Annunciation parish and school in Havelock serves a community which largely revolves around Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in Havelock.
NC Catholics visited the parish on the eve of the feast day of St. Francis, when Annunciation Catholic School students and their families took part in the tradition of blessing animals. The blessing seeks God’s protection and care for the animals, explained Father Thomas “T” Davis, pastor of Annunciation, reflecting St. Francis’ love for all creatures as part of God’s creation.
Father T explained the ever-changing nature of the community and parish demographics. The Cherry Point base just across Highway 70 from the parish has long been the home to AV-8B Harrier squadrons, but those jets are being phased out as the base transitions to newer aircraft. Each pilot stationed at the base is supported by a large team, often 20–50 personnel, including maintenance, logistics, medical and other roles that make flight operations possible. Changes in aircraft and related personnel can have dramatic effects on the surrounding area’s population and economic activity.
Despite the dramatic transition the base and community are undergoing, Annunciation parish and school seems to be on a high-flying trajectory.
Father T noted that the Church is always a source of stability and hope, perhaps even more so during times of uncertainty. In the midst of the changing dynamics of the community, Mass attendance has increased and enrollment at Annunciation Catholic School is up more than 10% over last year.
The importance of our nation’s military bases, their community impacts, and the impact of the Catholic churches that serve them is nothing new to Father T. He attended Annunciation himself as a young teen when his father was stationed at Cherry Point more than 50 years ago. Returning to Annunciation as the newly appointed pastor this past summer, he noted it took only a very short time before the community and the parish both felt like “home.”
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