About St. Stephen the Martyr · Lilburn, Georgia
St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Lilburn, Georgia, in Gwinnett County, belonging to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Atlanta. The parish was originally founded as a mission in 1995 from the growing St. John Neumann Parish in Lilburn, became a parish in 1999, and built its current church on Wydella Road, which was first used for Mass in August 2000. Today the parish serves more than 500 registered families with weekend Masses, daily Mass, perpetual-style Eucharistic Adoration on Tuesdays, an OCIA (RCIA) process, and a full Catholic school-age faith-formation program including EDGE and LifeTeen. It is pastored by Fr. Brian Lorei and assisted by three permanent deacons.
- Established
- 1995
- Patron
- St. Stephen the Martyr (St. Stephen the Protomartyr)
- Rector
- Rev. Brian T. Lorei (Fr. Brian Lorei)
- Diocese
- Metropolitan Archdiocese of Atlanta
Why belong here
St. Stephen the Martyr is a mid-sized, family-friendly Catholic parish that combines a strong liturgical life with active faith formation for every age — from EDGE middle-school ministry and LifeTeen high-school ministry to a parish-school religious-education program, Family Faith Formation, adult Bible and Catechism study, and a vibrant OCIA (RCIA) process for adults considering the Catholic faith. The parish offers daily and weekend Mass, Tuesday all-day Eucharistic Adoration, Saturday confessions, and a robust roster of liturgical and outreach ministries (Altar Servers, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Bereavement Support, healthcare visits, Family Promise), making it easy for newcomers to find both a devotional home and a way to serve.
Mass times at St. Stephen the Martyr
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Tuesday 9:30 AM – 6:45 PM (Eucharistic Adoration following the 9:00 AM daily Mass)
Parish History
St. Stephen the Martyr was founded in 1995 as a mission community carved out of St. John Neumann Parish in Lilburn, Georgia. The first Mass was celebrated on September 17, 1995 at Parkview High School by Fr. Jim Fennessy, and the community was officially established as a parish of the Archdiocese of Atlanta on June 24, 1999. The new church on Wydella Road opened in 2000, and the parish has continued to grow to more than 500 registered families under its founding pastor Fr. Paddy Donaghey (1996–2013) and current pastor Fr. Brian Lorei (2013–present).
- 1995 — Archbishop John F. Donoghue announces a second mission from St. John Neumann Parish
- September 17, 1995 — First Mass at Parkview High School; name "St. Stephen the Martyr" chosen
- September 20, 1995 — 15.7 acres purchased at Wydella Rd. and Rockbridge Rd.
- January 1996 — Second Sunday Mass added
- June 1996 — Fr. Patrick 'Paddy' Donaghey assigned as priest in residence; later becomes founding pastor
- June 24, 1999 — Officially established as a parish; groundbreaking for the new church
- April 16, 2000 (Palm Sunday) — Roof Blessing Ceremony
- August 5, 2000 — First Mass in the new church
- June 20, 2013 — Fr. Paddy Donaghey retires and returns to Ireland
- July 1, 2013 — Fr. Brian Lorei assigned as new pastor
Faith Formation for Children, Teens, and Families
St. Stephen the Martyr runs a complete Catholic faith-formation program for children from kindergarten through high school, organized by grade band and supplemented by a Family Faith Formation track for parents and children together. Programs are coordinated by Director of Religious Education Kathy Roger with the parish deacons and youth-ministry directors.
- Religious Education (Grades K–5) — Sunday mornings 9:40–10:50 AM
- First Communion Preparation (2nd Grade & up)
- EDGE Middle-School Ministry (6th–8th grade) — Wednesdays 6:00–7:30 PM, led by Christine Roman
- LifeTeen High-School Ministry (9th–12th grade) — Sundays 6:00–7:30 PM, led by Katy Oubre
- High-School Confirmation Preparation (10th Grade & up)
- Family Faith Formation — children and parents together, twice a month after 11 AM Mass
- Children's Choir — directed by Angelle Buckley
Adult Faith Formation & OCIA (Becoming Catholic)
Adult parishioners have multiple opportunities for ongoing formation — Bible and Catechism study groups, the Saturday-morning That Man is You men's program, and a full Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) process for adults seeking Baptism, Confirmation, or full communion with the Catholic Church. The OCIA program runs Tuesday evenings 7:00–8:30 PM in the Saint Pio Room.
