The foundation for the Parish of the Most Blessed Sacrament was laid in 1957 when Mrs. Doris Wilson donated to the Diocese of Atlanta some 20 plus acres of land lying between Fairburn and Austin Roads in the Kings Forest Subdivision.  The following year, the Most Rev. Francis E. Hyland, Bishop of Atlanta, established a mission of St. Anthony’s parish, West End, in the Ben Hill area of Atlanta.  The mission met for public worship first at the Ben Hill Health Center and later at Ben Hill Elementary School.  In 1959, Sunday Mass for the Ben Hill Mission was transferred to the new Hall of Council 4420, Knights of Columbus, at the corner of Butner and Tell Roads.

 

In November 1960, the Ben Hill Mission was designated as the parish of the Most Blessed Sacrament by Bishop Hyland.  The new parish was formed from portions of St Anthony’s, West End, and St. John the Evangelist, Hapeville.  Rev. Walter A. Donovan was appointed as the first Pastor of the new Parish.

 

On February 21, 1962, the diocese of Atlanta was redesignated as the Archdiocese of Atlanta, and the Most Rev. Paul Hallinan, Bishop of Charleston, S. C., was appointed as the first Archbishop.  Archbishop Hallinan was installed on March 29, 1962.

 

In March 1962, a Parish facility consisting of a combined rectory and chapel opened at 1926 Austin Road on the Austin/Fairburn Road property.  The new facility was used for weekday Mass and for all Parish administrative and social functions, with the exception of a few large social affairs.  In the fall of 1964 the Parish Council established a tithing program for the Parish.  All offertory collections were abolished and a basket was placed at the church entrance for voluntary contributions.  In late 1963, the Parish Council established a committee to search for land for a new Parish complex.  In mid-1964, the committee selected a parcel of 33 acres of land at Stone Road and North Camp Creek Parkway.  In November 1964, the Parish broke ground on the new property for a combined school and temporary church.

 

With the purchase of the Stone Road property, the Archdiocese of Atlanta took back all but a small portion of the land surrounding the Parish House/daily chapel on Austin Road.  In return, the Archdiocese cancelled the debt which had been incurred for the construction of the Parish House.

 

In 1965, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondolet (St. Louis, MO. Province) announced that they were assigning three sisters to Most Blessed Sacrament Parish to operate the new school beginning in September, 1965.  At that time, the Parish House/Chapel was converted to a convent for the sisters.  Father Donovan purchased a small house in the vicinity of Campbellton Road.  With the construction of the Lakewood Freeway, the rectory was forced to move and Father Donovan relocated to the new Windjammer Apartments on Stone Road, near the new Church.

 

In June 1965, due to a significant increase in the size of the Parish, Sunday Mass was transferred from the Knights of Columbus Hall to the Westgate Theater.  Archbishop Hallinan celebrated the last mass at the theater on Sunday, December 19, 1965.

 

In September, 1965, Blessed Sacrament School opened with some 200 students (Kindergarten through the 8^th Grade) in the facilities of the Headland Heights Methodist Church.  The school operated at that locality until the Christmas Holidays in 1965.  On November 27, 1965, Archbishop Hallinan formally dedicated the new Parish facility.  However, Christmas Mass marked the first mass to be celebrated in the new Parish worship center.

 

In June 1971, Rev. Joseph Drohan was appointed Pastor to succeed the Rev. Walter Donovan.  At the same time, Rev. Terrence Kane was appointed Associate Pastor.  A few months later, Father Drohan purchased a new rectory at 3445 Stone Road.

 

In June 1975, Administration of the Parish was assigned to the Missionaries of LaSalette.  Rev. James Noonan, M..S. was appointed Pastor with Rev. John Higgins, M.S., as Associate Pastor.  Just six months later, the Sisters of St. Joseph announced that they would not be returning for the 1976-1977 school year.  In June, 1976, Rev. Joseph Baxer, M.S. was appointed Associate Pastor to succeeding Father Higgins.

 

In September 1976, the Most Rev. Thomas A. Donellan, Archbishop of Atlanta, approved the closing of the Parish school when no other order of nuns could be found to operate the school.  Due to the uncertainties for the 1976-77 school year, enrollment had dropped to 125 pupils.  With the departure of the sisters and the closing of the school, the Parish rectory was transferred once again to the Austin Road property.

