Our History ♰
In October 1970, a large group of Catholics celebrated a family picnic Mass at Stone Mountain Park, demonstrating the need for a community parish for this growing population. In May 1971, Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan designated a new parish for the Stone Mountain area in DeKalb County. The new pastor, Father Joseph Beltran, organized the Corpus Christi parish over the summer with over 200 registered families. Archbishop Donnellan celebrated the first mass for the parish on July 11, 1971.
To accommodate the rapidly expanding population, the parish developed plans to construct a church and parish center for a site at the corner of Sheppard Road and Mountain View Drive. The architectural firm Jova, Daniels, Busby, Inc. was selected to design the building and the groundbreaking ceremony took place on March 19, 1973. On October 20, 1974, the new church was dedicated.
Corpus Christi continued to grow and by November 1975, Bother, Jenkins, Slay and Associates had been hired to erect a new activities building to accommodate the Religious Education program, as well as meeting areas. This is our gym building.
In 1977, Father Thomas A. Kenny was appointed the second pastor and instituted the annual "Parish Alive" program to recruit parishioners. A classroom addition was built on the existing parish center in 1983 and the new rectory, designed by Barker & Cunningham, P. C., was completed in 1985.
On June 14, 1990, Father Leo P. Herbert was named third pastor. In 1992, the Claretian Fathers were appointed to administrate the parish and Father Greg D. Kenny, C.M.F. became Corpus Christi's fourth pastor. Fr. Len Brown, followed Fr. Kenny then Fr. John Molyneux, C.M.F. succeeded as pastor in 2008. The current pastor is Father Paschal Amagba, C.M.F, who arrived just last year. Rounding our Corpus Christi’s current priests are Father Alex Gaitan, C.M.F. as Associate Pastor and Fr. Greg D. Kenny, C.M.F who is Pastor Emeritus.
In 2013, under the direction of Fr. John, the parish undertook the start of major renovations to the Corpus Christi campus buildings starting with new roofs and air conditioning units. Once that was accomplished the parish moved forward with long needed exterior renovations and renovations to the sanctuary. The architectural firm Smith Boland designed those renovations and guided us through a construction process in 2016, the construction firm Moeller Purcell, that has resulted in the addition of a bell tower, stained glass windows, and a beautiful new exterior look and interior design.
Today as we rededicate the church, there are 1,200 registered parishioners of Corpus Christi. We are a lively community of numerous ethnic and geographical backgrounds. Over 60 countries from all over the world are represented, and every effort is made to assist the large number of refugees struggling to establish themselves in their new country.
With our new look and our new commitment to our the Corpus Christi family, we invite you to enjoy all that the we have to offer.
Portions of this history were taken from the Archdiocese of Atlanta website
http://www.archatl.com/parishes/corpuschrististonemountain.html
To accommodate the rapidly expanding population, the parish developed plans to construct a church and parish center for a site at the corner of Sheppard Road and Mountain View Drive. The architectural firm Jova, Daniels, Busby, Inc. was selected to design the building and the groundbreaking ceremony took place on March 19, 1973. On October 20, 1974, the new church was dedicated.
Corpus Christi continued to grow and by November 1975, Bother, Jenkins, Slay and Associates had been hired to erect a new activities building to accommodate the Religious Education program, as well as meeting areas. This is our gym building.
In 1977, Father Thomas A. Kenny was appointed the second pastor and instituted the annual "Parish Alive" program to recruit parishioners. A classroom addition was built on the existing parish center in 1983 and the new rectory, designed by Barker & Cunningham, P. C., was completed in 1985.
On June 14, 1990, Father Leo P. Herbert was named third pastor. In 1992, the Claretian Fathers were appointed to administrate the parish and Father Greg D. Kenny, C.M.F. became Corpus Christi's fourth pastor. Fr. Len Brown, followed Fr. Kenny then Fr. John Molyneux, C.M.F. succeeded as pastor in 2008. The current pastor is Father Paschal Amagba, C.M.F, who arrived just last year. Rounding our Corpus Christi’s current priests are Father Alex Gaitan, C.M.F. as Associate Pastor and Fr. Greg D. Kenny, C.M.F who is Pastor Emeritus.
In 2013, under the direction of Fr. John, the parish undertook the start of major renovations to the Corpus Christi campus buildings starting with new roofs and air conditioning units. Once that was accomplished the parish moved forward with long needed exterior renovations and renovations to the sanctuary. The architectural firm Smith Boland designed those renovations and guided us through a construction process in 2016, the construction firm Moeller Purcell, that has resulted in the addition of a bell tower, stained glass windows, and a beautiful new exterior look and interior design.
Today as we rededicate the church, there are 1,200 registered parishioners of Corpus Christi. We are a lively community of numerous ethnic and geographical backgrounds. Over 60 countries from all over the world are represented, and every effort is made to assist the large number of refugees struggling to establish themselves in their new country.
With our new look and our new commitment to our the Corpus Christi family, we invite you to enjoy all that the we have to offer.
Portions of this history were taken from the Archdiocese of Atlanta website
http://www.archatl.com/parishes/corpuschrististonemountain.html