Let us believe once again in love, moderation and good politics. We must form ourselves and get personally involved, each following our own calling. Everyone has a place in the mosaic of peace!
Pope Leo XIV
About us
Welcome to the georgia catholic conference
The Georgia Catholic Conference is under the direction of the Catholic bishops of Georgia, comprising of the Archdiocese of Atlanta and the Diocese of Savannah.
Conference activities are based on Catholic teachings, particularly Catholic social doctrine and on the protection of the Catholic identity of Church ministries and institutions.
The executive director of the conference and other representatives are in daily contact with state legislators during the annual sessions of the Georgia General Assembly and are available throughout the year to accomplish the mission of the conference. We collaborate with the U.S.
Conference of Catholic Bishops on national issues throughout the year.
Our team
JAYNA HOFFACKER, M.A.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
About the Executive Director
Jayna Hoffacker, M.A. is the Executive Director of the Georgia Catholic Conference. She previously served as the founding Director of Restorative Justice Ministry for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta.
In addition to her work with the conference, Jayna chairs the Georgia Catholics Against the Death Penalty committee and Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center’s Advisory Board, as well as serving on the national board for the Multifaith Initiative to End Mass Incarceration and Catholic Mobilizing Network’s National Restorative Justice Advisory. She also teaches Catholic Social Teaching in the Archdiocese of Atlanta’s permanent diaconate formation program.
Jayna holds Masters Degrees in History from Georgia State University and in Theology from Loyola University Chicago, in addition to a certification in Social Justice from the University of Dayton. She is a parishioner at Immaculate Heart of Mary in Northeast Atlanta, and a member of the parish Peace & Justice Ministry.
History of the conference
Where we’ve been
Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan of Atlanta and Bishop Gerald L. Frey of Savannah established the Georgia Catholic Conference in 1972 with the appointment of Rev. Michael A. (Tony) Morris as Executive Secretary.
Immediately prior to the 1975 legislative session, Archbishop Donnellan and Bishop Raymond W. Lessard of Savannah appointed Mr. Cheatham A. Hodges, Jr. as Executive Secretary (later changed to Executive Director) of the Conference. Mr. Hodges served in that capacity until his retirement in June 2002.
In 1999, Francis J. Mulcahy was brought in to assist Mr. Hodges in representing the Conference. Upon Mr. Hodges’ retirement in 2002, he took over full responsibility for Conference activities.
Mr. Mulcahy retired in 2025. Later that year, Jayna Hoffacker was named Executive Director by Archbishop Gregory Hartmayer, OFM Conv. of Atlanta and Bishop Stephen Parkes of Savannah.
What We believe
Vision & mission
The Georgia Catholic Conference witnesses to spiritual values in public affairs, and provides an agency for corporate Catholic service to the statewide community. Under the direction of the Catholic bishops of Georgia, the Conference promotes public policy positions related to Georgia governmental programs, legislation and policies that affect the common good and interest of the Catholic Church.
The Georgia Catholic Conference encourages all the people of Georgia to inform their consciences about the moral dimension of public policy and exercise their constitutional rights of participation in the political process. The Conference periodically sponsors events directed toward these ends.
Faithful Citizens
The U.S. Bishops teach that participation in the political process is
not only a civil right, but also a moral obligation of our faith. This participation
requires understanding the political system, its moral and ethical impact
as well as careful consideration of candidates and issues before voting.
In this way, faithful citizens can best contribute to the promotion of the
common good.
Prophetic Action
All Catholics are baptized as priest, prophet and king. It is this baptismal
call to act prophetically that drives us to work for justice in our world.
The prophet Jeremiah gives us our instructions: “Do what is right and just.
Rescue the victims from the hand of their oppressors. Do not wrong or
oppress the resident alien, the orphan, or the widow, and do not shed innocent
blood in this place” (Jer 22:3).
The Catholic Church in Georgia
by the numbers (2025)
| Archdiocese of Atlanta | Diocese of Savannah | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Population | 7,796,330 | 3,000,000 |
| Total Catholic Population | 1,200,000 | 80,000 |
| Parishes and Missions | 103 | 77 |
| Priests | 285 | 98 |
| Deacons | 306 | 112 |
| Religious Sisters | 99 | 52 |
| Religious Brothers | 22 | 3 |
| Seminarians | 43 | 15 |
| Catholic Schools | 27 | 19 |
| Hospitals | 4 | 1 |
| Homes for the Aged | 6 | 0 |
