Building Our Future

Our New Church

Through God’s grace, we are building a permanent church on Mary Our Queen’s property. The members of MOQ recognize the new church we are constructing is more than just a building. The preservation of the unique artifacts from St. Gerard, plus the combination of a century-old classic design of a century-old church beautifully appointed, with modern day energy efficiency, will make it an inviting place to worship for all. We strive to be a good neighbor by sharing the resources we have because, as Catholics, we believe it is our mission to serve others, inside and outside of our parish.

With the new church in place, we will be able to vacate our temporary church and use this much needed space as a parish hall and commercial kitchen. In addition, the current parish hall can be converted into a much needed facility for our youth teen program. Our improved facilities will allow our parishioners to participate in our many ministries, serve others and leave a lasting legacy for the next generation of Catholics to worship in Peachtree Corners.

Please enjoy our chronological slide show documenting the progress we’ve made!

In 1997, Mary Our Queen broke ground on building our current sanctuary officiated by retired priest Father David Dye and the late Msgr. Donald Kiernan. The buildings were always considered to be temporary facilities until we could one day build our permanent church.
Mary Our Queen dedicates it’s current sanctuary in Spring of 1998. The late Archbishop John Francis Donoghue, Father David Dye and Deacon Stone presided over the ceremony.
Our Spring of 1988 Dedication was attended by many of our MOQ's founding members who had attended mass in our temporary office park building.
In 2008, Father David Dye (now retired pastor of MOQ) desired to build our permanent church and began talks with William Harrison, AIA, of Harrison Design. On a trip to New York, Father Dye learned about St. Gerard Catholic Church from Buffalo, NY, which had been de-consecrated and was seeking a buyer. The design of St Gerard closely matched the initial conceptual drawings from Harrison Design. The hope was “preservation through relocation” by moving the entire structure from Buffalo, NY to Norcross, Ga.
Unfortunately, the estimated cost of $16 million to relocate St. Gerard was cost prohibitive. In 2015, it was decided to scale back the project and build a new church, one that closely replicated the 105 year old Buffalo church, at an estimated cost of $8.5 million.
Under the direction of our current pastor, Father Darragh Griffith, and Mary Our Queen's Building Committee approved Harrison’s architectural designs and Construction Firm Whiting Turner was contracted to build our new church.
Although we could not move St Gerard in its entirety, MOQ is giving the shuttered church in Buffalo a second life as a place of worship by bringing artifacts from St. Gerard to our new Church. The altars, statues and 105 year old oak pews from St. Gerard will live on in Mary Our Queen.
The century old stained glass windows were produced by famed Buffalo Artist Otto Andrle, and are historically significant for their American origin at a time when most church windows were produced in Europe.
Andrle, a long-time employee of the Buffalo Stained Glass Works, founded his own studio in 1913. His work can also be found in Our Lady of Victory Basilica, Lackawanna, N.Y. which is considered one of the largest and most important installations of domestically produced stained glass in the country.
On October 29, 2017, Mary Our Queen celebrated our official groundbreaking. Twelve shovels were displayed in the foreground and in the background the congregation and Knights of Columbus honor guard listened as Father Darragh Griffith, pastor of Mary Our Queen Church, shared some words during the ceremony at the Norcross parish. Photo By Michael Alexander, Georgia Bulletin
In October 2017, Father Darragh blesses the footings of our new church burying a statue of Our Lady of Fatima within the foundation.
Quickly, our new church’s steel beams were erected showing the framework of the new church that will stand on our current property.
The front facade of the new church was designed to mimic St Gerard, which is a Gilded Age approximation (at one-third scale) of the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, one of the four major basilicas of Rome.
Not soon after the building’s exterior was framed, interior framework began showing the side aisle arches and coffered ceiling to come.
Workers from Lynchburg Glass, Lynchburg, VA install the restored stained glass windows in our new church.
Beautiful Stained glass windows are installed in the Sacristy.
View of the lower stained glass windows after being installed on the lower level of the church with the view of the windows in the upper floor of the sanctuary above.
View of the Choir Loft above the 3 Nave Doors with Stained Glass Windows from St Gerard.
View of the Right Aisle looking back towards the rear devotional of St. Gerard's Pieta.
View of the Apse above the Altar
The Altar of Repose that holds the Tabernacle from St. Gerard being constructed in the Altar.

