s challenges is its inequality and poverty: In 2025, 25.7% of the Peruvian population was living in poverty, according to government data.

Stressing the need for unity in the country, Pope Leo also said that “To love a people is to desire that everyone may live with dignity among them, to take an interest in them, and to be willing to offer something of oneself for their good. It is a sentiment that I have come to understand better thanks to you, and which I wish to share today with those who hold public office,” he said.

The pope also listed different expressions of solidarity preserved in Peru, such as communal work projects, women running soup kitchens and meal programs, and the different ways families help one another in times of difficulty.

Through the intercession of Mary and all the saints and blesseds of the country, the pope asked God “that the love of Christ may help you to recognize in every Peruvian a brother or sister, and in each one, yet another reason to love your homeland.”

He concluded the speech asking for God’s blessings upon Peru and all his people.

On his second day in Lima Nov. 12, Pope Leo expects to meet with Peru’s bishops and lead mid-morning prayer at the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist with the country’s Catholic community. He plans to give a speech outside the cathedral on the challenges and hopes of the Peruvian people. That evening, Pope Leo is scheduled to join young people and college students at the National Stadium for a prayer vigil.

In addition to Lima, the capital and largest city of Peru, Pope Leo will also visit Chiclayo, where he will celebrate a large outdoor Mass; Cusco, the former Inca capital in the Andes; and Pucallpa, a city on the Ucayali River in the Amazon rainforest that has long been a center of Catholic missionary outreach before arriving back in Rome on Nov. 17.

We may never know the full truth about the Kennedy assassination, though if you believe the findings of the Warren Commission, there is no mystery.

We do know the identity of Deep Throat, who was revealed in 2005 to be former FBI agent Mark Felt. My father found the Felt revelation as “The Secret Man” to be anticlimactic, as it is now known that President Nixon knew his identity even during the initial Washington Post investigative reporting. It was more fun to imagine who Deep Throat might have been than to know the truth.

As for the disappearance of Hoffa, now that’s a puzzle that may never be solved. Of all the theories and claims that have been made, the most striking is the story told by Mafia associate Frank Sheeran that forms the basis of Charles Brandt’s 2004 book “I Heard You Paint Houses,” which was the inspiration for Martin Scorsese’s brilliant 2019 film “The Irishman.”

Sheeran claimed that in addition to shooting Hoffa and burning his body in an incinerator, he had been responsible for more than 25 other mob hits. In reality, Sheeran may have not killed anyone. A notorious liar, Sheeran valued attention and recognition more than truth. Even author Brandt cannot confirm if Sheeran really told the truth.

Hoffa joined the Teamsters Union in 1933 and served as its president from 1957-1971. He was a charismatic though controversial leader who was frequently at odds with Attorney General Robert Kennedy. He served a prison sentence from 1967-1971 until Nixon commuted his sentence provided he stay out of union activities.

Sheeran and Hoffa had a deep professional and personal relationship. It would have been as easy for Sheeran to hurt Hoffa as it was for Brutus and Cassius to slay Caesar. Sheeran’s account is matter of fact: he claimed to have shot Hoffa twice in the head in a Detroit house and then burned his body.

Wild conjecture over the decades has famously placed Hoffa’s remains in locations as outlandish as under Giants Stadium, but what is known is simple. On July 30, 1975, Hoffa was seen in the parking lot of the Machus Red Fox restaurant in suburban Detroit where he had arrived for a meeting with mob leaders who never arrived. He has never been seen again, and his body has never been found. A federal judge declared him legally dead exactly seven years later. Yet the FBI case on the Hoffa disappearance is still an open investigation.

Sheeran’s confession was almost immediately renounced by the FBI as “lacking all credibility.”  Forensics and alibis don’t support Sheeran’s story, and Sheeran himself told outlandish tales about what had happened to the body. Like other unsolved mysteries such as the D.B. Cooper, Amelia Earhart, and Bigfoot cases, we will probably never know what really happened to Jimmy Hoffa.

Conspiracy theorists and true crime fans may quibble with the version presented by Scorsese in “The Irishman,” but Scorsese never meant to make a documentary. The movie is less about what might have happened to Jimmy Hoffa, and more concerned with the state of a man’s soul.

Connecting faith and imagination

If I could meet any living Catholic artist, it would be Martin Scorsese. Beyond his astonishing filmography, Scorsese has done so much for film history and preservation, and he has defended the connection between faith and imagination. It’s easy to see in his films the perspective that almost led him to priesthood in his youth. From “Taxi Driver” through “The Departed” to his television series on the saints, Scorsese has exemplified his statement that “The Catholic Church has never left me, and I have never left it.”

Scorsese has always worked with several important collaborators, all of whom are among the greatest actors in American film history. Robert De Niro especially has been crucial. “The Irishman” was in development for years after Scorsese read Brandt’s book. De Niro was in from the beginning, along with other notables such as Joe Pesci, Al Pacino and Harvey Keitel.

Award-winning filmmaker Martin Scorsese has long defended the connection between faith and imagination. OSV News/Fox Nation

The film became the longest Scorsese has ever made, at nearly three and a half hours, and most audiences first encountered it either on Netflix or Criterion. Advanced CGI techniques and special effects were used to portray the primary actors across decades of youth, middle age and near death. The film never seems long, and rewards viewing either in segments or in one sitting.  Many critics—even my son—describe the film as “flowing.”

The first two hours of the film can be brutal and cold, a hard reminder of Flannery O’Connor’s assertion that “for the hard of hearing you shout and for the almost blind you draw large and startling figures.” Frank’s hits are swift and sure, almost breathtaking. Scorsese imposes on screen epitaphs for all the slain gangsters, which renders them for a moment not simply as killings or “painted houses,” but real people.

The movie’s final hour is different. In the last third of the film, a quiet reflective power takes over the violent action of the first two parts. Daylight sequences, shot in a cold, grey midwestern light, replace the film’s early nighttime and interior scenes. The mundane processes of the justice system, Frank’s resigned selection of a casket and crypt, and the monotony of prison and a nursing home are all compelling because they too deal explicitly with life and death. In the earlier part of the film, death is instant and unexpected. In the final third, death is a quiet yet felt presence. In prison, Frank’s dying friend Russell Bufalino goes to church. Frank seems surprised, but Russell says knowingly, “You’ll see.”

As the film nears its conclusion, all the old gangsters are dead. Only Frank remains. The FBI pleads with Frank to reveal what he knows, but he holds fast to the Omerta code and refuses to tell law enforcement anything. But he does tell a priest, and this device is what makes the film a masterwork.

The film opens with an elderly Frank in a nursing home talking, addressing someone we don’t know. It might be a nurse; it might be the priest we see in the hallway, or it might be us the audience. The device is one commonly used by Edgar Allan Poe and Alfred Hitchcock, and it implicates the audience even as it establishes an aura of mystery or uncertainty. Frank explains how he became involved in organized crime, and how he came to be on the journey that ended in Hoffa’s death. The film then winds through multiple flashbacks until we arrive back at the nursing home where Frank is talking to a priest, a conversation that is at last revealed to be a sacramental confession.

The last three people we see Frank talking to are the priest—who is brilliantly played by Jonathan Morris—an assisted-living nurse and a casket salesman. Each assumes an archetypal presence. In one of the film’s most ironic and telling moments, Frank assumes that his young nurse will know the mystery of Jimmy Hoffa. Embarrassed, she admits that she has never even heard of Hoffa.

The priest must urge the confession out of Frank; he pleads for some sincere contrition or remorse. It is heartbreaking to watch how much he wants to save Frank’s soul. At last, he seems to be satisfied; the two pray together, and he grants absolution. Near Christmas, he returns to visit Frank, and the implication is that the two have developed a relationship.

At his last visit, as the priest prepares to leave, Frank asks him to leave the door slightly open. This is one of the most memorable and moving moments in the film. In Irish folklore, tradition dictates that in the room of a person near death, a window or door should be left slightly open or ajar for the soul to pass on unimpeded. The ending of the film is therefore not as ambiguous as we might think, for the open door suggests that Frank has hope his soul will go on.

“The Irishman” is best understood through a Catholic perspective. Perhaps only a Catholic can appreciate the urgency of the priest who encourages Frank’s hesitant confession. A Catholic knows the true meaning of that open door. A Catholic knows that Frank’s ruminations about the finality of the grave are in fact overruled by the priest who saves his soul and the priest who buries his body in the hope of resurrection.

