Serving the Archdiocese of Atlanta, St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church is a Latin Rite parish dedicated to the Extraordinary Form of the Mass according to the Missal of Pope St. John XXIII and the other liturgical books in force in 1962. Permission for Mass according to the rubrics of 1962 was given by Archbishop John F. Donoghue.
The parish traces its origins to Sacred Heart Church, benefiting from the kind and generous support of the pastor, Msgr. Stephen Churchwell. In 1994 the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) began offering Mass at Sacred Heart. The St. Francis de Sales Latin Mass Community was founded in 1995 with the arrival of a full time priest. A rectory was established in Alpharetta and the Sunday Mass was moved to St. Joseph’s Maronite Church in Atlanta. In 1998, the community was hosted at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish where a Sunday Mass at the Kelly & Leak Funeral Home was added. In January of 1999, St. Francis de Sales Latin Mass Community finally found a permanent home in Mableton, purchasing the former Grace Baptist Church.
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- At this time, the community was raised to the status of a parish, Rev. Mark F. Fisher, FSSP being named the founding pastor. He was later joined by Rev. Nicholas Zolnerowicz, FSSP who served as parochial vicar.
- In 2003, Fr. Fisher was succeeded by Rev. Robert Fromageot, FSSP.
- In 2004, Fr. Fromageot moved to Rome to continue his studies and was replaced by Rev. Denis G. Bouchard, FSSP, assisted by Rev. Laurent Demets, FSSP.
- Fr. Bouchard was pastor until 2008 when Fr. Fisher returned, assisted by Rev. Roberto Cano, FSSP.
- In 2010, Fr. Fisher was replaced by Rev. Howard J. Venette, FSSP, assisted by Rev. Thomas Fritschen, FSSP.
- In 2011, Rev. Matthew J. McCarthy, FSSP was assigned as parochial vicar to Fr. Venette, succeeding him as pastor in 2012, assisted by Rev. Joel. E. Kiefer, FSSP.
- In June 2015, Fr. Kiefer was replaced by Rev. Joseph DeGuzman, FSSP.
- In July 2017, after 5 years as pastor, Fr. McCarthy was replaced by Rev. Carlos S. Casavantes, FSSP.
- In August 2018, Fr. DeGuzman succeeded Fr. Casavantes as pastor and Rev. James Smith, FSSP, was assigned as parochial vicar.
- In July 2020, Rev. Robert Dow, FSSP, succeeded Fr. DeGuzman as pastor.
Under the auspices of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church continues to grow as a parish, serving over 300 families attached to the venerable and ancient Latin traditions of the Catholic Church.