the marianite
Mary Saint
Sep/Oct 2020 Vol. 18 Issue 4
on the hill catholic church
Two Years After Rectory Fire, Parish Priests Move into a
Beautiful New Home
F Mass Schedule Sunday, 7:45 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday, 7:00 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. Tuesday, 7:00 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. Wednesday, 7:00 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. Thursday, 7:00 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. Friday, 7:00 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. Saturday, 9:15 a.m., 5:00 p.m. (Sunday Vigil)
Sacrament of Reconciliation Saturday, 3:45-4:45 p.m.
Pro Life Holy Hour Wednesday, 6:00 p.m.
Perpetual Adoration Chapel Chapel is located at the corner of Monte Sano and Bellevue.
or the first time in two years, our parish priests are able to experience the feeling of “home, sweet home,” as the new rectory opened on July 1. On June 27, 2018, our historic, original parish rectory on the church campus was destroyed in a fire caused by lightning. Our parish community came together to support our priests in many ways, including securing rental properties for our priests in the neighborhood during construction. Thanks to the hard work of St. Mary’s Fire Restoration Committee and the ongoing generosity of our parishioners, our priests were able to move into their new rectory home last month. The Fire Restoration Committee faced many decisions throughout the construction of the new rectory. The committee members are Brian Mirshak, Charlie May, Deacon Ken Maleck, Donald Thorstad, Marcie Wilhelmi, Margaret Dunstan, Martha Kearns, Nick Gladd, and the late Mary Lou Garren. Before the project could begin, one especially important decision had to be made — where would the new rectory be located?
Fr. Vernon Knight in the dining room of the new rectory.
Realizing the space occupied by the old rectory would make an ideal location for a future parish life center, the committee began considering alternate locations for the new home. After much careful deliberation, it was decided to move the new rectory to the Annunciation House on the southeastern corner of the parish property, a location that offers our priests privacy while keeping them close to our church and offices. continued on page 2
Mary Saint
on the hill
Two Years After Rectory Fire, Parish Priests Move into a
Beautiful New Home
continued from front cover
“The number of parishioners involved in this project was really spectacular. There were a lot of wonderful donations made that helped the project along, and we purchased things from a lot of parishioners at a reduced rate. The thought of these parishioners was, ‘This is our church, and we want this rectory to be around another 100 years.’” — Marcie Wilhelmi The Annunciation House has a rich history that began, interestingly enough, with a famous fire. “It was built in 1917 by the Stulb family, whose home downtown was in ashes after the historic Augusta fire,” says Fire Restoration Committee member Marcie Wilhelmi. “There was a trolley car that came up and down Central Avenue, so it was a great location. The Stulbs became one of the charter families of St. Mary on the Hill, and the house remained in their possession until it was purchased by the church.” Though the Annunciation House was solidly built, it was clear to the Fire Restoration Committee that the structure was in need of renovation. Parishioner Yancey Shearouse of Yancey Seibert Shearouse Interior Design donated her time
and expertise to the project by helping the Fire Restoration Committee draw up a new layout for the house. Those plans were then given to Augusta architecture firm Johnson, Laschober & Associates, P.C., who came up with the final designs for the renovations, which were carried out by John Kelley and C.J. McCollum of JKGC. Fire Restoration Committee member Donald Thorstad oversaw the construction schedule, progress, and finances on behalf of the church. Some of the changes made to the footprint of the Annunciation House include the addition of an elevator and the creation of three suites made up of a bedroom, bathroom and private study, as well as a guest bedroom and bath. Now, our three parish priests have their own space to pray, study continued on page 7
The living room of the new rectory provides a peaceful setting for our parish priests to relax at home. 2
the marianite
2020 High School Graduates Name:
Grace Lammers Nora Bowman Annie Bowman Ashlin Marie McArdle
High School Attended: Aquinas High School Lakeside High School Lakeside High School Aquinas High School
College:
Warren Wilson College Berry College Belmont Abbey College
2020 College Graduates Name:
College Attended:
Samuel Bowman University of Georgia Lindsay Marie Wallace Georgia Tech Andrew Joseph Hopkins Augusta Technical College Joseph A. Count, III University of South Carolina Katharine FitzSimons Hammond Doss SC School of Arts Anderson Univ. Alyssa McArdle Girard Belmont Abbey College Patrick Bolick University of Georgia Liam Welch Samford University Elena Ramage Savannah College of Art and Design
Degree:
Software Engineering Bachelors degree in Biology (Summa cum Laude) Air Conditioning Technology BA in Criminology and Criminal Justice BA in Graphic Design BA in Business Management BA in Business Administration Finance (Summa Cum Laude) BS in Marketing and Management BFA Performing Arts (Magna cum Laude)
Baptisms April 25 Charles Collins Maddux Son of Lauren and Paul Maddux
May 30 Marguerite Louise Boone Daughter of Taylor and Peyton Boone
July 5 Emilia Rose Schmitt Daughter of Kellyanne and David Schmitt
Hudson James Leonard Son of Kaythrine and James Leonard
June 20 Philip John Anderson Son of Samantha and Michael Anderson
July 12 Martha Elizabeth Fisher Daughter of Ashley and Brendan Fisher
June 21 Gertrude Renee Allen and James Blake Allen Children of Kayce and Blake Allen
July 19 Attalia Elise Camacho Malificiar Daughter of Harriet and Jerald Malificiar
May 10 Strider Robert Waters Son of Mary-Beth and Benjamin Waters May 24 Patrick Palmer Calhoun Douglas, Jr. Son of Molly and Palmer Douglas
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Mary Saint
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St. Mary on the Hill Welcomes
New Parochial Vica
O
Fr. Solomon Kaanan was ordained by former Diocese of Savannah Bishop Hartmayer in Nigeria on July 7, 2019. As the first priest from his community, his vocation was an inspiration to many.