Only a Catholic could have made this film. Scorsese doesn’t condemn Frank, who certainly deserves condemnation and punishment; instead, he ends his movie with a priest’s fervent belief in redemption and forgiveness and the quiet, abiding, tentative hope of the man who wants his door ajar, at last open to something better.

St. Peter and its mission St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Warm Springs were among the 10 churches kicking off the first wave of the archdiocesan capital campaign, “Rooted in Christ—Growing in Faith.”

Settling back into his office after a Kiwanis Club luncheon, Father Tim Gadziala, pastor, places a phone call to parishioner Charles Jacobs.

It was Jacobs’ gift of $300,000 that launched the Troup County parish’s fundraising efforts for the campaign. The donation inspired others to give. As the largest individual gift in parish history, Jacobs’ contribution was matched by a non-Catholic in gratitude for Father Gadziala’s ministry to her late husband.

St. Peter parishioners pledged more than $1.5 million for the campaign, exceeding its goal of $740,000. “We have a very generous parish,” said Father Gadziala, who has served there for nine years.

Jacobs, who works in finance in Atlanta, began attending St. Peter in 2020.

“I’ve only missed one Sunday, I think, in that entire time,” he said.

Then an Episcopalian, Jacobs explored Catholicism against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“COVID hit; they shut down the Episcopal churches for over a year. In the meantime, I started watching EWTN, and that really got my interest,” he said.

He began to experience the Eucharist in a way he’d never thought about. Jacobs watched Mass for a year, and participated in a Bible study led by a priest on YouTube.

In May of 2021, he found out Catholic Churches were open as other churches were still shuttered. St. Peter parishioner Barbara Jabaley invited him to church. Her brother was a classmate of Jacobs.

“I immediately met the RCIA director,” said Jacobs. “My first Sunday at St. Peter’s was just a wonderful experience.”

In the Fall of 2021, Jacobs started the RCIA program, and Father Gadziala confirmed him at the Easter Vigil in 2022.

St. Peter has about 600 registered households, and the smaller community is something Jacobs likes. He said the pastor encouraged him along the way. His overall impression is that the liturgy is “really rich.”

Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv., greets Charles Jacobs of St. Peter Church, LaGrange, at a kick-off for the archdiocesan capital campaign. Photo Courtesy of Father Tim Gadziala

“You could spend your whole life studying the Roman Catholic Church and you wouldn’t scratch the surface,” he said.

Jacobs has jumped into parish life, serving as a lector and eucharistic minister. He is also on the finance council, and Father Gadziala hopes to tap into his expertise to build up the parish’s endowment with the Catholic Foundation of North Georgia.

As Jacobs was experiencing upheaval following the death of his parents, he found a new home.

“The Church was becoming my family in a way,” he said.

After talking with Father Gadziala about the campaign, Jacobs felt led to make the substantial donation.

He told the pastor, “Saying no would be like saying no directly to Jesus.”

“It moved his heart,” said Father Gadziala.

Jacobs came into some financial resources, and he began to form the mindset of giving back.

“The Lord’s been extraordinarily generous with me, and I certainly don’t deserve it, but I recognize a gift when I see it,” said Jacobs. “I am committed to giving a good proportion of what I have back to him for his ministry and the spread of the Gospel so that more people can understand that Jesus is the answer. He’s our friend, and he’s the only eternal friend we have.”

Jacobs has a fondness for old clocks. His grandfather’s clock is on the mantel of his historic home. Jacobs placed a gifted crucifix from the Holy Land above the clock.

“The image that that has evoked in me is, ‘you know Jesus, you don’t care about time, but we do because we only have a finite amount of it,'” said Jacobs.

The clock and cross remind him that Jesus is over everything and sees it all. Jacobs said doesn’t think he would have this understanding without the lens of a Catholic faith, which has deepened his friendship with God.

His family lived in LaGrange when Jacobs’ stepfather was rector of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church there.

“LaGrange was the first real home we had as a family,” he recalled.

He’s aware that the connections made years ago in LaGrange are part of the Lord’s work to bring him to the Church.

“You can see his work, if you would just cooperate,” he said.

Father Timothy Gadziala

Journeying together

Father Gadziala called upon a few parishioners to speak about the campaign and encourage others to give what they could. Another blessing came out of one woman’s gratitude for the priest’s accompaniment of her family.

Father Gadziala received a call from a local hospice and went to visit the woman’s husband, a lapsed Catholic.

“I became friends with him and visited him every week,” he said. Four months later, Father Gadziala celebrated the man’s funeral.

The woman began attending Mass and learned of the campaign, matching the initial $300,000 donation given by Jacobs. Preferring to remain anonymous, she is studying to become a Catholic, receiving personal instruction from Father Gadziala.

St. Peter raised 213 percent of its campaign target. In this campaign, parishes keep every cent raised above 200 percent of the goal for its own parish projects, and 30 percent of all monies raised.

Father Gadziala said some of the funds will be used to redo the exterior stucco around the church’s rose window, due to damage. The sanctuary ceiling has been prone to leaks, and the priest would like to undertake a ceiling-to-floor restoration of the space.

The archdiocesan campaign will in part support seminarians in formation. The community has witnessed first-hand the vocations of two young men with ties to LaGrange, that of Father Paul Nacey and Deacon William Whitlow, who will be ordained a priest in 2027. Father Gadziala suspects that the witness of vocations solidified the need to give.

Father Gadziala learned much about the ministry of presence and fundraising while serving at other parishes and in Jamaica, where he assisted with administration of the missionary work of the Diocese of Mandeville for five years.

The pastor travels the 35 miles to Warm Springs several times a week for Mass, confessions and adoration at the mission, the only Catholic church in Meriwether County.

“People know me and I know their stories,” said Father Gadziala. “I learned to accompany people.”

The mission of 50 families raised 237 percent of its target, the highest percentage among the 10 first-wave parishes. The mission will repave its parking lot, buy a sign for the church and purchase needed liturgical items such as an incense stand and funeral pall.

Whether it’s a gift of $10 or $1,000, the priest has reminded church members of the words that reflect the charitable mission of St. Vincent de Paul, “No one is too poor to give; no one is too rich to receive.”

For Father Gadziala, part of the authentic work of a priest is to support the bishops and to help meet the needs of the local Church.

“We are men of the church. I accompany the bishop as a diocesan priest, and the bishop accompanies me,” he said.

A priest of 32 years, Father Gadziala still finds the work meaningful.

“I love the Church. I love what I do,” he said.

Couples sat holding hands. Young adults gathered with friends, and families settled in with children. Clergy, religious communities and pilgrims joined the growing crowd, many having traveled from across the country and globe to witness a moment more than four centuries in the making.

Nearly 10,000 people gathered on Oct. 31 to witness the Beatification Mass of the Georgia Martyrs, the five Franciscan friars killed along the state’s coast for defending the Church’s teaching on marriage.

The liturgy, celebrated by Cardinal Frank Leo of Toronto, was the culmination of a weekend filled with prayer and pilgrimage. In the days leading up to the beatification, bishops, priests Franciscans and pilgrims visited historic mission sites where the friars served and died.

During his homily, Cardinal Leo called the friars “bright lights for our journey of faith.” They do not shine with their own power, noted the cardinal, “but reflect the light of Christ into the challenges and complexities of a wounded world.”

Christopher Larkins, a seminarian of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, carries the processional crucifix with palm leaves behind it as he leads seminarians, priests and bishops during the Mass for the Beatification of the Georgia Martyrs on Oct. 31. Photo by Julianna Leopold

Pedro de Corpa, Blas Rodríguez, Miguel de Añón, Antonio de Badajoz and Francisco de Veráscola were Spanish Franciscans who established missions along the islands of Georgia in 1595. They evangelized the Guale people, prompting conversions and providing support for the village.

In 1597, Father de Corpa denied the heir to Guale chiefdom, Juanillo, to take a second wife. As a baptized Christian, Juanillo was expected to practice monogamy. The denial of polygamy resulted in Father de Corpa’s death. The other four friars were killed within days of one another. The event is known as the 1597 Guale Uprising. Francisco de Ávila, a sixth friar, was kidnapped and tortured for months, and survived.

Retracing the steps of the friars

The weekend’s events began Oct. 29 when a group of bishops, priests, Franciscans and pilgrims traveled by ferry boat to St. Catherines Island. The island holds the ruins of Mission Santa Catalina de Guale, the site where Blessed de Badajoz and Blessed de Añón served and were killed.

