HISTORY: OLA MISSION - CHURCH

As discussed on the history page, the church was completed in 1940 and seats up to 1130 people. . In the days before the decline of the parish, the large basement was used for overflow Masses and various parish events.

After the parish closed in 1990, it was rented out by New Miracle Temple Baptist Church between the years 1991 and 2009.

Even at the time that New Miracle first began renting space, extensive capital repairs were needed in the building. In fact, New Miracle was only ever able to utilize a portion of the actual main church because the roof over the sanctuary was severely water damaged and in danger of collapse.

These issues only worsened over time to the extent that when Fr. Bob began work on the church in 2011, the old, leaky roof had caused extensive water damage both in the main church and in the basement. Broken and clogged gutters led to very little water drainage and large quantities of standing water in the basement.

Thus, the main repairs in the church included: a new roof/ tuck pointing, plaster/ paint repair, complete electrical re-wiring, new flooring, heat repair, plumbing repair, window replacement/ repair, and various flood control efforts.

The church was also outfitted with a complete industrial kitchen and service for 500 people in the basement.

Miraculously, these extensive renovations were completed in less than a year. Tour the renovated church HERE.

The main church now provides a beautiful and prayerful space for Eucharistic Adoration, neighborhood prayer services, Masses, and special events. The basement of the church is used for special events, larger retreats, and our community dinner program for neighborhood families.