About St. Anthony · Blue Ridge, Georgia
St. Anthony is a Roman Catholic parish serving the small mountain town of Blue Ridge in Fannin County, in the far northern corner of Georgia. It belongs to the Archdiocese of Atlanta and is the spiritual home of Catholics scattered across the southern Blue Ridge Mountains, including Hispanic faithful and seasonal visitors to the Appalachian resort area. The parish supports a notably active liturgical life for its size — daily weekday Masses, Saturday morning Mass and vigil, an 11 a.m. Sunday Mass — along with a Knights of Columbus council, a Seven Sisters Apostolate, and a Respect Life ministry. Its first pastor, Father Steven Yander, was installed on June 13, 1986, the feast of St. Anthony, when the former mission of St. Joseph, Dalton was elevated to parish status.
- Established
- 1967 (as mission); 1986 (as parish)
- Patron
- St. Anthony of Padua
- Rector
- Father John Conway
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Atlanta
Why belong here
St. Anthony offers an unusually rich liturgical schedule for a small mountain parish, with daily weekday Masses Monday through Friday, a Saturday morning Mass followed by a Saturday vigil, and an 11 a.m. Sunday Mass, plus weekly Wednesday adoration. Parishioners can get involved through the Knights of Columbus council, the Seven Sisters Apostolate (a group of women who each take one day a week to pray for their pastor), and a Respect Life ministry. It is also the mother parish of Good Samaritan in Ellijay, reflecting a long tradition of missionary outreach across the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Mass times at St. Anthony
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- One hour prior to Saturday & Sunday Mass (approximately Saturday 8:00–9:00 AM, 3:00–4:00 PM; Sunday 10:00–11:00 AM)
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (following the 9 AM Mass)
- First Saturday: 10:00 AM (following the 9 AM Mass)
About St. Anthony Parish
St. Anthony is a Roman Catholic parish in the small Blue Ridge Mountain town of Blue Ridge, Georgia, in Fannin County — the far northern tip of the Archdiocese of Atlanta. The parish serves Catholics across the southern Appalachians, including Hispanic faithful and seasonal visitors drawn to the area's resort and outdoor-recreation economy. The current pastor is Father John Conway, with Nanci Bailey serving as business administrator. The parish's mailing and physical address is 967 East Main Street, Blue Ridge, GA 30513.
- Pastor: Father John Conway
- Business Administrator: Nanci Bailey
- Parish office phone: (706) 632-5970
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: 967 East Main Street, Blue Ridge, GA 30513
History
The Catholic community in the Blue Ridge area began in 1967 as a mission of St. Joseph Church in Dalton, Georgia. For nearly twenty years the faithful worshipped as a mission. On June 13, 1986, the feast day of St. Anthony of Padua, the mission of about 60 families was formally elevated to a parish and Father Steven Yander was installed as its first pastor. Over the following decades St. Anthony also seeded Catholic life in neighboring mountain counties; in 1986 Father Jorge Christancho began driving to Ellijay to serve Catholics there, founding what became Good Samaritan Mission. By the mid-2000s Father Christopher Williamson, an Augustinian, was pastor of St. Anthony, and in May 2006 Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory appointed Father John Conway to succeed him.
- 1967: Began as a mission of St. Joseph, Dalton
- June 13, 1986: Elevated to a parish; Father Steven Yander installed as first pastor
- 1986: Good Samaritan Mission begun as an outreach of St. Anthony in Ellijay
- Mid-2000s: Father Christopher Williamson, OSA, served as pastor
- May 2006: Father John Conway appointed pastor by Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory
Parish Life & Ministries
St. Anthony supports a small but active slate of lay ministries and apostolates. The Knights of Columbus council, chartered in 2007, is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization and provides men and their families with service opportunities to the Church and community. The Seven Sisters Apostolate is a group of women who each commit to praying one hour of holy hour per week for the pastor.
- Knights of Columbus (council chartered 2007)
- Seven Sisters Apostolate
- Respect Life ministry
- Weekly bulletin (posted online at saintanthonyblueridge.com)
- Online/QR-code Offertory contributions
Visit Us & Contact
The church is located on East Main Street (U.S. Route 76) in downtown Blue Ridge, the county seat of Fannin County. The parish office can be reached by phone or email during business hours, and the parish publishes a weekly bulletin online. Saint Anthony has also joined the 21st century with an online and QR-code Offertory giving option for parishioners and visitors who wish to support the parish financially.
- Address: 967 East Main Street, Blue Ridge, GA 30513
- Phone: (706) 632-5970
- Fax: (706) 632-2120
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.saintanthonyblueridge.com/
- Online Offertory via QR code or website link
- Archdiocese of Atlanta reporting links for child and elder abuse posted on the parish homepage
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Steven Yander1986–
First pastor, installed on June 13, 1986 when the mission of St. Joseph, Dalton was elevated to a parish.
- Father Christopher Williamson, OSA
Served as pastor of St. Anthony (and administrator of Good Samaritan Mission, Ellijay) until reassignment in 2006.
- Father John Conway2006–present
Appointed by Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory in May 2006 from St. Joseph Church, Washington; current pastor.