ver the last two months, you have likely seen a familiar smiling face here at St. Mary on the Hill. We are thrilled to welcome Fr. Solomon Kaanan back to the area as our new Parochial Vicar! Fr. Solomon spent some of his vacations with us during his seminary studies between 2015 to 2017. His return as an ordained priest marks a happy homecoming for both Fr. Solomon and our parishioners alike. While St. Mary on the Hill has always been designated as Fr. Solomon’s “home parish” in our diocese, St. Thomas, the Apostle Parish, where he grew up in Nigeria, Africa, lies over 5,000 miles away. Fr. Solomon was born and raised in central Nigeria, the second oldest of eight siblings in a devout Catholic family. “Every day we went to morning Mass,” Fr. Solomon says. “We had morning prayers, the Rosary, and then after the Rosary the priest came in for Mass. Then, we prayed the Rosary every night with our parents. “If you missed Mass or the Rosary, my mom would punish you!” he laughs, then continued on page 5
“So far I love being a priest. I love what I do. I love celebrating Mass and the sacraments, Confession and Baptism, bringing people into the church. I enjoy talking to people one on one about their struggles and challenges. I just want to enjoy my priestly ministry, and I want to continue to learn how to be a priest.” — Fr. Solomon Kaanan
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ar, Fr. Solomon Kaanan! continues on a more serious note. “I’m proud of my mother. She is my spiritual director. She takes a huge credit for my vocation to the priesthood.” Around the age of 7 or 8, Fr. Solomon started to become very interested in the role of the altar servers and the priest during the Mass. By age 11, he was already enrolled in a seminary high school, where he spent six years followed by a spiritual year. He continued on to college seminary, completed a pastoral year, returned back to his first year of theology after which he was asked to come over to the United States for his continued theological studies. Fr. Solomon could never have imagined God’s plan for him to begin his priestly vocation here in the United States. The bishop of our Diocese of Savannah at the time — Bishop Gregory Hartmayer — had a close connection with Fr. Solomon’s bishop, and asked him if there were any seminarians who might be able to come finish their studies in the U.S. and serve our diocese for some time following their ordination. Since Fr. Solomon had spent his pastoral year working for his bishop and knew him well, he was a natural choice. Still, the call from his bishop asking him if he would be willing to serve the Diocese of Savannah came as a great surprise to Fr. Solomon. “I had never dreamed of being in the U.S.,” he says. “There were certain shocks when I arrived. When you come to a different country, the food and the way people do things are different and those things you struggle with. But I think I’m pretty good at getting adjusted to places and people. I am thankful to have the opportunity to experience another country’s culture. I never thought I would be a missionary priest. I was going to seminary to be a priest for my people, but here I am. You never know what God can do.” Fr. Solomon was ordained by Bishop Hartmayer in Nigeria on July 7, 2019. As the first Diocesan priest
from his community, his vocation is an inspiration to the younger children there. Thousands flocked to the cathedral for the ordination, and due to the large size of the crowd that later came out for his first Mass, the liturgy had to be held outside. In all of this, Fr. Solomon witnessed what he calls “the extravagant grace of God.” Fr. Solomon enjoyed serving St. Anne Parish in Richmond Hill as a first-year priest and now looks forward to learning and growing even more here at St. Mary on the Hill. “So far I love being a priest,” he says. “I love what I do. I love celebrating Mass and the sacraments, Confession and Baptism, bringing people into the church. I enjoy talking to people one on one about their struggles and challenges. I just want to enjoy my priestly ministry, and I want to continue to learn how to be a priest.” Whether in Nigeria or Georgia, for Fr. Solomon, living one’s faith to the fullest comes down to two things — love and courage. “Love people,” he says. “Meet people where they are. If you don’t meet people where they are, you won’t understand them. I grew up with my mom who was just a loving woman who spoke to people so well. I never saw her get angry with people outside. She would get angry at her children, but I know it was because she wanted the best for us. So I’ve always experienced love and the mystery of love. “And have courage!” he continues. “Do not be afraid — God is present. Be courageous and be determined. Sometimes when we have rough moments, if we don’t have courage, that’s when the faith is getting choked and begins to die. But if we are courageous enough, we become commissioned and can face whatever comes and keep moving. And at the end of the road, it’s glory and honor that belongs to God.”