Archaeologist David Hurst Thomas, senior curator in residence for North American Archaeology at the American Museum of Natural History, led its discovery in the 1980s.

Today, palm trees mark the foundation of the original church. The trees outline the space where hundreds of Guale Catholics were buried. It was there that Bishop Stephen D. Parkes of Savannah led Mass for the visiting group.

On Oct. 30, the group traveled to Fort King George in Darien, a state historic park believed to have been the location of the Spanish mission Santo Domingo de Talaje. Spanish moss drapes the trees throughout the park. Visitors can take in the coastal Georgia landscape the Franciscan missionaries would have known during their time in the region

Park rangers guided the visitors by sharing the history of the Guale people and their way of life. The pilgrims explored a replica of a Guale roundhouse, and inside the museum, viewed artifacts recovered by excavations, including rosary beads.

Blessed Veráscola is believed to have served at the mission, as well as may have died there after arriving by canoe from St. Augustine, Florida.

Among those visiting was María Isabel Inoriza De Villota, a 12th-generation descendant of one of Blessed Verascola’s brothers. She traveled from Spain with her 16-year-old son, Imanol, to take part in the beatification weekend and see a place connected to her family’s history.

Being in the location was surreal, she said, because “he impacted the lives of those in the village, and put so much faith into this place.”

The exact locations of all the friars’ ministry and martyrdom have not been identified, and the search for more information continues. A skull recovered at Fort King George is being tested to determine whether it may have belonged to one of the friars.

After visiting the park, the pilgrims traveled to the nearby Nativity of Our Lady Church, where Mass was celebrated. Outside the church, bishops, priests and friars gathered to pray and sing before a monument of the Georgia Martyrs.

That evening, the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist celebrated Solemn Vespers on the eve of the beatification. Voices of the choir echoed throughout the cathedral basilica as participants listened and prayed intently.

A banner of Fray Francisco hangs in the Savannah Convention Center above dozens of bishops as they process in for the Beatification Mass of the Georgia Martyrs on Oct. 31. Photo by Julianna Leopold

A historic moment in the Church

The Savannah Convention Center, decorated with blue waves illuminated on its walls and palm trees surrounding the altar, became a booming gathering place for Catholics on Oct. 31.

Beyond the altar, attendees could explore two exhibits that offered a closer look at the lives and legacy of the five friars.

An art exhibit displayed works submitted by artists of the Diocese of Savannah art contest for the official beatification image, showcasing different artistic interpretations of the martyrs. Another display featured replicas of the friars’ religious habits and information about each man, giving visitors an opportunity to learn more about their individual lives, personalities and missionary work.

A procession of priests, bishops, religious orders and communities began the celebration. As a symbol of martyrdom, palm branches covered the processional cross.

Caitlyn Yap, a parishioner of St. Catherine of Siena Church in Kennesaw, shared that seeing the many religious members process added to the impact of the event.

“It was a magnificent experience,” she said. “It made me realize, ‘wow this really is a once in a lifetime experience.'”

Among the concelebrating bishops were Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, apostolic nuncio to the United States; Bishop Parkes; Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv., of Atlanta; Archbishop José Rodríguez Carballo of Mérida and Badajoz, Spain; and Archbishop Joan-Enric Vives i Sicília of Urgell, Spain, who represented the Spanish bishops’ conference.

Bishop Parkes formally requested the beatification from Cardinal Leo, outlining the history of the cause and the friars’ witness. He noted the significance of the Church’s Jubilee Year, which marks the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, founder of the Franciscan order.

Cardinal Leo then read the apostolic letter declaring the five friars blessed because they had “placed the saving truth of the Gospel before their own safety.”

Dr. Paul Thornock, Director of Music at the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist, conducts the choir at the Mass for the Beatification of the Georgia Martyrs on Oct. 31. Photo by Julianna Leopold

Archbishop Hartmayer, who was Bishop of Savannah from 2011 to 2020, read the English translation of the letter, while Archbishop Vives i Sicília read the Spanish version. The letter established Sept. 22 as the feast day of the Georgia Martyrs.

With the proclamation, the official image of the Blessed men was unveiled. The artwork, titled “The Georgia Martyrs,” was created by artist Jared Matthew Seff. Depicting the men surrounded by golden light, the image prompted applause from the congregation.

In his homily, Cardinal Leo reflected on three dimensions of the friars’ witness. First, their response to the universal call to holiness. Then, their defense of the dignity of the human person and the sanctity of marriage and family and lastly, their commitment to evangelization through apostolic zeal and charity.

“The Georgia Martyrs embraced the call to holiness which led them to further embrace the call to consecrated life, the call to the sacred priesthood, the call to missionary work, the call to evangelize, the call to share and defend the faith, and ultimately the call to give their very life,” he said.

A mother is moved to tears as she holds her baby and kneels after receiving communion at the Mass for the Beatification of the Georgia Martyrs on Oct. 31. Photo by Julianna Leopold

Cardinal Leo also emphasized the significance of the friars’ defense of marriage, connecting their witness to the responsibility of Catholics today to uphold the Church’s teaching on family life and the dignity of each human person.

“Coupled with this truth is the need to underscore clearly and boldly the blessedness and vocation to holy matrimony, and the sacredness of family founded upon the covenantal, sacramental, indissoluble union of one man and one woman,” he said.

The martyrs, he added, offer a reminder of the importance of transmitting those teachings to future generations with fidelity and in a way they can understand. Their example, he said, can help young people recognize that following Christ and serving others are among the greatest treasures of life.

For Yap, that message was heard by the many young adults in the crowd.

“The amount of young people and young families was incredible,” she said. “There’s been an influx of young people coming to church, and the families really encompass the importance of marriage, which the martyrs died protecting.”

At the end of Mass, Bishop Parkes thanked leaders, clergy, religious communities and others who helped advance the cause and prepare the liturgy. He also announced that the eight palm trees used to decorate the convention center would be transplanted at the Georgia Martyrs’ monument outside Nativity of Our Lady Church.

Impact beyond Savannah

A Mass of Thanksgiving ended the celebratory weekend on Nov. 1, the feast of All Saints. All Saints’ Day celebrates saints and martyrs, recognized or not by the Church, who have entered heaven.

In his homily, Bishop Parkes connected saints to stained-glass windows, sharing they are “the people who let God’s light shine through them.”

Bishop Parkes shared he hopes the impact of the beatification expands beyond Savannah, and that Blessed Pedro de Corpa and his four companions support all Catholic marriages and families. He asked marrying couples to consider including in their wedding Mass an intercessory prayer to the martyrs.

For Catholics who gathered in Savannah, the beatification marked years of prayer and historical research, but it also opened a new chapter in the life of the Church in Georgia.

Born in Athens, on Oct. 14, 1943, Father Medlin grew up in Atlanta and graduated from Murphy High School, and later from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in music. He earned a master’s degree in music from East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, and a doctorate in music from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Using his gifts, Father Medlin served as a music teacher in public schools in Virginia and Connecticut. He was head of the music department at West Virginia Wesleyan College and director of music education for 19 years at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.

After the successful career as a performer and music educator, he left a tenured professorship and entered, at age 52, the Pope John XXIII National Seminary to prepare for the priesthood.

He was ordained at age 58 for the Archdiocese of Atlanta by Archbishop John F. Donoghue. Following his 2002 ordination, Father Medlin served as a parochial vicar at Holy Family Church in Marietta until June 2003. He then served as a parochial vicar at St. Jude the Apostle Church in Sandy Springs. His ministry also included time at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Alpharetta.

As a priest, he had a particular interest in adult education and ministries for returning Catholics. He is also remembered for his service to the sick.

He is survived by countless students and loving parishioners, caregiver Janice Purdy and friend, Father Fabio Alvarez-Posada. He is preceded in death by his parents, Sam and Mary Medlin.

A funeral Mass will be Thursday, Nov. 12, at 10 a.m. at the Cathedral of Christ the King, 2699 Peachtree Rd, NE, Atlanta. A viewing will be held before Mass, beginning at 9:30 a.m.

He seemed mystified by the whole fatherhood thing. Back at home after a shopping outing with our mom, my sister and I would model our new outfits, praying silently for a compliment. Gazing curiously at the ruffled dresses, he would inquire, “Are they comfortable?” Sighing, we assured him they were.

Soulmates, my mom and dad had a smooth-sailing, storybook relationship that lasted three decades until her death. He continued to woo her even after marriage, showing up on Valentine’s Day with a heart-shaped box of chocolates and on Easter with satiny white lilies. He wasn’t one to dole out hugs and kisses to his children, so when I craved affection I went to my mom. “You’re the most beautiful woman in the world,” I intoned, as I trailed her around the house.

