About Our Lady of La Salette · Canton, Georgia
Our Lady of La Salette is a Roman Catholic parish in Canton, Georgia, entrusted to the Archdiocese of Atlanta and historically served by the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette (M.S.), a religious congregation founded in France after the Blessed Virgin Mary's apparition at La Salette on September 19, 1846. Located on Sam Nelson Road just outside downtown Canton, the parish serves the Catholic faithful of Cherokee and Pickens Counties with a bilingual Sunday schedule (English, Spanish, and a bilingual Mass), daily Mass Wednesday through Friday, Eucharistic adoration, confession, and a robust slate of ministries including faith formation, youth ministry (OLOL Youth), the Knights of Columbus Council #8376, the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Women's Guild, a Bible study, and a St. Vincent de Paul conference that assists neighbors with clothing and financial aid.
- Established
- 1969 (mission); 1984 (established as a parish)
- Patron
- Our Lady of La Salette
- Rector
- Rev. Mark R. Starr (Padre Mark Starr)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Atlanta
Why belong here
Our Lady of La Salette is a bilingual parish family that lives out its Catholic faith through vibrant sacramental life and dozens of ministries. Weekends feature Sunday Mass in English, Spanish, and a bilingual liturgy, supported by daily Mass Wednesday through Friday, weekly Eucharistic adoration, and regular reconciliation — all anchored by an active, growing community on Sam Nelson Road in Canton. Newcomers can plug into faith formation (English and Spanish), the OLOL Youth program for high schoolers, the Knights of Columbus Council #8376, the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Women's Guild, a Thursday Bible study, parish choirs, an Elijah Cup vocations devotion, and a parish-sponsored St. Vincent de Paul conference that extends the parish's care beyond its walls.
Mass times at Our Lady of La Salette
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Every Wednesday 5:00 PM – 6:15 PM
- Every Thursday 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- First Friday of the month 9:30 AM – 6:00 AM Saturday (per recent parish bulletin notice); 9:30 AM – 12:00 AM per older parish schedule
- First Saturday of the month 6:00 AM Mass
Parish History
The mission began in 1969 as an outreach of Saint Francis of Assisi in Cartersville under the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette (M.S.), with Father Joseph Loftus, M.S. as the first pastor and Father Peter McKeown, M.S. as assistant. The first Mass was celebrated in the display kitchen of the Georgia Power Company with just twelve families. By 1976 the community had grown to 45 families meeting under makeshift conditions; land was purchased and in April 1977 a new church was dedicated on Sam Nelson Road. In 1979 Father Joseph Nolan, M.S. was sent to administer the Canton mission, and a rectory was purchased next to the church in 1980. Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan decreed the mission a full parish on September 16, 1984, with Father James P. McGlone, M.S. as the first pastor. Today the parish is considering a new sanctuary project to serve its growing community.
- 1969 — Mission founded
- April 1977 — Church dedicated on Sam Nelson Road
- September 16, 1984 — Established as a full parish
The Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette (M.S.)
The parish takes its name from the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary at La Salette, France, on September 19, 1846, and from the religious institute — the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette (M.S.) — founded at the shrine in 1852, canonically approved by Rome in 1890, and working today in 27 countries. The M.S. charism centers on the Eucharist and reconciliation, and the order has staffed parishes in the Archdiocese of Atlanta for more than 50 years.
Mass and Worship Schedule
Our Lady of La Salette offers a bilingual weekend schedule with Masses in English, Spanish, and a bilingual liturgy, supported by daily Mass Wednesday through Friday and a First Saturday early morning Mass. Confessions are heard Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons (or by appointment), and Eucharistic adoration is offered weekly, on Thursday evenings, and all day on First Fridays.
- Sunday 7:00 AM (Español)
- Sunday 9:00 AM (English)
- Sunday 12:00 PM (Español)
- Sunday 3:00 PM (Bilingual)
- Wednesday 5:00–6:30 PM and Saturday 4:00–4:45 PM — Reconciliation
- Wednesday Adoration 5:00–6:15 PM, Thursday Adoration 7:00–8:00 PM
- First Friday Adoration 9:30 AM through Saturday morning
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation is led by Jillian Guidry, Director of Religious Education. The English program, Families Forming Disciples, is a hybrid, family-focused, thematic-activity approach in which groups of families meet with catechists to encounter the Lord together and live as the Domestic Church; classes meet Sundays at 10:15 AM. The Spanish parallel, Familias Formando Discípulos, meets Tuesdays at 7:00 PM. Both feed into the sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation.