- OCIA / Becoming Catholic — 14-week fall program, Tuesdays 7:00–8:30 PM
- Shortened OCIA track for already-baptized Christians
- Bible, Catechism, and adult study groups coordinated by Kathy Roger
- That Man is You — Men's program, Saturdays 7:30 AM (breakfast), 8:00 AM video, 8:30 AM small groups, 9:00 AM conclusion
- OCIA contact: Kathy Roger, 770-381-7488 ext. 222, [email protected]
Liturgical Ministries
Parishioners of all ages are invited to serve the liturgy as Altar Servers (youth, ages 10 and up), Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Extraordinary Ministers to the Homebound, members of the Altar Guild, and Greeters. Extraordinary Ministers must be trained and approved by the pastor and are appointed by the Archbishop for a specific term.
- Altar Servers — youth ministry (ages 10+); contact Dcn. Rick Kaszycki, 770-402-1254
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion — appointment by Archbishop
- Extraordinary Ministers to the Homebound — visits to assisted-living and nursing facilities; contact Dcn. Evelio, 770-925-8206
- Altar Guild — sanctuary cleaning, linens, candles, seasonal decorating; teams rotate every 5 weeks; contact Juanita Altschuler, 770-923-7523
- Greeters — contact Patty Palmquist, 770-923-8929
- Music Ministry — Adult Choirs at 5 PM Vigil (Garret Schroeder), 8:30 AM (Andy Hoeckele), 11:00 AM (Carol Rehonic); Children's Choir (Angelle Buckley)
Parish Organizations, Pastoral Care, and Outreach
Outside the sanctuary, the parish sponsors a range of social, pastoral-care, and outreach ministries — from Young Adult Ministry and Forever Young Seniors, to Bereavement Support and Healthcare Ministry, to Family Promise (serving families experiencing homelessness) and homebound visits. Newcomers and visitors are invited to register with the parish by downloading the Parish Registration Form from the website.
- Young Adult Ministry (YAM)
- Forever Young Seniors
- Bereavement Support Ministry — Joanne Jones, 770-935-1853
- Healthcare Ministry — Mary Moorman and Emily Cowdrick
- Family Promise — parish volunteers host families experiencing homelessness
- Homebound Communion visits by trained Extraordinary Ministers
- Parish Registration Form available for download on the About Us page
Clergy, Staff, and Parish Office
The parish is pastored by Fr. Brian Lorei and served by three permanent deacons, a business manager, an administrative assistant, and directors of religious education, youth ministry, and music. Office hours are Monday through Thursday, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
- Pastor — Rev. Brian T. Lorei ([email protected])
- Permanent Deacons — Dcn. Evelio Garcia-Carreras, Dcn. Rick Kaszycki, Dcn. Rich Kren
- Business Manager — Mary Burks ([email protected])
- Administrative Assistant — Meredith Tarantino ([email protected])
- Director of Religious Education — Kathy Roger ([email protected], ext. 222)
- LifeTeen Director — Katy Oubre ([email protected])
- EDGE Director — Christine Roman ([email protected])
- Music — Carol Rehonic (11 AM Adult Choir), Angelle Buckley (Children's Choir), Garret Schroeder (5 PM Vigil), Andy Hoeckele (8:30 AM Adult Choir)
Visit, Register, and Contact
St. Stephen the Martyr welcomes visitors and prospective parishioners. Mass times, confession times, Tuesday Adoration, and parish office hours are all posted on the website. To register as a parishioner, download the Parish Registration Form and return it to the Parish Office. For sacramental emergencies, contact the parish office at 770-381-7488.
- Address: 5373 Wydella Road SW, Lilburn, GA 30047
- Phone: 770-381-7488
- Email: [email protected]
- Parish Office Hours: Monday–Thursday, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
- Parish Registration Form available as PDF download
- Sacramental Emergency — call parish office
- Diocese: Metropolitan Archdiocese of Atlanta
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Jim Fennessy1995
Celebrated the very first Mass of the new mission on September 17, 1995 at Parkview High School; assisted by Deacons Evelio Garcia-Carreras and Gary Womack.
- Fr. Patrick 'Paddy' Donaghey1996–2013
Assigned in June 1996 as Parochial Vicar at St. John Neumann but immediately became the priest in residence at the St. Stephen the Martyr Mission; eventually named founding pastor. Officially established the community as a parish in 1999 and oversaw construction of the new church, which opened in 2000. Retired as pastor on June 20, 2013, and returned to Ireland.
- Fr. Brian T. Lorei2013–present
Assigned as pastor on July 1, 2013. Previously served as Parochial Vicar at St. Thomas More Church in Decatur, GA. Continues to serve as pastor.