Did you know that Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church started its journey in a gymnasium? Yes right here where we stand this magnificent church wasn’t always so grand. In 1947 the first masses of Our Lady of Lourdes were held in the gymnasium of the State Home for Children. Imagine folding chairs hard floors and the simple count of communicants. This humble beginning speaks volumes about the faith and dedication of the early parishioners.
Our Lady of Lourdes wasn’t just a church it was a community project. Father Damen L McCaddon the first pastor led the “Rocks of Lourdes” a group of 220 volunteers. They built a massive 52-foot-high stone shrine a testament to their unwavering faith. These volunteers raised money through various events picnics bazaars bingo and even Mardi Gras galas. The first Mardi Gras alone netted $5000 enough to purchase a temporary rectory.
Groundbreaking for the church and school began in 1948. The first four classrooms were ready by September. Sisters of St Francis of Perpetual Adoration taught the 101 students. They even held Saturday classes to catch up from the late start. By December a subterranean church was completed and ready for Archbishop Vehr’s dedication ceremony. That Christmas over 1650 people attended Mass.
Father McCaddon a former army chaplain was an outdoorsman. He frequently took parish kids camping. He even used nature themes in his sermons. He worked with the Rocks to transform the church grounds. They created a tree-shaded retreat complete with outdoor Stations of the Cross. One memorable camper was Stephen J Leonard who became a renowned Denver historian. He recalled his less-than-fond memories of camping with green eggs and sand.
The church continued to grow. A new school wing was added in 1952. By 1954 seven nuns were teaching 384 students. The sisters moved into their own convent in 1955. Father McCaddon lived in an old house that became part of the school wing. Our Lady of Lourdes truly became a hub of community life.
In 1965 a new church building was dedicated. It was a buff brick neo-Romanesque structure designed by John K Monroe. The masses finally moved out of the basement. Father McCaddon retired in 1966. The parish continued to flourish adding Maryhaven a home for the elderly in 1988.
Today as you stand before Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church see more than just a building. See the culmination of a dream. See the unwavering faith of the “Rocks of Lourdes”. See a community built on shared belief and dedication. See the living legacy of Father McCaddon. This is more than just a place of worship it’s a vibrant testament to the enduring power of faith.