DECREE OF ESTABLISHMENT OF ST. AUGUSTINE AS A PARISH
The continued growth in the number of Catholics in the area east, southeast of Atlanta,
makes it appropriate to elevate to full parish status a community that has until now been
a mission. The mission of Saint Augustine in Covington has been serving the Catholic
faithful since its beginning in October, 1959 when a Mass was first offered for thirty-five
Catholics in Newton County at the American Legion Hall. At this time, Covington was a
mission of Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Decatur.
In 1960, a second floor storage room 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. In May of 1974,
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. At the
April 1977 meeting of the archdiocesan consulters, it was noted that the recorded
Catholics in Covington numbered ninety families.
In view of these facts, 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.
Having had the benefit of these deliberations regarding the spiritual good of the area, I
hereby decree that the Covington mission is, by virtue of this document, established as the
parish of St. Augustine. The effective date of this decree is September 29, 1977.
The boundaries of the parish area are as follows: All of Morgan and Newton counties,
plus the town of Social Circle in Walton County.
The first pastor of the parish is Reverend Patrick J. Padden, formerly assistant pastor of
St. Joseph’s Church, Athens.
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.
Given this 19th day of September.
Most Reverend Thomas A. Donnellan
Archbishop of Atlanta
*St. Pius X Church in Conyers was actually not established as a parish until July 8, 1974.