Tom Viscardi, the author’s father, with Lorraine in his arms and her sister Rosemary by his side.

I secretly agonized over the prim and proper families in shows like “Father Knows Best” and “Leave It to Beaver.” Were there really dads who wore tailored suits to work and sagely divulged life’s meaning to their children? Were there really dads who called their daughters “Princess?”

Kids can be terrible snobs about their parents, and I was no exception. Sometimes I was ashamed because my father had only a sixth-grade education, while my mother had a college degree. His passions were Cuban cigars, playing poker and betting on the horse races.

Try as I might, I could not picture Ward Cleaver poring over the racing results, nor could I imagine him chasing his kids around the house with his belt in hand. In my father’s case, the belt was merely a scare tactic, which worked famously. It must have pained him to frighten his daughters because he later showed up with comic books as peace offerings.

An unthinkable tragedy occurred when I was 25, when my mother was stricken with cancer and died four years later. She had always been the letter writer in the family, decorating her notes to me at college with tiny hearts and Xs for kisses. After her death, my father started writing letters on big yellow sheets from a legal pad, and he surprised me with his dry wit. For example, he inquired about the health of my large tomcat, Funky, and admonished me not to spend all the money he enclosed on cat treats.

In one letter, he proposed we take a cruise to the Bahamas, which intrigued me since we had never had a father-daughter outing before. Once on board, neither of us could have predicted my mother’s absence would be palpable. No matter where we went on the ship, it seemed we had forgotten something.

One evening I found my father, hunched over in a deck chair, weeping. I sat beside him, while he confessed how much he loved her and how devastated he was by her death. I took his hand, and in that moment, I forgave him everything. After all, we had shared a great treasure, since our hearts had their moorings in the same person—his wife, my mother.

Maybe he wore Bermuda shorts instead of Brooks Brothers, and maybe he never learned how to navigate the dizzying waters of fatherhood. Still, he gave me something immeasurably precious, deeply imprinted on my heart. He taught me about a fierce love that endures forever—and somehow that makes up for it all.

“I think we need to work together to try to learn to communicate together and not see each other as different cultures,” said Familo, “but kind of have an umbrella that we can be under the Catholic culture.”

With the help of the Catholic Leadership Institute (CLI), the parish is leaning into a plan that sees differences as a gift, not a challenge to fix. Familo is leading the effort.

She recruited parish members intentionally, ensuring everyone sitting in the pews is represented at the table, with the ages, cultures and languages mirroring the church. New people are being invited to embrace roles to broaden their responsibilities.

There isn’t a desire to simply check a box to do busy work, she said, but to ensure a diverse group of people are rethinking beloved parish traditions

This work with the CLI was introduced into the Archdiocese of Atlanta in 2025. The parish is one of several communities exploring ways of revitalizing faith life. In a grassroots effort, each parish sets their priorities and with the help of facilitators, move toward fulfilling goals. The Rooted in Christ—Growing in Faith capital campaign includes funds to expand this effort so at least a quarter of the parishes in the archdiocese can participate.

Catholics first gathered at what became Tyrone’s St. Matthew Church in a funeral home 48 years ago. It was a mission of Most Blessed Sacrament Church until 1979, when it became a parish. Membership has grown by 50 percent over the past decade. There are an estimated 1,300 registered families, with strong growth among families with young children.

Today there are four weekend Masses celebrated by Father Valery Akoh. Believers worship in English and Spanish, while the parishioners reflect the global church, with natives from Africa, the Americas and Asia.

The pastor is a native of Cameroon, where 250 languages are spoken, he said. That’s why starting at the parish in 2022 felt like a good fit.

“With such diversity, I felt as coming home to St. Matthew,” said Father Akoh. “Diversity is my reality and I cherish it. Celebrating diversity for me means celebrating God’s ingenuity who creates each and all unique and varied,” he wrote in an email.

Meiling Familo, St. Matthew parishioner, is pictured while on pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago in Spain this summer. While there she learned that her pastor, Father Valery Akoh, wanted her to lead the parish’s unity effort. Photo Courtesy of Meiling Familo

The parish set unity as one priority in the CLI project. The parish members asked themselves how they could be more united and “not operate as two communities of Anglos and Hispanics? There was a divide,” Father Akoh wrote.

Other parish priorities include marriage enrichment, working with confirmation students to integrate them into parish life and increasing Mass attendance by inviting friends.

Modeling the pilgrimage experience

Familio, 60, joined the parish in 2008 before a military assignment took her family across the country in 2014. When her husband retired, they moved back to the area and returned to St. Matthew Church. An educator by training, she worked as coordinator for family faith formation for four years.

During the summer, she walked and prayed on the Camino de Santiago, the pilgrimage path in Spain when she received an email from Father Akoh asking her to lead the unity effort. She said receiving the email during the pilgrimage as God’s perfect time because on that experience she saw how pilgrims from around the world with diverse languages could unite around the Catholic culture. It became a model for what she hopes to see at the parish.

A goal is to facilitate people of different backgrounds sitting together and learning from each other, instead of people isolating themselves into language and cultural groups. A goal is to overcome language shyness and communication gaps so everyone feels connected under the shared “umbrella” of Catholic identity, she said.

One new calendar item is organizing a parish multicultural music festival on the feast of Feast of St. Cecilia, the patron of church musicians. The five parish choirs, singing in both English and Spanish, will share a joint concert.

And the panel is reconsidering organizing the annual feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patroness of the Americas, from a Hispanic-focused celebration to an inclusive event.

For Father Akoh, this priority reinforces the view expressed by Pope Leo, who has spoken about how unity is not uniformity. The pastor said, “the former integrates and makes use of our differences whereas the latter seeks to erase our differences.”

Priests who passed his booth between sessions could watch the newly beatified bishop take shape.

“For me, it’s very definitely prayer. You’re sitting there and staring at it for, you know, hours and hours. It’s a contemplative type (of prayer) that’s how I think of it,” said Pawlowski.

A year earlier, he worked alongside award-winning artist Dale Molnar on a sacred art project at Transfiguration Church in Marietta.

Award-winning sacred artist, Dale Molnar, stands next to a mission olive tree that grows in front of Transfiguration Church in Marietta. Photo by Julianna Leopold

The two were partners as the parish reimagined the entryway of Transfiguration Church. Architects designed the transition space to better prepare worshippers walking from foyer’s social gathering space to the sanctuary of prayer.

The hallway included six niches. The artists created original mosaics of the Virgin Mary, St. Joseph and the four Gospel writers. Molnar worked on windows of St. Mary, St. Matthew and St. Luke. Pawlowski created St. Joseph, St. Mark and St. John.

For Molnar, sacred art engages the viewer’s senses. In contrast, religious art is passively observed.

Artist Dale Molnar’s hand caresses the mosaic of the Blessed Mother that he spent hours creating. It now hangs in the narthex of Transfiguration Church in Marietta. He used a traditional Byzantine mosaic technique where he angled small pieces of glass to create sparkles of light that fall on both Mary and the viewer. Photo by Julianna Leopold

He used a traditional Byzantine mosaic technique for the Annunciation scene, where he angled the small pieces of glass to create sparkles of light that fall on both the Virgin Mary and the viewer. In his depiction, the angel Gabriel is shown as a “field of light,” indicated by a hand, a few feathers and light.

Pawlowski used a subtle approach with St. John. Traditionally, the saint is symbolized with an eagle. But Pawlowski shows the Gospel writer with an eagle feather as a quill instead.  He researched an eagle feather to ensure its accuracy.

Each of the artists created the glasswork in their own styles. But a cruciform border on each makes them a unified unit.

Molnar, 77, works out of his South Light Studio in Marietta that he opened in the 1980s. He described himself as an “image maker” who chooses whatever medium—from bronze to wood —serves his specific message. His first skill as an artist is listening, he said, “so that I can help them realize their vision as opposed to imposing my particular ideas.”

Many areas of Transfiguration Church have been touched by Molnar, from the statues in the prayer garden to the colorful glass in the cupola. He designed the cupola, so sunlight hits its colored glass that matches the Church’s liturgical calendar.

“Lots of people have gifts. For me, it was easy,” he said. “I knew what my gift was, and so it would almost be sacrilegious to not follow my gift of being an artist.”

