In the year 2000, local Indonesian Catholics approached our former pastor, Father Jim McGoldrick, SM.
Their request? A place where they could gather to celebrate Mass and build community.
The clergy, staff, and pastoral council responded with a resounding “YES!” and the Indonesian Community at OLA was born!
They began by having Mass in Indonesian twice a month as they had to fly in a priest from cities around the US to celebrate Mass for them and provide spiritual support.
Even with limited Masses, the community quickly became involved in the life of the parish - participating in many events and ministries. In time the community was able to have Mass in Indonesian every weekend - and on Holy Days!
For many years the community has been working with our parish, the Archdiocese of Atlanta, and the Diocese of Ruteng, Indonesia to have a priest assigned for our
community. It has been a long and arduous process, but we are delighted to share that we now hove a priest dedicated to serving our Indonesian community through liturgies, sacraments, and parish life!
Father Petrus Pitol, CS, called Father Peter, was recently assigned to serve - you may have seen him at the church or a recent fish fry!
Fr. Peter was born in Nunang, Indonesia in 1982 and baptized at St. Michael Parish Nunang in theDiocese of Ruteng, Indonesia. He made his perpetual religious profession with the Missionaries of St. Charles Barromeo (Scalabrinians) in 2014 and was ordained to the priesthood on May 6, 2015 at the Cathedral St. Mary Assumption and St. Joseph in Ruteng. The Mission of the Scalabrinians is the “promotion of human dignity and rights of migrants.” They are called to be “migrants among migrants.”
Please give Fr. Peter a warm OLA welcome!