About Christ the Redeemer · Dawsonville, Georgia
Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish located in Dawsonville, Georgia, serving Dawson County and the surrounding foothills of the North Georgia mountains as part of the Archdiocese of Atlanta. The community began in 1982 as the Dawsonville Mission, sponsored by St. Luke's Catholic Church in Dahlonega, and was formally established as a parish in 2006 by Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory. Today the parish describes itself as 'a small but vibrant and growing parish with nearly 700 households,' guided by its motto 'We Are Family.' Worship is offered in a dedicated church building on Kilough Church Road that was solemnly dedicated on the Solemnity of All Saints, November 1, 2021, by Archbishop Gregory John Hartmayer, OFM Conv.
- Established
- 2006
- Patron
- Christ the Redeemer
- Rector
- Rev. Brian J. Higgins
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Atlanta (Northeast Deanery, Dawson County)
Why belong here
Christ the Redeemer is a small but growing Dawson County parish of nearly 700 households that openly calls itself 'family.' A visitor can expect a full sacramental life — three Sunday Masses, daily Mass, regular confession, Eucharistic adoration, and a wide range of apostolates — alongside a robust social fabric: Knights of Columbus, Ladies of CTR, a Food Pantry, St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP), Respect Life, Family Fellowship, a Life Teen youth ministry, RCIA, PSR faith formation, a Special Needs Apostolate, and more. The parish actively reaches beyond its walls through Outreach, the Food Pantry, and respect-life work, and its members are quick to welcome newcomers — visitors are specifically invited to introduce themselves to Father Higgins after Mass.
Mass times at Christ the Redeemer
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 8:15 am – 8:50 am
- Wednesday 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
- Friday 8:15 am – 8:50 am
- Saturday 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
History of Christ the Redeemer
Christ the Redeemer originated as the Dawsonville Mission in 1982, sponsored by St. Luke's Catholic Church in nearby Dahlonega. For almost two and a half decades the community worshipped in borrowed, rented, or temporary facilities while serving the Catholics of Dawson County and the surrounding North Georgia mountains. In 2006 Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory formally established the community as a parish of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, and on November 1, 2021 — the Solemnity of All Saints — Archbishop Gregory John Hartmayer, OFM Conv., presided at the long-awaited Rite of Dedication of a Church and an Altar. The Mass was concelebrated by Pastor Father Brian J. Higgins with Fathers Rey Pineda, Matthew Dalrymple, Dan Rogaczewski, and Mark Starr, assisted by Deacons Joe Anzalone and Paul Doppel.
- 1982 — Dawsonville Mission founded under St. Luke's, Dahlonega
- 2006 — Established as a parish by Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory
- November 1, 2021 — Solemn dedication of the new church by Archbishop Gregory John Hartmayer, OFM Conv.
- Today: nearly 700 households; self-described as 'We Are Family'
Clergy and Pastoral Staff
Christ the Redeemer is served by its pastor and two deacons. Father Brian J. Higgins has been pastor since 2010 and is assisted by Deacons Joe Anzalone and Paul Doppel. A Parish Pastoral Council is chaired by Karen Schroeder.
- Rev. Brian J. Higgins — Pastor (since 2010; ordained June 5, 1999)
- Deacon Joe Anzalone — Couples Apostolate
- Deacon Paul Doppel — Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist / Homebound
- Karen Schroeder — Pastoral Council
Parish Apostolates and Ministries
The parish maintains a remarkably broad slate of lay apostolates — more than 30 — touching spiritual, charitable, fellowship, and liturgical life. Outreach arms include a Food Pantry, the St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP) conference, and a Respect Life group; catechetical work is carried by RCIA (Danielle Simon) and PSR (Laurie Flanigan); youth ministry is run through Life Teen. The Knights of Columbus and Ladies of CTR anchor fraternal and women's community life.
- Charitable: Food Pantry, Outreach, St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP), Respect Life
- Faith Formation: PSR (children), RCIA (adults), Life Teen (youth)
- Prayer: Rosary, Prayer and Care, Consecration, Ultreya
- Liturgical: Music, Lector, Usher, Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist, Linens
- Community: Knights of Columbus, Ladies of CTR, Ladies Who Lunch, Women of Faith, Happy Hour, Family Fellowship, Friends of Martha, Welcoming
- Pastoral Care: Bereavement, Prayer and Care, Special Needs Apostolate, Couples Apostolate, Loving Stitches
- Facilities: Keepers of the Grotto, Parking Shuttle Apostolate
Sacraments and Sacramental Emergencies
Information about the sacraments is woven through the parish's ministries page and Mass schedule. Beyond the daily and Sunday Mass schedule, confession is offered four times weekly, the Eucharist is brought to the homebound by Extraordinary Ministers under Deacon Paul Doppel, and a Sacramental Emergencies phone line (1-800-229-0173) is staffed for after-hours needs. Adults seeking initiation join RCIA; children receive faith formation through PSR.