A painting of Blessed Fulton Sheen in its early stage sits in the frame designed for the finished product in Kevin Pawlowski’s basement studio at his Woodstock home. Photo by Julianna Leopold

Pawlowski described his work as contemporary realism, naming John Singer Sargent as a role model. He believes showing biblical figures as recognizable people can help people connect to the message of faith.

In one of his works, he depicts St. Joseph, the carpenter of Nazareth, with “big, meaty hands” made rough with calluses. “He looks like a guy you would have met,” said Pawlowski.

One of his other works at the parish is a large cross hanging in the library. Pawlowski happened to witness a woman venerating the cross, kissing and touching Jesus’ feet.

“That’s as good as it gets right there. I mean, it moved her.”

Father Neil Dhabliwala, guild chaplain, celebrated the Mass in honor of the feast of St. Luke, the evangelist and physician who is patron of those in medicine, observed a day ahead of the Oct. 18 feast. The White Mass takes its name from the white coats of the medical profession and is offered to ask God’s blessing on those who care for the sick and to renew their commitment to practicing medicine in harmony with the Church’s teaching on the dignity of every human life.

Following Mass, attendees moved to the parish hall for breakfast and a talk Dr. E. Wesley Ely, the Grant W. Liddle Professor of Medicine and Critical Care at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, founder and co-director of Vanderbilt’s Critical Illness, Brain Dysfunction and Survivorship (CIBS) Center. He is president of the CMA Nashville Guild.

Dr. Ely, a pulmonologist, spoke on finding enlightenment at the bedside. Drawing on decades in the intensive care unit, he described how the most profound moments of his medical life came not from technology or treatment, but from encountering God in the suffering and humanity of his patients.

The Catholic Medical Association Atlanta Guild brings together healthcare professionals for prayer, fellowship, continuing formation and support in living out their faith in medical practice. The guild welcomes new members from all areas of healthcare. Its next event, on Saturday, Jan. 23, will be a panel discussion on the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services. More information is available at cmaatlanta.org.

Bishop Bernard E. Shlesinger III

In every age, there is a need to consider what all of our striving is leading to. Are we to tear down our barns and build them bigger to store up an abundant harvest (see Luke 12:16-21)? Do we forget about the universal destination of goods in the pursuit of progress and wealth?

During the industrial revolution of the late 18th and 19th centuries, we saw how unprecedented economic prosperity tended to see the human person as expendable for the sake of profiting a few industrialists. But the cost to human dignity was high as unregulated economic gain created harsh, dangerous and unhealthy working conditions. Slums and overcrowded tenements created unhealthy living conditions. Children as young as 6 years of age were denied education and employed in factories, mines or textile mills, and industrial pollutants led to respiratory diseases that shortened lifespan.

This rise in industry without wise regulation led to voices such as the novelist Charles Dickens to raise consciousness about the conditions in which people worked and lived. Eventually, Pope Leo XIII would lend his prophetic voice and teaching office to address human dignity as it related to labor in his famous encyclical “Rerum Novarum.”

It is true that we cannot stop progress nor should we. But, wisdom will always be needed in regulating it lest we succumb to injustice towards the vulnerable or even toward the future generation. For example, unregulated human activity led to the almost extinction of the American bison (buffalo) before a conservation movement stepped in with regulation.

Today, we can see the need for wisdom to discern other forms of regulation to ensure that our common home will be habitable for the next generation. The encyclical “Laudato Si’” by Pope Francis was written to challenge unregulated activity of man that may lead to irreparable damage to our common home.

As we face further challenges with the rapid growth of AI, one might study “Antiqua et Nova,” read Pope Leo XIV’s recent encyclical “Magnifica Humanitas” and become acquainted with the principles of Catholic Social Teaching.

Pope Leo reminds us that technology is never neutral as it takes on the characteristics of those who devise, finance, regulate and use it. Pope Leo states, “Technology has the power to heal, connect, educate and protect our common home; but it can also divide, exclude and generate new forms of injustice.”

Yes, you cannot stop progress but let us progress in charity toward one another and ask God for the wisdom to know how best to regulate human activity that promotes human dignity and the common good.

For parishioners who may be hearing about Rooted in Christ—Growing in Faith for the first time, what is the campaign and what does the archdiocese hope to accomplish through it? 

Rooted in Christ—Growing in Faith is a historic archdiocesan-wide capital, programmatic and endowment campaign for the Archdiocese of Atlanta. At its heart, it is not simply a fundraising effort; it is a spiritual response to the extraordinary growth and pastoral needs we are experiencing across north and central Georgia.

The goal is to help our Church meet this moment with faith and courage. Our parishes are growing, our communities are becoming more diverse and more people are searching for hope, belonging and a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.

How is Rooted in Christ—Growing in Faith different from the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal and why are both important to the mission of the archdiocese?

The Archbishop’s Annual Appeal supports the ordinary, ongoing work of the archdiocese each year. It funds essential ministries, programs and services that sustain parish life and serve people across north and central Georgia on an annual basis.

Rooted in Christ—Growing in Faith is different because it is an extraordinary, once-in-a-generation effort focused on long-term and transformational needs. It is designed to make major investments and create long-term sustainability through endowment growth.

Both are important because the Church needs both daily support and long-term investment. The Annual Appeal helps us serve today. The campaign helps us prepare for tomorrow.

Some parishioners may wonder, “I already support my parish and contribute to the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal. Why am I being asked to consider an additional campaign commitment?” How would you answer them?

First, I would say thank you. The generosity of parishioners who faithfully support their parish and the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal is the foundation that allows the Church to carry out its mission every day.

This campaign is an invitation, not a replacement for regular parish offertory or the Annual Appeal. We are not asking people to shift support away from their parish or from the Annual Appeal. Rather, we are inviting families to prayerfully consider whether they can make an additional sacrificial commitment over time—often through a five-year pledge—to help address needs that are larger and more long-term than ordinary annual giving can meet.

Every family’s circumstances are different and every gift matters. The important thing is prayerful discernment. The campaign gives us an opportunity to invest in the future.

Trust and accountability are important parts of good stewardship. How will the campaign trust provide transparency and help assure donors that their gifts are used for the purposes they were intended to support?

Trust and accountability are essential. Donors need to know that their gifts will be handled carefully and with transparency.

Campaign funds will be deposited into the Rooted in Christ—Growing in Faith Trust, which provides a clear governance structure for receiving, managing and distributing campaign funds. Gifts are restricted for the purposes outlined in the campaign case and oversight is provided through the trust’s governance process. The campaign also includes regular reporting, stewardship updates and independent audits to help verify that funds are used as intended.

In addition, the Office of Mission Advancement will provide ongoing communication about campaign progress, pledge fulfillment, parish distributions and impact. Transparency is not simply a financial practice; it is an expression of good stewardship and respect for the sacred trust placed in us by donors.

Not every family has the same financial circumstances. How should Catholics prayerfully discern what stewardship and participation in Rooted in Christ—Growing in Faith mean for them personally?

Discernment should begin with prayer. I would encourage every family to ask: What has God entrusted to us? How are we being called to respond? What gift would be meaningful, sacrificial and responsible for our household?

Participation will look different for every family. Some may be able to make a larger pledge over five years. Others may make a modest gift that still represents real sacrifice. Others may participate through prayer, encouragement or volunteer service. The campaign is not about comparing one gift to another; it is about each person responding faithfully according to his or her circumstances.

It is also important to say that commitments can be adjusted if circumstances change. The Church understands that family situations, employment, health and finances can change over time. The invitation is to prayerfully participate in a way that is generous, joyful and responsible.

Years from now, when we look back on Rooted in Christ—Growing in Faith, what do you hope will be its lasting impact on our parishes, our ministries and the Catholic Church in north and central Georgia?

Years from now, I hope we will look back and see that this campaign helped deepen our faith and strengthen our sense of mission. I hope we will see parishes that are more welcoming and better equipped to serve growing communities. I hope we will see more families able to access Catholic education, more young adults supported in campus ministry, more seminarians and priests strengthened for service and more vulnerable neighbors receiving compassionate care.

But even more than the projects funded, I hope the lasting impact will be spiritual. I hope Rooted in Christ—Growing in Faith will help us become a Church more deeply rooted in Christ, more united in mission and more confident in sharing the Gospel. If future generations encounter Jesus Christ more fully because of the generosity, faith and sacrifice of Catholics today, then this campaign will have borne lasting fruit.

