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In the Beg
Carrying on the Work of Ou “We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.” ~ Hebrews 3:14
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n October 1992, Fr. John Giuliani led a study to determine the feasibility of establishing a Catholic community in the Fort Mill area. In early 1993, 44 families gathered, on faithful hope, to establish a Mission Church known as the Fort Mill/ Tega Cay Catholic Community. Initially Masses were celebrated Saturday afternoon at Lake Wylie Lutheran Church in Fort Mill. The congregation grew, with Masses then held in the Fellowship Hall at Philadelphia United Methodist Church. It was in these early years of the Fort Mill/Tega Cay Catholic Community, Fr. John Giuliani and a number of families gathered to discuss plans to build the Mission Church. At the time the Mission Statement was accepted by Bishop Thompson, the charter members signed their names to the Mission Statement, with the list of signatures displayed in the Parish Center gathering area. We appreciate the efforts and important work of Fr. John and the charter members to build St. Philip Neri Church’s foundation, and the commitment of today’s parishioners to carry on the work of those who had the vision to develop our faith community over the years. In the words of Bill Wolfe, one of the founding charter members
of St. Philip Neri Catholic Church, “I’ve just been a small part of this. A lot of great people have done so much for this parish community.” We are deeply grateful to those individuals and families who came before us to build the church that we enjoy today and who have established the foundation of what we hope to pass onto future generations. As we embark on the Rebuild to Serve, Strengthening Our Foundation for the Future Campaign, we will provide a viable place for our parish community to live out our mission and serve for many generations to come.
The Founding Charter Members of St. Philip Neri Catholic Church (from signatures originally on display in the Parish Center’s Gathering Area) Mark and Betty Adams John, Cynthia, Sandy and Tommy Baldridge Helen Bardsley Bob and Linda Bertges Anne Biesty Tara Bogue Florence Bonasch Matthew and Joan Brady Luke Britz Peter C. and Toni Britz Eleonora Buba continued on page 5
