About Queen of Angels · Thomson, Georgia
Queen of Angels is a small Catholic parish in Thomson, Georgia, in McDuffie County, serving roughly 100–160 registered families in the rural east-central Georgia community. It is paired with neighboring St. Joseph Church in Washington, with the two congregations sharing one pastor, one staff, and one website (qofathomson.org) while remaining canonically separate parishes. The parish belongs to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta and is pastored by Father Mark White, with Deacon Gerry Kazin assisting. Queen of Angels is best known for its tight-knit, multigenerational community (descendants of its founding Catholic families still worship there), a Wednesday-night Mass/adoration/confession/teaching rhythm, an active St. Vincent de Paul conference, the Knights of Columbus Council 6918, and a 46-foot Southern cedar Christmas tree that the Georgia Bulletin called likely the largest in the Archdiocese of Atlanta.
- Established
- 1955 (as a mission); formally established as a parish June 4, 1982
- Patron
- Our Lady, Queen of Angels (named for Mrs. Nellie McNeill's home parish in Chicago)
- Rector
- Father Mark White (appointed parochial administrator July 1, 2022; now pastor of both Queen of Angels and St. Joseph, Washington)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta (Deanery: East)
Why belong here
Queen of Angels is a small, multigenerational rural Catholic community where, in the words of longtime members, 'faith is abundant' and 'everyone helps one another.' The parish pairs a full sacramental schedule — including a Wednesday-night rhythm of Mass, Eucharistic adoration, a brief teaching by Father Mark, and confessions — with a hands-on social outreach through its St. Vincent de Paul conference (helping with rent, utilities and a small food bank across five counties) and the Knights of Columbus Council 6918. It is also the parish of record for families who can trace their Catholic roots in Thomson back to the 1930s, making it a warm place both for long-time locals and newcomers looking to put down roots in east Georgia.
Mass times at Queen of Angels
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM (Queen of Angels)
- Wednesday: 6:45 PM – 7:30 PM (Queen of Angels, following the 6:00 PM Mass and during adoration)
Adoration times
- Wednesday: 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM (Eucharistic Adoration immediately following the 6:00 PM Mass, with a 5–10 minute teaching from Father Mark White)
Our Story — A Small Rural Parish with Deep Roots
Catholic life in Thomson dates to 1930, when the McNeill family moved from Chicago to open a wooden-box factory. The wives and children of the family — the McNeill men were not Catholic themselves — first gathered for Mass in their living room, with a priest visiting periodically from Tennessee. As the community grew to seven families they moved to the town's library, and after David McNeill's death his widow Nellie donated a small house downtown that became Queen of Angels Chapel, named for her Chicago home parish. In 1955 the chapel was made a mission of St. Joseph, Washington, and in 1968 the present church was dedicated by Bishop (later Cardinal) Joseph L. Bernardin. The parish was formally established June 4, 1982, and today its congregation still includes descendants of those original families.
- 1930 — McNeill family arrives from Chicago; Mass first celebrated in their living room
- Late 1930s–1948 — Catholic community meets in the town library
- Nellie McNeill donates a small house downtown → Queen of Angels Chapel
- 1955 — Chapel becomes a mission of St. Joseph, Washington
- 1966 — Father Larry Endrizzi (Verona Fathers) dies in a car accident while raising funds for a new church
- 1968 — Current church dedicated by Bishop Joseph L. Bernardin (later Cardinal of Chicago)
- 1970 — Verona Fathers return to Africa; Oblate Fathers take over
- 1977 — Knights of Columbus Council 6918 founded at the parish (Louis Graziano, treasurer for 40 years)
- 1982 — Queen of Angels formally established as a parish (June 4)
- 1984 — Archdiocese of Atlanta assigns a permanent pastor
Parish Staff
Queen of Angels and St. Joseph, Washington are served by one priest and one deacon. Father Mark White was appointed parochial administrator of both parishes effective July 1, 2022, and currently serves as their pastor. He is assisted by Deacon Gerry Kazin. The parish office is open Wednesday mornings and is reachable by phone or email.
- Father Mark White — Pastor (Queen of Angels & St. Joseph, Washington)
- Deacon Gerry Kazin
- Parish office: 1326 Washington Rd, Thomson, GA 30824
- Office hours: Wednesday 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
- Email: [email protected]
Parish Life & Ministries
Despite its small size, Queen of Angels runs a notably active parish life. The St. Vincent de Paul conference, started in 1993, has roughly 12 active members who make home visits and help neighbors across a five-county area with rent, utilities and a small food bank. The Knights of Columbus Council 6918 (chartered 1977) supports a local crisis pregnancy center and sponsors an Archdiocese of Atlanta seminarian. Youth ministry uses the EDGE program for middle schoolers and Life Teen for high schoolers, meeting Wednesday evenings — a scheduling choice that aligns with local Protestant youth-group habits. Between 75 and 100 people regularly attend the Wednesday soup supper that follows the 6:00 PM Mass.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — parish conference (since 1993)
- Knights of Columbus Council 6918 — chartered 1977
- Catholic Council of Women
- EDGE (middle school) & Life Teen (high school) youth ministry
- Wednesday soup supper (75–100 attendees)
- RCIA / adult faith formation (shared with St. Joseph, Washington)
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all the usual sacraments. Baptisms and weddings are scheduled through the parish office; First Reconciliation, First Communion and Confirmation are typically prepared for through the parish's faith-formation and youth ministry programs. Anointing of the Sick can be requested by calling the office, and funeral Masses are currently being celebrated by Father Mark White.