Once the crowd was locked in, Harper launched herself onto a crash pad in the sensory room at St. Mary’s School in Rome. The third grader tumbled onto the cushion, delighted to have an audience clap as she got ready to do it all again.

For Harper, who has Down syndrome, the room is a place to play and be herself. At St. Mary’s, she is also part of a community where classmates greet her in the hallways, teachers encourage her learning and her mother no longer feels she has to explain why her daughter belongs in the classroom.

“Everybody loves her; it’s the sweetest thing,” said her mother, Lisa Mitchell.

Harper is one of 22 students supported by Open Doors, a program of the Archdiocese of Atlanta’s Office of Catholic Schools that helps educate students with intellectual disabilities and other diverse learning needs.

Through individualized support, classroom accommodations and curriculum modifications, the program aims to help students learn alongside their peers while giving families the opportunity to experience the welcome of Catholic education.

As the archdiocese advances its “Rooted in Christ—Growing in Faith” capital campaign, Lisa Cordell, director of Open Doors, hopes funding will expand the resources needed to welcome and support more students like Harper.

Sitting at a welcoming table

Before Harper enrolled at St. Mary’s, her mother said finding the right educational environment was difficult. Harper had attended a public school, where Mitchell felt she had to advocate for her daughter to receive the support needed.

“I feel like the opportunities for kids that have a diagnosis are not always open,” Mitchell said. “You have to advocate for them to be in a classroom, and as a parent, that’s so frustrating because you’re trying to explain why your child deserves to be here.”

Mitchell learned about Open Doors through Jessica Jackson, whose son, Truett, also has Down syndrome and attends St. Mary’s. After seeing a Facebook post about Truett attending summer camp at the school, Mitchell reached out to learn more.

Meeting with school staff helped her see a different possibility as it “was nice to sit at a table where Harper felt welcome.”

“I didn’t feel like I had to explain why my child deserved to be here,” she said. “It was just a complete 360 from what we had come from.”

Now, Mitchell said, Harper is eager for school and is surrounded by classmates and staff members who know her.

“Harper had a doctor’s appointment one morning and as I was taking her back to school, she said to me, ‘are we almost there yet?,’” Mitchell said. “I was like, ‘are you ready to go back to school?’ And she said yes. And so, her being excited about going to school, that makes my heart happy.”

Truett Jackson, who has Down syndrome, takes his shoes and socks off in the sensory room at St. Mary’s School in Rome. These rooms offer students opportunities to decompress, move around and use materials such as cuddle boxes and fidgets. These spaces can benefit any student or staff member who needs a break, while offering additional support for children with sensory needs. Photo by Julianna Leopold

The welcome extends beyond the classroom. Harper is involved in cheerleading and soccer, where she has friends who play alongside her. She is greeted by staff and students throughout the day, creating a sense of familiarity and belonging that has made a difference for their family.

Two months in and thriving

For Jessica Jackson, finding a school for Truett meant searching for a place that could support his educational needs while also providing the Christian education that mattered to their family.

Jackson, whose family has six members who attend or have graduated from St. Mary’s, said she spent many hours researching schools, speaking with other parents and praying about where Truett would be able to learn.

She had struggled to find an option that could provide the support he needed while allowing him to attend school with his siblings.

A turning point came when Father Paul Porter, pastor of St. Mary’s Church in Rome, invited Jackson and another mother of a child with Down syndrome to lunch.

During their conversation, he asked about their experiences and discussed the Church’s desire to do more to educate children with disabilities.

“He shared with us that the Catholic Church as a whole felt a conviction that, as a fully pro-life organization, they could not continue to tell parents,
 ‘I’m sorry, these kids are too much for us to educate,’ and they wanted to change that,” Jackson said.

Jackson said the conversation was “music to my ears.”

“It’s every special needs parent’s dream to hear that, not only that somebody will include your child, but that they feel like your child has something to offer them in return,” Jackson said.

Now a kindergartner, Truett is making progress in learning and communication, Jackson said. She has seen changes in his attention span, ability to recognize things and willingness to express ideas.

“Truett’s thriving,” she said. “He’s been in school for only two months, but I’ve seen a year’s worth of progress.”

Jackson also sees the benefits of time with classmates. At school, children eagerly approach Truett to offer hugs and high fives.

“Every time I go to the school to take Truett out early, or if there’s an event, I am blown away every time, because they get genuinely so excited to see Truett.”

Jackson shared those interactions are meaningful because they help Truett feel welcomed, and they show him that he is an important part of his community.

The individualized collaboration between the family and school has also been important, Jackson said. Staff members communicate about his progress and work with the family to accommodate therapy appointments and other needs.

The ‘big guy’ of Brookhaven

At Our Lady of the Assumption School in Brookhaven, first-grader Brady Irr brings his own energy to the classroom.

Brady, who has Down syndrome, is known for his playful personality and contagious laugh. During a recent activity, he led classmates in a game that had them dancing, spinning and following his movements. The other children eagerly joined in, turning the lesson into a shared moment of fun.

Brady is the middle of three boys in his family.

“Brady is the heart of our family,” Stefanie Irr, his mother, said. “We all fight over who will get snuggles and hugs from Brady daily.”

Heather Subleski, a support teacher at OLA, works with Brady Irr on vocabulary, spelling and other goals. He visits her classroom each day, where lessons are balanced with breaks and chances to move. Photo by Julianna Leopold

She described her son as curious and affectionate, someone who loves music, dancing, exploring outdoors, wrestling with his brothers and helping with household chores.

“He’s the kid who will find a way to play with anyone but is the most in tune with emotions around him,” Irr said. “Brady is the first to give a hug or a boo-boo kiss when needed.”

The family learned about Open Doors through a friend who had read about the program in a Georgia Bulletin article. After discovering Cordell, former principal of OLA, was leading the initiative at the archdiocesan level, they began exploring the option.

Brady is now in a first-grade classroom with his aide, Lauren Mandernack, who provides guidance and support. He follows a modified curriculum that allows him to learn at his own pace and level while remaining with his peers.

“Brady has always been welcomed by his classmates, and the Open Doors program ensures that will continue throughout his school life,” Irr said.

Heather Subleski, a support teacher at OLA, works with Brady on vocabulary, spelling and other goals. He visits her classroom daily, and lessons are balanced with breaks and chances to move.

“I love working with him, it’s been awesome,” Subleski said. “He’s a goofball, and I’m sure people look into my classroom and wonder what’s happening when they see us dancing, because we’re always having so much fun.”

She affectionately calls him “big guy.”

Having their community advocate for Brady’s success has been a blessing, Irr said. The family has seen growth in his learning, social skills and independence.

“We know he’s in a place where he’s truly valued,” she said.

For families of children with disabilities, finding the right school can involve weighing questions about acceptance, safety, accommodations or whether they will have to advocate continually for their children. Irr shared that this is the first school year in which her family has not felt the need to question those things.

“This school year has been one of the more peaceful transitions to date,” Irr said. “From the start it has felt like Brady is being fully supported, encouraged, accepted and thriving.”

Open Doors has not only allowed her children to attend school together but has taught the community about inclusion and friendship.

“It’s also important for the students to know, love and befriend kids who are different,” she said. “The Open Doors program makes it much attainable for families of children like Brady.”

Harper Mitchell, a student in the Open Doors program at St. Mary’s School in Rome, plays in the Tumbl Trak cuddle box, a stretchy sensory box that simulates a full-body hug. The sensory room designed to support all the students and teachers. Photo by Julianna Leopold

Expanding efforts through capital campaign

At OLA and St. Mary’s, sensory rooms offer students opportunities to decompress, move around and use materials such as cuddle boxes, crash pads, fidgets, toys, books and art supplies. These spaces can benefit any student or staff member who needs a break, while offering additional support for children with sensory needs.

At St. Mary’s, Open Doors coordinator Kyser Pritchett works with Harper and Truett, helping them participate in school life and build their skills. At OLA, Brady receives support from Subleski and Mandernack. These individualized supports help students work toward their own goals while remaining part of the wider community.

The Rooted in Christ—Growing in Faith capital campaign seeks to raise $185 million over five years to strengthen the archdiocese and support its growing communities. Among its priorities is making Catholic education more accessible and helping schools serve more families.

The campaign includes $40 million designated to endow access and drive enrollment across Catholic schools. Cordell hopes that investment can help expand the resources needed for students with disabilities.

“All of our schools are at different places still with Open Doors, but they’re all working towards the same goal of having inclusion,” Cordell said.

One priority for Cordell is sensory rooms. A goal is to equip every school in the archdiocese with such a space.

