St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church at 768 Asbury Rd., Candler, NC 28715 US - 1962 - Present
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1962 - Present
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1962. . . an addition for school (95 ft X 199 ft) constructed . . . original frame building torn down . . . four more classrooms plus combination gymnasium / cafeteria and kitchen . . . cost $150,000 . . . 210 students enrolled in grades K-8 . . . five sisters of the Religious Christian Education Order teaching plus two full time and one part-time lay teachers . . . Mother Anne Corbett, principal . . . Father John G. O'Brien (June 1967 - May 1968) . . . Father Thomas F. Clements (May 1969 - 1972) . . . "blew into our lives like a fresh breeze" . . . told parishioners "you are the church" . . . Youth Folk Mass . . . Adult Discussion Group . . . Home Mass . . . Ultreyas . . . Ecumenical Prayer Group . . . charismatic . . . Father John Hancock Huston (1972 - 1974) . . . first Parish Council . . . Father J. Paul Byron (June 1974 - 1975) . . . parking lot blacktopped . . . Father Edward J. Sheridan (1975 - 1975) . . . formerly Superintendent of Schools of the Diocese . . . Father Robert A. Gibson (Spring 1975) . . . wonderful speaking voice . . .
1978 . . . Father Carlo D. Tarasi (Jan 1977 - June 1978) . . . SJA celebrated 50th Anniversary . . . new lighting . . . new pews plus carpeting . . . sacristy razed and addition to church built to increase seating capacity . . . rest room provided . . . handicapped access added . . . small chapel . . . air conditioning . . . Father Richard Hanson (June 1978 - June 1982) . . . soft spot for senior citizens of SJA . . . related sermons to current movies . . . Father Michael S. Klepacki (July 1982 - July 1988) . . . good sense of humor . . . remodeled sacristy . . . enlarged church's seating capacity . . . left priesthood to join the US Navy . . .
1988 . . . Father C. Morris Boyd (July 1988 - 1998) . . . instrumental in 65th Anniversary of SJA as a parish . . . expanded musical ministries . . . celebrated liturgical ministries, especially altar servers, lectors, and eucharistic ministers . . . established active RCIA program . . . held monthly children's Masses . . . instituted ministry to sick . . . commissioned ministers to bring eucharist to ill in hospitals and nursing homes . . . organized "Sister Lunsford Appreciation Day . . . refurbished original tabernacle . . . Stations of the Cross relocated to new addition . . . additional pews and ceiling fans added . . . sanctuary remodeled . . . main altar and lectern raised . . . new chapel of reconciliation and vesting sacristy added . . . front lawn landscaped . . . Old Rugged Cross added . . . Marian shrine and Our Lady's Rose Garden completed . . . Parish Office moved to the Parish Center (former school building) . . . old library renovated as a meeting room and renamed the Father Kuder Room . . . air conditioning added . . . annual Mardi Gras celebration complete with maskers, confetti, dubloons, moon pies, and beads . . . established first Parish Council . . . budgeting process established . . . Bereavement Ministry . . .
1998 . . . Father John M. Pagel arrives to lead the SJA parish family . . . where all are welcome . . .
2009 . . . Father Frank Seabo assumes the leadership of SJA as pastor . . .
To view photos of SJA events at its site on Haywood Road, click here.