Priest from Cameroon serving at St. George's Catholic
From STAFF REPORTS
religion@newnan.com
St. George Catholic Church has a new priest, Father Henry Atem.
Atem, 34, is originally from Cameroon, West Africa. After Atem completed high school, he and his family moved to Georgia.
Atem earned his masters in divinity and a master of arts in theology degrees – with a concentration in systematic theology – at Mount St. Mary’s.
Atem was ordained to the priesthood on May 31, 2008 by Archbishop Wilton Gregory. He served as parochial cicar at St. Peter Chanel in Roswell from June 2008 – June 2011 and St. Patrick in Norcross from June 2011 until his assignment to St. George’s.
His hobbies are reading, watching TV and playing soccer and tennis.
Atem was also elected to serve as vice president of the African Conference of Catholic Clergy and Religious in the United States in August 2009.
Atem is bilingual. After arriving at the local parish, he took a vacation to Rome.
Before leaving St. George’s, he settled into his residence and on the way to the airport, he was greeted by the children of the St. George Parish at Vacation Bible School. He greeted them with hugs, telling the children that he is a huggable Priest.
Atem invited them all back next year so that he can spend the week with them, too.
