Parish History

October 4, 1959 is a historic date for our church. On this date our first Mass was celebrated at the American Legion Hall on Legion Drive in Covington. Back then it was a mission placed under the patronage of St. Augustine of Hippo, the patron saint of Dom Augustine Moore, O.C.S.O., Abbot of the Holy Spirit Monastery in Conyers.Try to imagine the excitement of the thirty-five Catholics who attended that first Mass. These Catholic pioneers represent the beginning of our church family.

In 1960, a second floor storage room above the Old City Hall was rented and converted into a humble chapel. Progress was slow, but sure—Catholics numbered seventy in 1962 when instruction classes were initiated and four converts were received into the Church.

The pastoral care of the Catholic faithful was assigned to the newly established church in Conyers, St. Pius X, of which Father Paul Fogarty was appointed first pastor in 1974.
At the April 1977 meeting of the archdiocesan consulters, it was noted that the recorded Catholics in Covington numbered ninety families. The appropriate consultations with neighboring parishes were completed and a recommendation was made by the consulters that the mission in Covington, known as the Church of St. Augustine, become a full parish. The boundaries of the parish were set to include all of Morgan and Newton counties, plus the town of Social Circle in Walton County.

In his decree of establishment dated September 19, 1977, Most Reverend Thomas A. Donnellan, Archbishop of Atlanta, wrote the following:
“Those members of the faithful living within this area are members of the parish of St. Augustine. They face the challenge of continuing to work to complete their already substantial beginnings and accomplishments, giving the Church in this area an increasingly more visible and viable presence as the servant of all of God’s people. To them I extend my congratulations, best wishes, and prayers that the Lord will continue to bless what together with them, He has begun.”

St. Augustine Parish was established September 29, 1977.
OUR PASTORS
Reverend Patrick J. Padden (1977-1985)
Reverend Michael P. Hogan (1986-1989)
Reverend Michael J. Redden (1989-2000)
Reverend John T. Howren (2000-2005)
Reverend Luke R. Ballman (2005-2007)
Reverend Roberto A. Orellana (2007- )

Today St. Augustine parish has over four hundred and fifty registered families. Taking into account those parishioners with spouses and children, our parish family probably comes to over fifteen hundred people. We continue to achieve Archbishop Donnellan’s challenge of 1979.

 

church history pic 1
1st Location
American Legion Hall, Covington

church history pic 2
2nd Location
Old City Hall (upstairs), Covington

church history pic 3
3rd Location
(old Fowler House)
Corner or Floyd & Elm St., Covington

church history pic 4
4th Location
(former Ramsey residence)
American Legion Hall, Covington

church history pic 5
5th Location
(dedicated 1970)
American Legion Hall, Covington

church history pic 6
Current Location
St. Augustine's 2002
Hwy 278E., Covington