Help Us Furnish our New Home

The hard work of laying the foundation, building the walls and making the space a reality is coming to conclusion and Mary Our Queen will have a new home!

We are blessed to have 100+ year old artifacts and will combine these with existing and brand-new items to furnish our new home. Please consider helping us restore the artifacts we obtained from St. Gerard’s as well as purchase the new items we need to complete our new sanctuary. All levels of donations are very appreciated and donors will be recognized in our Donor Book to be displayed in the new Narthex.

Bridge the Gap Donations may be made may be made by contacting the office at office@maryourqueen.com or 770-441-0002.

Altar of Repose

Altar of Repose— The Altar of Repose from St Gerard is made of Crema Marfil Marble and spans 3/4 the altar width flanked by marble pedestals for our altar flowers. The Altar will be reconstructed, cleaned and polished.

Donation Needed: $25,000 ~ Please Inquire

Altar of Sacrifice

Moved from Saint Gerard’s, the Altar of Sacrifice is made of Crema Marfil Marble with Rojo Marble Insets featuring intricate designs and carvings. The Altar will be reconstructed, cleaned and polished.

Donation Needed: $25,000~ Please Inquire

The Tabernacle

Tabernacle—The All Brass Tabernacle from St. Gerard is a custom size that fits within the Baldachin. It needs to be stripped, cleaned, polished and varnished so that it can be restored to it’s original beauty.

Donation Needed: $10,000

New Chairs for Choir Loft

Please help us provide comfortable new chairs for to be installed in the choir loft. Each chair costs $250 and will provide decades of comfort for our wonderful choir. Actual Chair may vary from photo.

Funding Needed: $250 per chair

General Funding

There are so many small items that need to be done, a donation to the General Fund for Furnishings will make a big difference in all the little touches that will make this Church our home.

Funding Needed: $100

Brass Cross and Dome on top of Baldachin

The cross and dome that covers the tabernacle from St Gerard is a beautiful artifact made of solid brass. Help us refinish it to its original, beautiful condition.

Donation Needed: $5,000

Construct New Confessional

Confessional— We are replicating the old Confessional of St Gerard and using the original doors on each side as well as adapting one door for a window screen.

Funding Needed: $25,000

New Brass Candlesticks for Altar Of Repose

General Fund for 6 Brass Altar Candlesticks —6 New larger Brass Candlesticks need to be purchased to use on our the Altar of Repose. Cost for 6: $3600

Donation Needed: $100 ; can be given multiple times

New Brass Paschal Candlestick

General Fund for 1 Paschal Candlestick—New Paschal Brass Candlesticks that will match Altar candlesticks to be purchased . Cost: $1250

Donation Needed: $100; can be given multiple times

Sanctuary Lamp Bracket

Sanctuary Lamp Bracket—A new All Brass Baroque Bracket will be purchased to hold our existing Sanctuary Lamp.

Donation Needed: $2500

Set of Iron Gates

The Iron Gates we acquired from St. Gerard will be widened and placed on the endo the side aisles in front of our devotionals. We need to solder pieces together, clean, prime and paint the gates.

1 Set is SOLD, Remaining Donation Needed: $5000

Sacristy Closet Doors

Sacristy Closet Doors—The Extra Confessional Doors from St Gerard will be sanded and refinished to serve as the Priest’s Vestment Closet doors in the Sacristy.

Donation Needed: $2,000

Brass Cover for Book of Gospels

New Custom Brass Cover for our Book of Gospels to be used during the Liturgy of the Mass. Actual Cover may vary from photo shown.

Donation Needed: TBD

Please inquire with the office