Businessman Gives $1 Million to Church
A wave of Latino immigrants moving to northwest Georgia has prompted a local businessman to give $1 million to the Roman Catholic church to help it expand.
The gift to St. Joseph’s Catholic Church was made by Carl Bouckaert, president and CEO of Beaulieu of America, which claims to be the third-largest carpet company in the world.
“There is no doubt that the growth of the church is due in large part to the growth of the Hispanic community, which plays a vital role in the success of our industry,” Bouckaert said.
The 200-seat sanctuary of St. Joseph’s, built in 1957, draws about 1,700 faithful to Mass each Sunday. About 64% of the worshipers are Latinos, Father Daniel Stack said.
The church now has $3.5 million toward a larger building.
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