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Celebrating First Communion at St. Mary on the Hill Despite the challenges and uncertainty brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, our young St. Mary on the Hill parishioners were able to receive their First Communion this spring. With key safety measures — such as social distancing — in place, our First Communion students could receive this sacrament and celebrate a very important step on their lifelong faith journey!
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the marianite Parish Priests Move into a Beautiful New Home and write, with an additional room available for visiting clergy. Our Fire Restoration Committee was blessed by the generous support of our parishioners every step of the way, and truly enjoyed the opportunity to work together on this project. “The number of parishioners involved in this project was really spectacular,” says Marcie. “There were a lot of wonderful donations made that helped the project along, and we purchased things from a lot of parishioners at a reduced rate. The thought of these parishioners was, ‘This is our church, and we want this rectory to be around another 100 years.’
continued from page 2
“I think the committee did and continues to do a fabulous job,” Marcie adds. “I’m always impressed when I get to work with parishioners from different walks of life and everyone has some pearl to offer. There is a dynamic that you don’t see in other ventures, and that’s what makes it so fun.” Now that our new rectory is complete, the members of our Fire Restoration Committee can finally exhale — and our parish priests can settle into their new home. On any given day, you might find Fr. Mark Ross, Fr. Vernon Knight, or Fr. Solomon Kaanan enjoying the front porch swing of the rectory at the end of a long day. And we can think of no one more deserving than these three to have a lovely new place to call “home, sweet home!”
We are thankful to all the parishioners who generously supported the rectory project. The following are among the many who played a major role by donating their professional time and talent or by extending “church pricing” to the project: • • • • • • • •
Mariah Cable Sellers, Mariah Cable Interiors — finish/fixture selections, accessories, draperies Yancey Seibert Shearouse, ASID — interior space allocation design Derek Snead, Cabinet Embellishment — all cabinetry, bookcases, pantry shelving design Larry Babbitt, Babbitt’s, Inc. — HVAC and plumbing work Mary Landrum, Landrum Plumbing Supply Tim Regan, Master Craft Flooring — all tile work and kitchen/bathroom countertops Jimmy O’Brien, O’Brien Glass — shower doors Greg Poteet, Georgia Outdoor Services — all grading and landscaping installation
Ad Placement
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Mary Saint
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Non-Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Augusta, GA Permit No. 475
1420 Monte Sano Avenue Augusta, GA 30904 Phone 706-733-6627 www.stmaryonthehill.org
Recent Donations to St. Mary on the Hill St. Mary on the Hill Church Helen B. Wilhelmi In Memory of Marie Colley Langley Michael Rucker In Memory of Mary F. Campbell Frank and Deidre Campbell In Memory of Cynthia Bowles Michael Rucker In Memory of Ursula Kerins Yvonne and Robert Spiotta In Memory of Fr. Michael Hull Michael and Rebeccah Grady In Memory of Edward Mulherin Joyce Weigle Michael Rucker Peggy Lovelace Vinny and Karen Brooks In Memory of Dr. Louis Wilhelmi Jim and Ree Thrash Pia Hagler Ms. Jaqueline Kennedy Ray and Caroline Brady Mr. and Mrs. Steve Wallace Dr. and Mrs. T. Barrett Trotter
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In Memory of Herman Brittingham Mamie F. Dye Pia Hagler Ray and Caroline Brady John and Ann Overstreet Molly and Monty Osteen Peggy Lovelace Robert P. Stuntz Zetta Garrett Carrie Garrett Michael Rucker Sadie and Sam Maguire Anne Thornhill Jeanie and Doug Herman Robert Baker Bill and Jane Cashin Bill and Lythia Strong Dr. and Mrs. Edward M. Crosland Mrs. Joyce Weigle Susan and William Lanier, Jr. Paula Wood Edouard and Cheryl Servy Mr. and Mrs. A.L. Adams, Jr. Jack and Marcelene Markwalter Frances (Panny) Force Bill and Pam Barrett Rhea and Carleton Vaughn Felix Patrick and Mrs. Eleanor Patrick Dr. and Mrs. James Carswell, III Fran and Luann Tedesco
In Memory of Herman Brittingham (continued) William and Mary Johnson Dan and Patti Duggan Joseph Landrum In Memory of Sofia Papas Strelec Darlene Sutara In Memory of Lydia Porro Milham Curt and Melissa Ray and family Larry and Nan Hall Paul and Jane Schwartz Julia Blalock St. Mary on the Hill School In Memory of Frederick Hoffman Pam and Bill Barrett St. Mary on the Hill School Athletic Department In Memory of Fred Hoffman Lee and Pat Nordmann St. Mary on the Hill Apron Ministry Jane Bacon Barrett Estate Mary Jean Garren