- Mass — daily, Sunday, and First Saturday schedule
- Confession — Tue/Wed/Fri/Sat slots listed above
- Eucharist to the homebound — Deacon Paul Doppel
- RCIA — Danielle Simon
- PSR — Laurie Flanigan
- Sacramental Emergencies — 1-800-229-0173
Devotions and Prayer Life
Beyond Mass and confession, the parish sustains a range of devotional and prayer groups. A Rosary Apostolate (contact: Susan Roof) gathers parishioners for Marian prayer; a Prayer and Care ministry (Alice DiPrima) reaches those in need; Ultreya groups (Robin & Jim Gray) reflect the parish's Cursillo influence; and a Consecration Apostolate (Christi Heidt) supports parishioners making consecrations. The anniversary of the November 1, 2021 church dedication is celebrated each year as a Solemnity.
- Rosary Apostolate — Susan Roof
- Prayer and Care — Alice DiPrima
- Ultreya — Robin and Jim Gray
- Consecration Apostolate — Christi Heidt
- Annual Solemnity — anniversary of the Nov. 1, 2021 dedication
Outreach and Charitable Works
Outreach is central to Christ the Redeemer's identity. A parish Food Pantry (led by Savanna West and Jody Tredway) provides material help to neighbors, the St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP) conference (Frank Zimmerer) serves those in financial distress, and the Respect Life Apostolate (Lisa Spillane) advocates for the unborn and vulnerable. The parish also runs a Loving Stitches group (Gina Riedinger) that crafts for those in need and a Special Needs Apostolate (Andrea Veltre) supporting families of children with disabilities.
- Food Pantry — Savanna West & Jody Tredway
- SVDP (St. Vincent de Paul) — Frank Zimmerer
- Respect Life — Lisa Spillane
- Loving Stitches — Gina Riedinger
- Special Needs Apostolate — Andrea Veltre
- Outreach coordination — Jody Tredway
Youth, Family, and Faith Formation
Children, teens, and adults all have a formation pathway at Christ the Redeemer. PSR (Parish School of Religion) provides religious education for children under Laurie Flanigan; Life Teen (led by Shelby Ventura and Shelby Argento) reaches the parish's teenagers; RCIA (Danielle Simon) welcomes adults into the Church. Family fellowship is supported by the Family Fellowship Apostolate (Toni Hamilton), and a Couples Apostolate led by Deacon Joe Anzalone ministers to married couples.
- PSR — Laurie Flanigan
- Life Teen — Shelby Ventura & Shelby Argento
- RCIA — Danielle Simon
- Family Fellowship Apostolate — Toni Hamilton
- Couples Apostolate — Deacon Joe Anzalone
Community, Fellowship, and Social Life
Christ the Redeemer leans hard into its 'We Are Family' identity. Fraternal and women's groups anchor social life — the Knights of Columbus (Larry Suarez), Ladies of CTR (Dana Champagne), Ladies Who Lunch (Valorie Ballentine), Women of Faith (Fran Blakey), and Happy Hour (Pat Foley) — alongside a Welcoming ministry (Sue Lewandowski) for newcomers and a Social committee (Sue Lewandowski) that organizes parish gatherings.
- Knights of Columbus — Larry Suarez
- Ladies of CTR — Dana Champagne
- Ladies Who Lunch — Valorie Ballentine
- Women of Faith — Fran Blakey
- Happy Hour — Pat Foley
- Welcoming / Social — Sue Lewandowski
- Friends of Martha — Judy Anzalone
Visiting, Contact, and Practical Info
Christ the Redeemer warmly invites visitors. Pastor Father Higgins asks newcomers to introduce themselves to him after Mass. The parish office is reachable at (706) 265-1361 and [email protected], with a 24/7 Sacramental Emergencies line at 1-800-229-0173. The parish streams Mass live on its Facebook page (CTRDAWSONVILLE) and asks visitors to LIKE and FOLLOW for notifications.
- Address — 991 Kilough Church Rd., Dawsonville, GA 30534
- Phone — (706) 265-1361
- Email — [email protected]
- Sacramental Emergencies — 1-800-229-0173
- Live-stream / updates — facebook.com/CTRDAWSONVILLE
- Website — www.ctrcc.net
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Brian J. Higgins2010–present
Born in Kansas City, MO, raised in Dunwoody, GA. B.A. in English and secondary education from Benedictine College (1989); M.Div. from Mount Saint Mary's Seminary, Maryland. Ordained June 5, 1999 for the Archdiocese of Atlanta. Began as parochial vicar at the Cathedral of Christ the King, Atlanta; directed the archdiocesan Office of Vocations 2001–2007; chaplain of Southern Catholic College; pastor of Christ the Redeemer since 2010.