- Families Forming Disciples (Sundays 10:15 AM)
- Familias Formando Discípulos (Martes 7:00 PM)
- First Communion preparation
- Confirmation preparation
- RCIA — Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
- Become a Catechist / Hazte Catequista
RCIA — Initiation in the Catholic Church
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is the parish's process of initiation into the Catholic community of faith for persons who are experiencing a conversion, whether unbaptized or already baptized Christian. Inquiries typically begin through the parish office.
Youth & Family Life
OLOL Youth is the parish's Sunday night experience primarily for 9th–12th graders, meeting from 4:00–5:45 PM after the 3:00 PM bilingual Mass and including dinner, community, and formation. The Elijah Cup vocations devotion invites families to host a consecrated chalice in their home for a week of prayer for vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, and religious life. The Knights of Columbus Council #8376 also runs annual family events such as the Father-Daughter Dance and a Family Movie Night.
Parish Life & Adult Groups
Parish Life at Our Lady of La Salette centers on connection, study, and fellowship. The St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Women's Guild offers stimulating opportunities for women of the parish to get involved and meet new friends. A bilingual Bible Study meets every Thursday at 7:00 PM. A weekly Praise & Worship gathering follows the 9:00 AM Thursday Mass. The Life-After-Loss group offers grief support.
- St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Women's Guild
- Bible Study — Thursdays 7:00 PM
- Praise & Worship — Thursdays after 9:00 AM Mass
- Life-After-Loss
Knights of Columbus Council #8376
Councilsmen of Knights of Columbus Council #8376 serve Our Lady of La Salette and the wider community through Faith in Action programs. The Council has earned the Star Council Award (2023–2024) and the Triple Star Award (2024–2025), runs Lenten Fish Dinners in the parish, a Christmas Tree fundraiser, an annual Father-Daughter Dance, a free-throw competition, semi-annual food drives, a winter coat drive, a Blood Drive, and ongoing donations to local pregnancy resource centers — including ultrasound machines, baby items to the Hope Center, and Catholic education scholarships.
- Council Grand Knight: Peter Dapremont
- 2024–2025 Triple Star Award
- 2023–2024 Star Council Award
Outreach & Charity — St. Vincent de Paul Conference
Our Lady of La Salette sponsors a St. Vincent de Paul Conference that assists neighbors in need through clothing assistance and financial support. The parish also participates in archdiocesan initiatives such as the Backpack Drive for Catholic Charities of Atlanta and cooperates with the Knights' food and coat drives.
Clergy, Staff & Parish Office
The parish is currently pastored by Father Mark R. Starr, who was assigned by the Archdiocese of Atlanta on June 2, 2012. The Director of Religious Education is Jillian Guidry. Parish office contacts include the parish Manager (Linda González is referenced in parish publications). For abuse-related concerns the Archdiocese of Atlanta maintains a 24-hour hotline at 1-888-437-0764.
- Pastor — Rev. Mark R. Starr
- Director of Religious Education — Jillian Guidry
- Parish Manager — Linda González
- Parish Office: 770-479-8923
Visit, Connect & Give
Visitors are warmly welcomed by Father Mark and the parish staff. The parish offers parish registration, online giving, a livestream of Masses via YouTube, weekly bulletins, an online parish calendar, and active social media on Facebook for those who wish to follow parish news from afar or stay connected between visits.
- Parish registration — 'Become a Member'
- Online Giving (Solutio platform)
- Livestream — YouTube
- Facebook: OurLadyofLaSaletteCanton
- Weekly bulletins and parish calendar online
Contact & Directions
Our Lady of La Salette is located at 2941 Sam Nelson Road, Canton, GA 30114; telephone 770-479-8923. Driving directions are posted on the parish website under 'Contact Us & Directions.'
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Joseph Loftus, M.S.1969–
First pastor of the mission when it was entrusted to the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette; served with assistant Father Peter McKeown, M.S. Based in Cartersville at Saint Francis of Assisi.
- Rev. Joseph Nolan, M.S.1979–
Sent from Cartersville in 1979 to become administrator of the Canton mission and to establish his residence there; overseen growth from a rented Holly Springs residence to a parish rectory purchased in 1980.
- Rev. James P. McGlone, M.S.1984–
First pastor assigned when Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan decreed the mission a full parish on September 16, 1984.
- Rev. Mark R. Starr06/02/2012–present
Current pastor; archdiocesan records list his assignment date as June 2, 2012.