About Our Lady of Fatima · Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Our Lady of Fatima is a Catholic mission chapel in downtown Winston-Salem, North Carolina, operated as a satellite worship site of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church within the Diocese of Charlotte. Established in 1954 to serve Catholic families — many of whom had relocated from New Jersey to work at Western Electric — the chapel sits in a small gray brick building on the corner of Third and Cherry Streets that originally opened in 1903 as Winston-Salem's first Carnegie public library. Today the mission hosts a Sunday morning Mass in English and a Friday midday Mass, and its parishioners come from more than ten countries, reflecting the Hispanic Catholic presence that grew in the neighborhood in the 1990s.
- Established
- 1954
- Patron
- Our Lady of Fatima
- Rector
- Reverend Aaron Cory Catron
- Diocese
- Diocese of Charlotte
Why belong here
Our Lady of Fatima offers a historic, intimate downtown chapel where English-speaking Catholics can worship in a setting that has served the neighborhood for more than seven decades. As a mission of Our Lady of Mercy, it shares in a vibrant parish life that includes multiple Masses in English and Spanish, faith formation for children and adults, youth ministry, a quilting ministry, a Hispanic youth choir, the Knights of Columbus, a charismatic prayer group, the Order of Franciscan Seculars (OFS) fraternity, and 24-hour Eucharistic Adoration once a month. Its diverse congregation — drawn from more than ten countries — makes it a welcoming home for newcomers, returning Catholics, and anyone seeking a quiet, prayerful space in the heart of Winston-Salem.
Mass times at Our Lady of Fatima
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM (at Our Lady of Mercy)
- Saturday 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM (at Our Lady of Mercy)
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- 24-Hour Adoration held monthly (sign-up required)
- 1st Fridays 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Monday & Wednesday 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM (at Our Lady of Mercy)
- Tuesday 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM (at Our Lady of Mercy)
Our Lady of Fatima Chapel
Our Lady of Fatima is a downtown mission chapel of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, located at 211 West Third Street in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The chapel serves as a satellite worship site in the Diocese of Charlotte and is housed in a historic Carnegie library building. Mass is celebrated in English on Sundays at 9:30 AM and on Fridays at 12:15 PM. During the summer months (June through August), the Sunday Fatima Mass is canceled; the noon Friday Mass continues year-round.
- Sunday 9:30 AM English Mass
- Friday 12:15 PM English Mass
- Mission of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church
- Diocese of Charlotte
History of the Chapel
Our Lady of Fatima Chapel was established in 1954 to serve a large influx of Western Electric employees and their families who relocated from New Jersey to Winston-Salem. The parish was given use of a small gray brick building on the corner of Third and Cherry Streets that had originally opened in 1903 as Winston-Salem's first public library — a Renaissance Revival structure funded by a Carnegie Corporation grant and designed by architect Edward L. Tilton. After the city library moved to larger quarters, the building was acquired by Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church and rededicated as Our Lady of Fatima Chapel. An influx of Hispanic Catholics in the 1990s added to the community's diversity, and today its parishioners come from more than ten countries.
- Founded 1954 for Western Electric families
- Housed in 1903 Carnegie library building
- Renaissance Revival design by Edward L. Tilton
- Hispanic community growth in the 1990s
Clergy and Parish Staff
Our Lady of Fatima Chapel is served by the pastoral team of the mother parish, Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church. The pastor is Reverend Aaron Cory Catron, and the parochial vicar is Reverend José Alfredo Palma Torres. The mission is also listed by GCatholic as served by the Conventual Franciscans. Parish staff supporting religious education, youth ministry, music, communications, sacramental records, and the parish school is based at Our Lady of Mercy.
- Rev. Aaron Cory Catron — Pastor
- Rev. José Alfredo Palma Torres — Parochial Vicar
- Served by Conventual Franciscans
Parish Ministries and Groups
As a mission of Our Lady of Mercy, Our Lady of Fatima parishioners can take part in a wide range of parish ministries. These include faith formation for children and adults, a youth ministry, the Totus Tuus summer program, an English-as-a-second-language class, and RCIA preparation for adults seeking full initiation into the Catholic Church. Pastoral groups include the Knights of Columbus Council COR, the Order of Franciscan Seculars (OFS) Fraternity, a Young Adult Group, a Hispanic charismatic prayer group (Grupo Carismático), a Hispanic Bible Study, a Hispanic Couples Retreat, and a Quilting Ministry. Musical ministries include the Hispanic Youth Choir, the Coro de Adultos (Adult Spanish Choir), and the English-language choir.
- Faith Formation and RCIA
- Youth Ministry and Totus Tuus
- Knights of Columbus COR
- Order of Franciscan Seculars (OFS) Fraternity
- Hispanic Youth Choir and Coro de Adultos
- Grupo Carismático and Hispanic Bible Study
- Quilting Ministry
- Young Adult Group
- Hispanic Couples Retreat
- English Lessons
Sacraments
Our Lady of Mercy and Our Lady of Fatima together celebrate all seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. Children of catechetical age prepare for Baptism on Sunday mornings during Faith Formation, with parents and godparents attending several mandatory sessions. Older children (age 7 and up) and adults enter the faith through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). The parish also prepares couples for Matrimony, supports families through First Communion and Confirmation preparation, and offers the Anointing of the Sick and Reconciliation to those in need.
- Baptism (infant and age 7+)
- Confirmation
- Holy Eucharist (First Communion)
- Reconciliation
- Anointing of the Sick
- Holy Orders
- Matrimony
Historic Carnegie Library Building
The chapel building is a local architectural landmark: one of only ten Carnegie libraries funded nationally between 1901 and 1917. Built in 1903 with a grant from the Carnegie Corporation and designed by North Carolina architect Edward L. Tilton, it is a Renaissance Revival structure distinguished by carved limestone details and Roman-style symmetry. After closing as a public library in 1954, the building was acquired by Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church and rededicated as the Chapel of Our Lady of Fatima, where it continues to serve the Catholic faithful of downtown Winston-Salem.
- Built 1903, Carnegie Corporation grant
- Architect Edward L. Tilton, Renaissance Revival style
- Carved limestone details
- Closed as library 1954; became Our Lady of Fatima Chapel