About Holy Cross · Atlanta, Georgia
Holy Cross Catholic Church is a large, multi-lingual Roman Catholic parish in the Archdiocese of Atlanta serving the Chamblee–Tucker area of metro Atlanta. It originated in 1956 as the St. Francis de Sales Mission of St. Thomas More Church, was elevated to parish status in 1964, and became a mission hub that planted what are now St. Patrick (Norcross) and St. Lawrence (Lawrenceville) parishes. Today the parish is widely known across the archdiocese for its vibrant and remarkably diverse liturgy — English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Burmese communities all regularly worship on the same campus, making it one of the most culturally varied parishes in North Georgia.
- Established
- 1964
- Patron
- The Holy Cross
- Rector
- Fr. Richard Tibbet (associated with current leadership)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Atlanta
Why belong here
Holy Cross is an unusually welcoming parish for anyone who finds their home in the multi-lingual, multi-cultural fabric of metro Atlanta: it is one of the few Catholic parishes in North Georgia offering regular liturgies in English, Spanish, Burmese, and (historically) Vietnamese in a single worship space. A robust food pantry — St. Martin's de Porres — feeds hundreds of families, a strong deacon and lay-leadership tradition is rooted in the parish, and programs such as OCIA, Faith Formation (PreK–High School), youth and young-adult ministry, Knights of Columbus, a Saturday-evening choir, the Saturday night youth group, and the Young at Heart senior group give parishioners of every age a way to belong.
Mass times at Holy Cross
Weekly Mass schedule
History of Holy Cross Parish
Founded through the 1956 mission of Beverly Cash and Ezon Bacchus, and elevated to parish status in 1964 by Bishop Francis E. Hyland. The parish's first church sanctuary was completed and dedicated in September 1989 by Archbishop Eugene A. Marino, S.J. The early 1960s through the early 1990s saw rapid growth and the planting of two daughter parishes (St. Patrick and St. Lawrence).
Founding and Mission Era (1956–1964)
Born of a petition to Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen and Bishop Hyland, Holy Cross began life as the St. Francis de Sales Mission of St. Thomas More, Decatur. Worship moved from Tucker High School to Tucker Federal Savings and Loan to Cary Reynolds Elementary School before reaching its own grounds.
- St. Francis de Sales mission
- Tucker High School Mass site
- Cary Reynolds Elementary School Mass site
Parish Building Years (1964–1989)
After elevation to parish status in 1964, Holy Cross built the 1967 multipurpose parish center and the landmark 1968 School of Religion building. Missions to Norcross and Lawrenceville in 1967–69 became St. Patrick and St. Lawrence parishes, a sign of the parish's missional impact across Gwinnett County.
- 1967 Parish Center
- 1968 School of Religion
- Daughter parishes St. Patrick & St. Lawrence
Sanctuary Dedication and Growth (1989–Today)
Archbishop Eugene Marino dedicated the new sanctuary in September 1989. The parish evolved into a multi-cultural hub with Spanish, Vietnamese (until 1997), and Burmese communities alongside its English-speaking core. Twenty parishioners went on to ordination as permanent deacons.
- September 1989 dedication
- Vietnamese community (later 1997 separation)
- Twenty+ men ordained deacons
Pastoral Leadership and Clergy
Holy Cross has been led by Archdiocese of Atlanta clergy in recent years, with Dominican priests serving the parish for roughly two decades during the 1980s and 1990s. The parish has produced a remarkable number of permanent deacons.
- Fr. Leonard May (first pastor, 1964)
- Fr. Richard Tibbet (Pastor)
- Deacon Thomas Silvestri
- Deacon Walter Bedard (retired)
- Deacon Mike Jones (retired)
- Roughly 20 permanent deacons in parish history
- Dominican order administered parish for ~20 years
Parish Ministries and Organizations
A widely varied ministry landscape organized into Community Outreach, Parish Life, Liturgical Ministries, Organizations, and Ministerios Hispanos.
- Community Outreach
- Parish Life
- Liturgical Ministries
- Organizations
- Ministerios Hispanos
St. Martin's de Porres Food Pantry
A major community food ministry serving north-metro Atlanta. Open Tuesday–Friday 9:00–11:45 AM. The pantry accepts federal and state funding and collects IDs and signatures from recipients. Office Manager Grace Gonzalez, Pantry Manager Attilio Polsoni, Board Chair Ruth Callahan.
- Tuesday–Friday 9–11:45 AM
- Identification and signature required
- 770-939-3501
Faith Formation and Education
PreK–High School Faith Formation with summer registration; OCIA sponsors and catechists; Holy Cross Drama Camp, Adult Art Camp and youth programming.
- Elementary and High School Faith Formation
- OCIA / RCIA
- Drama Camp
- Adult Art Camp
Liturgical and Devotional Ministries
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, the Saturday-evening Choir, the Holy Cross Prayer Group, and devotion to Corpus Christi.
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Saturday Evening Choir (rehearsal 3:45 PM)
- Holy Cross Prayer Meeting
- Corpus Christi procession
Community Life Groups
Young at Heart for parishioners 50+, Knights of Columbus hosting parish breakfasts, Youth and Young Adult Ministry.
- Young at Heart (50+)
- Knights of Columbus (Sunday breakfast)
- Youth and Young Adult Ministry
Office, Address and Contact
- Chamblee–Tucker Campus
- 770-939-3501
- Office hours Monday–Friday 9 AM–4 PM (closed Sat/Sun)
- Archdiocesan Abuse Hotline 1-888-437-0764
Diversity and Immigrant Communities
Holy Cross is widely recognized as a multi-cultural parish in the Archdiocese of Atlanta — a place where immigrant Catholics from Latin America, Vietnam (until 1997), and Myanmar (Burma/Chin) have built parish life in successive waves. The 1997 formation of Holy Vietnamese Martyrs Church as a separate parish grew directly out of Holy Cross's Vietnamese ministry.
- Spanish-language ministries
- Burmese/Myanmar Mass community
- Vietnamese community origins (Holy Vietnamese Martyrs, 1997)
Visiting Holy Cross
Sunday is the best day for visitors to experience the parish's full liturgical diversity. Visitors may also tour the campus, walk the gardens, and visit the Adoration Chapel during office hours, and may bring non-perishable donations for St. Martin's de Porres Pantry.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Leonard May1964 (founding era)
First pastor of Holy Cross when it was elevated from mission to parish status in 1964.