St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church breaks ground for new building

Last month, a group of Scouts, local citizens, church staff and church The long-awaited first church building for members of St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church moved one giant step forward with the groundbreaking for their new church building on Lower Fayetteville Road last week.

News that the capital campaign had reached its goal of $1.2 million was announced a few weeks ago by Father Dan Fleming, pastor of the parish, to members assembled for an old-fashioned town hall meeting after Mass.

Fleming told members of the parish during the meeting that despite the pessimistic predictions of several fund raising groups that church members would not be able to raise “that kind of money,” the feat had been accomplished.

“Well, we did it,” Fleming told applauding parish members.

The project faced some “tightening up” because of the increase in the cost of construction materials since the campaign first began 14 months ago and Fleming said it had not been an easy process to tighten the project and trim judiciously.

“But,” he added, “we believe we have preserved the integrity of the building.”

Total building costs will run $3,766,000 as the church materializes on the 40-acre site on Lower Fayetteville Road near Ga. Hwy. 154.

The original plan for the site when it was first purchased by the Archdiocese of Atlanta, was for a Catholic school. But when the school plan changed and the parish began as a mission of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Peachtree City, members of St. Mary’s decided to purchase the entire parcel.

“We are blessed with that amount of land,” Fleming said.

Fleming and Lloyd Forshee, chairman of the parish’s building planning committee, reviewed changes to the initial concept for the church which was introduced 14 months ago. Both noted that the worship area, which will seat more than 600, was spared most of the space cutbacks.

Revised plans have been approved both by the Archdiocese and by Coweta County, and the complex will be more than 17,000 square feet.

However, along with the good news came the bad: the famed tin barn could not be saved. Fleming and Forshee explained that the cost to save the structure, the setting for many special Liturgies and celebrations since the church began, could run as much as $40,000.

“Unfortunately,” Forshee said, “We just don’t have that kind of extra funds.”

The June 7 ground breaking was held on the parish property with Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory officiating. Following a prayer service and blessing of the land, the parish held a celebration on the grounds.

No date has been set for demolition of the barn.