Another goal is to expand professional development for educators so teachers can better understand and respond to the needs of students with diverse learning profiles. As part of that initiative, the Office of Catholic Schools held a two-day institute on “Universal Design for Learning,” an educational framework designed to remove barriers to learning for students with disabilities in their schools. Two hundred and nineteen educators participated in the workshop.

Alongside expanding development for teachers is increasing access to specialists. Cordell hopes to expand the access to speech-language therapists and teachers who can work at multiple schools. This could help schools access professional support when they cannot employ a full-time specialist.

Cordell and Kim Shields, associate superintendent for the Office of Catholic Schools, visit schools to see how the program is developing and what support educators need.
When visiting, Shields is always stunned by how much encouragement classmates provide.

“Harper has buddies that help her with different topics.” Shields said. “Truett and Brady aren’t afraid to talk to the older kids, and those students are always eager to help. It’s amazing to see how much they want to see them succeed. The kids are really helping each other.”

For Brady, Harper and Truett, the impact of inclusion is seen in the way their communities have supported them. For their parents, the Open Doors program has allowed their children to be treated not as exceptions to the classroom, but as established members of the school community.

As the archdiocese looks to the future, Cordell hopes expanded resources will help additional schools provide that opportunity so more children can learn and find a place where they belong.

“All I’ve ever wanted for Harper was for her to feel included,” Mitchell said. “And now, it’s obvious she does.”

Peace and All Good!

I continue to be inspired by the faith, generosity, and devotion of the people of the Archdiocese of Atlanta. Across north and central Georgia, our Catholic community is growing in remarkable ways through vibrant parishes, strong participation in the sacraments, flourishing ministries and increasing vocations to the priesthood and religious life. At the same time, many people in our communities are searching for hope, purpose and a deeper relationship with God. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are called not only to serve those already within our Church, but also to reach those who have not yet encountered God’s love.

During my visits to parishes across our great diocese, I have witnessed firsthand the extraordinary vitality of our local Church. I have celebrated Mass in overflowing churches, met young families seeking to pass on their faith, spoken with college students searching for deeper meaning and purpose and been inspired by the joyful witness of those discerning vocations to the priesthood and religious life. I have also encountered many individuals who feel isolated, disconnected or uncertain about their place within the Church. These experiences have strengthened my conviction that we must continue investing in the mission Christ has entrusted to us and create new opportunities for every person to encounter His love and mercy.

It is in this spirit that I am pleased to announce Rooted in Christ—Growing in Faith, the first archdiocesan wide campaign in nearly 30 years. Following years of prayer, consultation and planning, this effort reflects a bold vision for the future of our local Church. While the campaign will provide important financial resources, its true purpose is much greater: strengthening our mission to proclaim the Gospel, form disciples, serve those in need and ensure that the Catholic faith continues to flourish for generations to come.

The title of this initiative is rooted in the words of Jesus: “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit” (Jn 15:5). Our hope is that every member of the archdiocese will become more deeply rooted in Christ so that together we may grow in faith and bear lasting fruit through discipleship, service, and evangelization.

This campaign is centered on three priorities: Investing in Parishes and Clergy, Forming Missionary Disciples and Uplifting Vulnerable Neighbors. Through these efforts, we will strengthen growing parishes, support the formation and well-being of our clergy, nurture families and young people in the faith, expand campus ministry, and assist those experiencing poverty, hunger, homelessness, mental health challenges and other hardships. A Mission Expansion Fund will also help address the needs of parishes serving rapidly growing Catholic communities throughout our archdiocese.

At the heart of this campaign is a commitment to stewardship. Everything we have is a gift from God, entrusted to us for his glory and the service of others. The faithful of the Archdiocese of Atlanta have always responded generously when called upon to advance the mission of the Church, and I invite you to prayerfully consider how God may be calling you to participate in this historic effort.

It is important to note that Rooted in Christ—Growing in Faith is distinct from the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal. While the Annual Appeal supports the ongoing ministries and services of our archdiocese, this campaign will provide transformational investments that strengthen our Church for the future.

As we embark on this journey together, I ask for your prayers, participation, and continued commitment to the mission of Christ. Rooted in Him and growing in faith, we can build an even stronger Church, deepen our witness to the Gospel, and help future generations encounter the saving love of Jesus Christ.

May God bless you and your families, and may Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, Patroness of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, intercede for us always.

In Christ,
Most Reverend Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv.
Archbishop of Atlanta

“The Holy Spirit has certainly been a part of the growth that we’ve experienced in these last years, and we see no end to it. And so we have a responsibility to prepare for the growth and also to take care of the increasing people who come to the church,” said the archbishop in a recent conversation with The Georgia Bulletin.

Deacon Rick Medina, chief advancement officer for the Archdiocese of Atlanta, publicly announced the “Rooted in Christ—Growing in Faith” $185 million dollar capital campaign at a gathering of donors and archdiocesan supporters on Saturday, Oct. 17, at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens.

Deacon Medina went on to explain that the archdiocese has already raised almost half of the goal thanks to a silent phase that included meeting with major donors as well as 10 parishes that have already launched their campaigns.

Some of the money raised will stay in the parish community where it is raised. A large portion will be funneled into endowments where it will be invested so the proceeds can support the Church for generations to come. A final portion will be used as capital to address some immediate pressing needs.

“What we see here in Atlanta is our parishes are growing because they’re welcoming and because we accept people from all different countries, speaking all different kinds of languages, having come from different cultures, because there’s a high level of acceptance and welcome,” he added.

The campaign is built around three pillars: supporting our parishes and clergy, forming missionary disciples and uplifting our vulnerable neighbors.

Supporting our parishes and clergy

In 2010, the Catholic Extension Society ranked the Archdiocese of Atlanta the 49th largest diocese in terms of Catholic population in the United States. Just 10 years later, Atlanta was the 25th largest. By some measures, this diocese is the second-fastest growing in the U.S.

“Only the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in Texas added more people than our archdiocese between 2010-2020. Only the Diocese of Los Angeles had more people living within their boundaries (as of 2020),” explained Jenny Miles, who works in the Office of Planning and Research for the Archdiocese of Atlanta.

Parishioners of St. Lawrence Church stand in the narthex during an October 2025 Mass. At least six parishes currently have more people than seats during regular Sunday liturgies. Photo courtesy of Father Henry Atem

“In terms of percent growth, Georgia grew the fastest from 1990-2000. Our Catholic population increased 78 percent while our total population grew 26 percent. However, we are adding more Catholics in each subsequent decade,” added Miles. The expansion is diverse. The Office of Planning and Research estimated that in 2020, 43 percent of all Catholics in the archdiocese identified as Hispanic. Forty-two percent identified as white with other cultural groups making up the remaining population.

What has not kept pace with the growth is the size of the sanctuaries where all of these people worship. The archdiocese has seen this before.

“In the 1970s, corporate migration brought lots of professionals to Atlanta. This spurred a need for new churches in the new suburbs,” said John Schiavone, director of real estate development for Catholic Construction Services, the department that manages property acquisition and construction for the archdiocese. A capital campaign in the early 1990s allowed the archdiocese to fund a number of new parishes and schools, but the population kept growing.

“With that continued growth, much of which is Hispanic, some of the churches we built then are no longer large enough,” said Schiavone, pointing to St. John Vianney Church in Lithia Springs, as well as Our Lady of the Americas Mission in Lilburn, both of which have to open overflow spaces every weekend to accommodate Mass-goers.

Overcrowding is a great sign of an active, healthy church, but can deter people from coming. On any given Sunday, 30 of the 104 parishes and missions in the archdiocese have at least one Mass that is over capacity, meaning that 85 percent or more of the seats are taken.

“This is the point at which people feel uncomfortable,” said Miles. At six parishes, there are more people than seats every weekend.

The challenge to adding Masses is that vocations did not keep up with the growth of the last 30 years. According to the Official Catholic Directory, in 1980, each priest in the archdiocese had the care of an average of 560 Catholics. By 2020, that number jumped to more than 4,000.

Some pastors are celebrating three or four Masses per day of the weekend. This intense schedule can lead to exhaustion or burnout. There are not yet enough priests to increase the number of Masses, but vocations are booming. The archdiocese welcomed the largest seminarian class ever in 2026 and is currently supporting almost 70 seminarians in different stages of formation.

But this too, comes at a cost. Additional seminarians have added an additional $600,000 of expenses this year alone. The capital campaign aims to raise $10 million for an endowment to pay for the cost of formation for the generations of priests to come.

