History of St. Francis de Sales Parish

In late 1994, Catholics from the Archdiocese of Atlanta contacted Father Bisig, one of the founders of the FSSP to see if they could provide an apostolate for us. Fr. Bisig met with then Archbishop John F. Donoghue who was very supportive. Arrangements were made for the FSSP to provide a priest to celebrate the traditional Latin Mass monthly beginning February 1995. Monsignor Stephen Churchwell, pastor of the historic Sacred Heart Church in downtown Atlanta, offered his church for these Masses for a twelve-month trial period to gauge the interest and justify the establishment of a permanent apostolate in the Archdiocese. Archbishop Donoghue required an average of 100 people attending the monthly Mass before inviting the Fraternity into the Archdiocese on a permanent basis. Each Mass during this trial averaged 500 people. Before the year was out, permission was granted and a temporary house was provided to the FSSP in Alpharetta. Fr. Mark Fisher, the first priest of the new apostolate arrived on Christmas Eve 1995.

Briefly, Masses were celebrated at St Joseph Maronite Church. Then in 1998 the community moved its Sunday Masses to the chapel of Kelley and Leak Funeral Home in Decatur. Finally, Grace Baptist Church in Mableton was purchased and the personal parish of St. Francis de Sales was established to serve the needs of Catholics who wished to attend the rites of Holy Mother Church according to the 1962 Missal and in accord with the provisions of the indult, Ecclesia Dei. The decree took effect on January 29, 1999. The church was consecrated October 8, 2000.