- Baptism — contact the parish office
- Marriage — preparation required; contact the office
- First Reconciliation & First Communion — via Faith Formation
- Confirmation — via youth ministry
- Anointing of the Sick — on request
- Funeral Masses — Father Mark White
Architecture & Sacred Art
The present Queen of Angels church was newly built and dedicated in 1968. Because the new building was a true community project, the parishioners deliberately carried over pieces of their history: the first three pews on each side of the center aisle came from the little chapel on Hall Street, and the old kneeling rail was reworked into part of the choir rail. The corpus on the crucifix was imported from Italy, and the cross itself was fashioned by parishioner Johnny McNeill. More recently, Trappist Father Methodius Telnack of the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers designed and crafted new stained-glass windows for the church based on the life of Mary — a project that continues the tradition of the building being 'a work in progress.'
- 1968 — current church built and dedicated by Bishop (later Cardinal) Joseph L. Bernardin
- First three pews each side reused from the Hall Street chapel
- Old kneeling rail incorporated into the choir rail
- Crucifix corpus from Italy; cross crafted by Johnny McNeill
- New stained-glass windows depicting the life of Mary by Fr. Methodius Telnack, OCSO (Monastery of the Holy Spirit, Conyers)
Outreach & Charity
Outreach is one of the most visible marks of Queen of Angels. The parish's St. Vincent de Paul conference (about a dozen active members) makes home visits and helps neighbors in need with rent, utilities, food from a small food bank, and even bus tickets to reconnect people with family. The Knights of Columbus Council 6918 supports a local crisis pregnancy center and financially sponsors an Archdiocese of Atlanta seminarian. The parish also regularly collects second collections for SVdP, the Holy Land, Peter's Pence, Catholic Relief Services, the Black and Indian Missions, the Campaign for Human Development, Catholic Home Missions, the Catholic Communications Campaign, the Georgia Bulletin, and other archdiocesan and universal Church appeals.
- St. Vincent de Paul conference — home visits, rent/utility help, food bank
- Knights of Columbus Council 6918 — crisis pregnancy center, seminarian sponsorship
- Monthly second collections for archdiocesan and universal Church causes
Annual Traditions & Community Meals
Food and fellowship are central to life at Queen of Angels. The Wednesday soup supper after the 6:00 PM Mass is a weekly gathering that draws 75–100 people. The parish also hosts a St. Patrick's Day dinner, Mother's Day and Father's Day brunches, and a fall dinner at which children dress as saints. Each Christmas season, the Catholic Council of Women and the Knights of Columbus light the parish's 46-foot Southern cedar tree — what the Georgia Bulletin called 'what may be the largest Christmas tree in the Archdiocese of Atlanta,' strung with about 408 lights.
- Wednesday soup supper (weekly, 75–100 attendees)
- St. Patrick's Day dinner
- Mother's Day and Father's Day brunches
- Fall 'Saints Dinner' — children dress as saints
- Annual lighting of the 46-foot Southern cedar Christmas tree (with the Catholic Council of Women and Knights of Columbus)
Giving
Queen of Angels offers online giving through its website for one-time or recurring gifts, including the regular parish collection and the monthly second collections. Recurring gifts can be managed through a donor account created after the first submission. Online giving meets the same security standards as online banking, and the parish notes that processing and reporting through electronic giving is faster and helps the parish budget more accurately.
- Online giving available at qofathomson.org
- One-time or recurring gifts via bank account or credit card
- Donor account can be created to manage scheduled gifts
- Second collections taken monthly for archdiocesan and universal Church appeals
Contact & Visit
The parish office is located at the church — 1326 Washington Road, Thomson, GA 30824, about one mile south of I-20 — and is open Wednesday mornings, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The office can be reached at 706-595-2913 or by email at [email protected]. Because Queen of Angels shares its staff with St. Joseph, Washington, both parishes' news, schedules, bulletins and online giving are published together on a single website at qofathomson.org.
- Address: 1326 Washington Road, Thomson, GA 30824
- Office phone: 706-595-2913
- Office email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Wednesdays 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
- Website: https://qofathomson.org/ (shared with St. Joseph, Washington)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Larry Endrizzi (Verona Fathers)late 1950s–1966
Missionary priest who raised funds for the new church; died in a car accident in 1966 before it was completed.
- Verona Fathers1955–1970
Missionaries from Verona staffed the mission until returning to Africa; the Oblate Fathers took over in 1970.
- Oblate Fathers1970–early 1980s
Took over ministry to Queen of Angels and St. Joseph in 1970.
- Father Bill Williamsby 2007
Pastored Queen of Angels in the 2000s; built up the youth ministry (EDGE/Life Teen), chaplaincy of the Knights of Columbus, and ties with St. Vincent de Paul.
- Father Stephen J. Lynessbefore 2022
Served as pastor; later moved to St. George, Newnan.
- Father Mark WhiteJuly 1, 2022–present
Appointed parochial administrator of both parishes in 2022; currently pastor of Queen of Angels and St. Joseph, Washington.