 

On June 4, 1978, Archbishop Donellan established St. Matthew Mission in Fairburn, Ga., as a mission of the Most Blessed Sacrament Parish.  For the first year, Father Baxer served the mission while remaining as Associate Pastor of Blessed Sacrament.  In June 1979, Rev. Leo Holleran, M.S. succeeded Father Baxer as Associate Pastor.

 

On October 9, 1979, Archbishop Donellan established St. Matthew’s Mission as a permanent Parish.  To accommodate the new Parish, the Parish boundaries of both Most Blessed Sacrament and St. John the Evangelist were redrawn. Approximately 125 families transferred from Most Blessed Sacrament to St. Matthew.

 

On January 14, 1980, Rev. Peter McKeown, M.S. succeeded Father Noonan as Pastor.  He, in turn, was succeeded by Rev. Richard LaMadelaine, M.S. as pastor on July 1, 1980.

 

Beginning in September 1981, the Parish school facilities were leased to Romar Academy, Romar Academy remained at that location until 1986.

 

In late 1982, work begun on redesigning and rebuilding the Parish worship areas according to the new liturgical norms.  Work was completed in early 1983.

 

On April 1, 1983, Rev. William Mulcaire, M.S. switched Pastorates with Father LaMadelaine.  He, in turn, was succeeded by Rev. Robert Dyer, M.S. on June 1, 1986.

 

Rev. Mr. William Lyday became the first permanent deacon ever assigned to the parish on August 1, 1986.  Deacon Lyday had previously served with Father Dyer at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Smyrna.

 

Father Dyer died on November 18, 1986, the first priest to die while serving at Most Blessed Sacrament Parish.  He was succeeded as Pastor by Rev. Joseph Aquino, M. S. who arrived on December 21, 1986.

 

On May 23, 1987, Rev. Mr. Jean Moenk, a longtime member of the Parish, was ordained a Permanent Deacon and assigned to the Parish.

 

The Parish property on Stone Road was leased out with option to purchase on January 1, 1989.  The Parish moved to the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection at the intersection of Dodson and Hogan Roads.  (This facility was actually with the boundaries of St. John the Evangelist Parish).  Holy Week services for Easter 1989 were held at the chapel of St. Joseph Village on Butner Road due to a scheduling conflict with the Church of the Resurrection.  On April 2, 1989, the Church of the Resurrection disbanded, the property was sold, and the rental agreement with Most Blessed Sacrament was terminated.  The Parish then moved permanently to the Chapel at St. Joseph’s Village.

 

On October 12, 1989, the Most Rev. Eugene Marino, S.S.J., Archbishop of Atlanta designated the chapel at St. Joseph’s Village as the permanent home of Most Blessed Sacrament Parish.

 

On June 16, 1990, Rev. Joseph Nolan, M.S. was appointed to succeed Father Aquino as Pastor.  However, on June 1, 1992, the LaSalette Order returned Most Blessed Sacrament Parish to be staffed by the Archdiocese's clergy.  At that time, Rev. Bruce Wilkinson, formerly Pastor of St. Anthony’s Parish, was appointed Pastor.  During the 1990’s both Deacon William Lyday and Deacon Jean Moenk retired from serving at the parish.

 

In June, 1999 Archbishop John Donoghue changed the mission of the St. Joseph's Village program from a residential counseling program for children to a counseling program for families, moving its location away from the Butner Road property. As a result the Village property became a center for the parish's activities along with St. Joseph's Place (a residential community for seniors), St. Stephen's Center (a training facility for the Archdiocese's Permanent Deacons), St. Charles Borremeo House (a residence for Seminarians) and Catholic Construction Services of the Archdiocese. The parish moved its offices into one of the former residential cottages (next door to the church building). The former village grounds are now formerly named the grounds of Most Blessed Sacrament. In 2000, the parish open a book store and gift shop in its parish center, named in honor of St. Katharine Drexel.

 

Today, Most Blessed Sacrament is experiencing new growth from new families moving into the South Fulton area.  The Parish has grown to include 25 ministries, especially a vibrant music ministry.  In 2006, Deacon Fred Toca (having moved from the New Jersey to Atlanta) was assigned by Archbishop Wilton Gregory to serve at Most Blessed Sacrament.

 

The Parish is currently conducting a Capital Campaign entitled "What Can I Return Back To The Lord For All He Has Done For Me" to address the growing needs of the parish. The Campaign will help the parish address additional space for our ministry to children and youth, parking issues and new doors for our church building. For more information about this campaign contact the parish office.

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