Once a man is ordained to the priesthood, the archdiocese is responsible for ensuring he gets ongoing formation and support for his physical, mental and spiritual health. A portion of the campaign will also endow funding for these efforts.

Forming missionary disciples

Lay Catholics also get support through the second pillar of the campaign: forming missionary disciples. The Office of Evangelization and Discipleship (OED) is developing and disseminating a robust family faith formation program. The model includes support for trained catechists at each church. OED teams are also trying to beef up campus ministry operations to keep young adults engaged in their faith. Five million dollars will expand family formation resources while another $8 million is allocated to college campus ministry. Some will pay for additional staff while the rest will go into an endowment for future support.

The bulk of the second pillar, $40 million dollars, will support the Catholic schools in the archdiocese.

“My wife and I are passionate about Catholic education,” said Jim Slattery, a member of Christ the King parish who also serves on the advisory board for the campaign. “We need an endowment fund to ensure that for every parent who wants to send their kids to Catholic school, money will not bar them from that dream. We do not want Catholic education to be a case of the haves and have-nots.”

In addition to the scholarship endowment, the campaign will spend $2.5 million to expand the Open Doors program and $2.5 million for an awareness campaign to support enrollment for all Catholic schools.

Uplifting our vulnerable neighbors

The last pillar, uplifting our vulnerable neighbors, speaks to work the Church does to strengthen society as a whole. As the population in Atlanta has grown, so have the needs of the most vulnerable members of society. Housing and mental health challenges are two of the most pressing social concerns of the day. Rooted in Christ—Growing in Faith will give Catholic Charities Atlanta and St. Vincent de Paul of Georgia money they need to expand services in these two critical areas.

The campaign will last eight years total, rolling out fundraising requests in waves of 10 to 20 parishes at a time. The endowments created will be housed in the Catholic Foundation of North Georgia, but the archdiocese is creating a trust to oversee management and distribution of proceeds.

The $185 million goal, while ambitious, is carefully chosen. Deacon Medina and the Office of Mission Advancement used market research as well as donor data to establish goals for each parish. The archdiocese hired CCS Fundraising to help with logistics, messaging and pastor support for the duration of the campaign.

CCS is the same firm the archdiocese used for its previous capital campaign. The more money a parish can raise, the more money the parish can keep. Parishes keep 30 percent of the set goal. The parish keeps 70 percent of all money raised between 100-200 percent of the goal, and the parish retains every penny of money raised above 200 percent of the goal.

“A campaign like the one we are in now—the generosity of the people who participate in it is contagious,” said Archbishop Hartmayer. “When we see the joy in their heart (when people donate) … then other people want to do the same. It inspires them. It encourages them. It’s a beautiful thing to watch as a bishop, as a priest, to see the people of God responding to his Church here on earth.”

“I will have to pray for your soul,” he teased.

The team “Smells and Bells” was up against “There’s No Crying in Trivia,” “Here for the Beer” and “Cooke Monster.”

“Father Jack” is written in chalk on the sign outside Skint Chestnut Brewing Company promoting the trivia competition.

“Everybody knows it’s going to be a crowded night,” said a longtime player.

Father Knight’s presence at the brewery is a sign of how believers—with the help of the Catholic Leadership Institute (CLI)—are rethinking evangelization. Parish members have embraced opportunities to build relationships with people beyond the church walls.

This work with the CLI was introduced into the Archdiocese of Atlanta in 2025. The parish is one of several exploring ways of revitalizing faith life. Each parish sets their priorities and with the help of facilitators, moves toward fulfilling the goals. The Rooted in Christ—Growing in Faith capital campaign includes funds to expand this effort so at least a quarter of the parishes in the archdiocese can participate.

One of the inspiring results of this CLI exercise is seeing how people are growing into their roles, Father Knight said.

“They’re really the hands and the feet and the eyes and the ears of Jesus on the streets and they’re tapping into their God-given call to evangelize,” he said. The priest said working with CLI has been fruitful to move toward parish goals because it provides “structure without rigidity.”

Data analysis, prayer guide priorities

St. John Vianney Church was founded in 1968. It is located just outside the perimeter on the west side of the archdiocese. The suburban parish has seen a boom in members. Since he became the pastor, about 200 new families have joined each year, said Father Knight. Its active membership census has grown from 1,375 to 2,400 households. To keep up with growth, an added seventh weekend Mass soon became standing room only, he said.

With the guidance of the CLI, the parish participated in the Discipleship Maker Index and drew between 1,200 and 1,300 surveys.

Father Knight said the parish leadership used both data analysis and prayer in front of the Blessed Sacrament to discern the spiritual needs identified in the survey. The results gave the parish leaders a roadmap of three priorities: deepening relationship with Jesus; fostering a culture of vocations; and a mission beyond the church walls.

People clearly wanted to deepen their relationship with Jesus, said Father Knight.

The parish in response expanded the opportunity for eucharistic adoration. In the past, it was restricted to the first Friday of the month but now it is available every Friday, adding 24-hour continuous prayer on the month’s first Friday. A target goal is to have between 150 and 200 weekly worshipers at adoration.

Parish leaders welcomed the growth of people in the pews, but they also wanted to ensure newcomers were not lost in the crowds, he said. A monthly welcome dinner at the church rectory now gives parish staff the chance to greet newcomers and knit connections.

The second long-term priority is fostering vocations and family life. Father Knight said the survey revealed a weakness in encouraging vocations, where three out of four respondents reported never inviting a man to consider the priesthood.

A new ministry aims in 10 years to have three to five parishioners enrolled in formation for the priesthood, permanent diaconate or religious life. The plan is to make those discussions a normal conversation among parishioners, he said. “Not forcing but just asking” about vocations, he said.

To enhance adult spiritual growth among adults, parish leaders are organizing a new format for small faith groups to fill the gap.

Pub nights spur conversation

The final priority leads to this downtown pub where craft beer is being fermented in large vats behind Father Knight’s trivia table. A large poster promoting the parish stands beside him.

Parish leaders aim to focus on outreach, connecting with the large number of nonpracticing Catholics and people without any faith tradition. Parishioners here will soon be wearing special T-shirts to help spark conversation and prayers.

In the past, the priest sat with friends at trivia night and competed against others. But a friendship with the owners of Skint Chestnut Brewing Company and their need a few months ago for an emcee put him in front of a microphone. Now, he’s here once a month, asking questions to stump the audience.

Some folks said they did not know him as a priest when he came as a trivia player, until he started showing up in his black shirt and Roman collar.

Mike Cleveland, 64, said folks were surprised, and the talk was they should have “filtered” their language. Now folks start filling up the tables an hour before the trivia begins. Cleveland said people seem to appreciate the priest’s good sense of humor.

Later, Father Knight playfully chided all the teams for their incorrect answers.

“Everybody got it wrong. I’ll pray for you,” he said.

Mary Thayer, a parish member for six years, was one of a dozen parishioners here. She was on team “Smells & Bells.”

Thayer, 62, recalled striking up a conversation with a tattooed man as they sat at the bar. She asked about his inked cross on his arm. He asked about her T-shirt depicting a monstrance and the Blessed Sacrament. Their curiosity about each other’s symbols became a “universal conversation” about life, she said.

“We don’t have to keep our faith within the walls. We can go out,” said Thayer. “There are so many opportunities out there. This is one of them.”

To raise awareness, supporters walked a two-mile route down Milledge Avenue on Saturday, Sept. 19 at the Catholic Center for prayer, coffee and donuts.

Julia Maher, who worships at St. Joseph Church, leads the Athens area Walking with Moms in Need ministry. Walking with Moms in Need is a national initiative of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to help parishes better support and accompany pregnant and parenting women. In Athens, it works alongside the Students for Life of UGA. In the past three years, they have helped 360 moms.

Pregnant and parenting moms in need are on the university campus. Mahar said the ministry’s mission is to raise awareness of assistance, where they can get it and how to reach out. When women reach out, university students empower them while members of Walking With Moms in Need will journey with these moms during their pregnancy and through their postpartum years.

Maher said a mom in need can feel helpless, but she is not hopeless. These pregnant woman or mothers are looking for the resources and guidance, and the local organization is “the help in their hope,” said Maher.

Some 20 volunteers host two monthly events, serving about 30 women at the diaper distribution and about three dozen families at a play date on a playground with breakfast served. Since half of the moms they serve only speak Spanish, they rely on Spanish-speaking volunteers and students with the ministry.