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Bishop J. Kevin Boland of the Catholic Diocese of Savannah dedicated Christ the King Catholic Church at a 3 p.m. ceremony, March 25.

Attended by more than 400 parishioners, invited guests and diocesan priests, the dedication and Mass was a joyful affair that capped an eight-year capital campaign that raised more than $3 million to build the church on 19 acres of land across from the Callaway Gardens entrance on Georgia State Road 354.
At the beginning of the service, Thomas Smith, architect with CDH Partners of Atlanta, presented Bishop Boland with the plans for the church. Bishop Boland then passed them to Father Madden. Father raised the plans above his head causing the congregation to rise as one, applauding the fact the church was finished and paid for.
In his homily, Bishop Boland compared Christ the King to the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. where the portraits of all he Presidents hang.“Christ the King is in the process of building its own portrait gallery. It will be enshrined in the hearts and minds of the faithful and it will be added to in ages yet to come,” he said. He then took those in attendance on a trip down memory lane starting with Monsignor Herman Deimel, who, as pastor of St. Anne’s Church in Columbus first planted the seeds of making the church more present in Harris County. He did this by taking a newly ordained priest, Father Lawrence Lucree, on a drive to Harris County, telling him, “I want a mission up here.” He evoked memories of the first Masses in a home demonstration building and on the second floor of the Callaway Gardens’ Motel. The first parishioners were Mrs. Cay Grant, Judge Burton Steis, Pat and Rose Nelson, Didi Taylor and Julia Robinson. He read from a letter that Mrs. Grant wrote to Monsignor McDonald in the Diocese office asking about funds to erect a mission in Hamilton, and how that soon resulted in Fant’s Garage and Barbecue becoming the new mission. He remembered how he used to be one of the priests from St. Anne who would drive out to Harris County every third Sunday to say Mass. Bishop Boland said that the portrait gallery would have a special place for sister Philomena Fogarty, noting this was the fourth anniversary of her tragic death. “The faith community of Christ the King can claim that one of their own was a martyr for the church,” adding, “we can only surmise what she would say if she was physically present with us today. Knowing her as we did, there would be no doubt that all the t’s would be crossed and the i’s dotted; she would be filled with joy and enthusiasm and directing all of us how to carry out this ceremony.
“Sister Philomena’s contribution to the growth and development of Pine Mountain is a chapter and a story in itself.” He said her commitment to the church was being carried out by the follow on sisters of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, Sisters Anne Kelly, Nga Le and Mildred Morrissey.
Bishop Boland also noted that it was on the feast day of Christ the King, Nov. 6, 2006, that Christ the King became a parish and Father Ronnie Madden was appointed its pastor.

“It is under his leadership that much of what has happened in the last number of years that we celebrate this day. He recognized the growth and the need for new facilities…We recall the untold hours, weeks and months spent in attempting to procure different property on which to build these facilities….The angels were taking care of us when unexpectedly this beautiful high ground became available.” The Bishop then asked Father Madden to stand and be recognized for his leadership in getting the church built and paid for. Once again, all the members of congregation and guests rose and applauded their pastor. The service included the blessing and sprinkling of water, prayer of dedication, anointing the altar and walls with incense and oil and lighting the altar and the church.
Mass concluded when the Bishop moved the Blessed Sacrament to the new tabernacle and said the final blessing.

The Mass was followed by a dinner reception at the Southern Pines Conference Center in Callaway Gardens. At the reception, Bishop Boland said he’d always envisioned a church for Harris County, but didn’t foresee one on such a perfect piece of ground. “The location is perfect,” he said.
Afterwards, Father Madden said, “God made this all happen! I don't have the words to express my feelings! The building of our Church was entirely due to God's grace and design. To build a church one has to first build a community that believes in God. A community that believes in a living God who wishes to communicate to His people that He is their God and they are His people! Our new Church is a living testament that we trusted in Him! Its very presence gives witness of a vibrant Catholic community that came together to build a church that challenges all who pass by that God exists and wishes to love and be loved!” Topped off by a Celtic cross on its steeple, the new church blends Gothic and modern architecture and commands a prominent view of Harris County. The openness of the church with its vaulted ceilings, wooden cross beams, stone facades and glassed walls will bring nature to the congregation as they celebrate the Eucharist and give glory to God. Three stained-glass windows honor Christ the King, St. Francis of Assisi and St. Patrick. They were made by Father Methodius Telnack, a monk with the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers, Ga. The Callaway family provided funds to purchase a Rodgers Organ in honor of Mrs. Beth Callaway an esteemed parishioner of the church.

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