About Our Lady of the Assumption · Albuquerque, New Mexico
Our Lady of the Assumption is a Roman Catholic parish and school community in the Northeast Heights of Albuquerque, New Mexico, within the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Established in 1954 in what was then a fast-growing northeast neighborhood, OLA began life as a humble mission chapel in a Quonset hut and grew into a parish whose 1965 church building was the first in the Archdiocese to reflect the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council. Today the parish serves its multi-generational community with weekend Masses in English and bilingual form, a parochial school, an active Society of St. Vincent de Paul conference, and a wide range of lay ministries led by its pastor, Father Edward C. Domme — himself an OLA school alumnus and product of a parish founding family.
- Established
- 1954
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Assumption
- Rector
- Rev. Edward C. Domme
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Santa Fe
Why belong here
OLA is a parish where an entire generation grew up in the same school their children now attend, and that family continuity shapes everything from the school fundraisers to the Knights of Columbus-sponsored grotto on the church grounds. Sunday worship includes a bilingual Mass alongside fully English Masses, and a Hispanic ministry that has been a pastoral priority since the late 1980s. The parish combines traditional liturgical beauty — a Vatican II-era sanctuary with Eucharistic-themed reredos and John Tatschi stained glass — with hands-on outreach like the Society of St. Vincent de Paul food pantry, Blankets and Booties, Casserole Cooking Ministry, and Ministry to the Sick across the hospital, nursing homes and assisted living centers within parish boundaries.
Mass times at Our Lady of the Assumption
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
History of Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Community
OLA's story begins in 1951 as the Assumption Mission Chapel (the Quonset Hut) at 201 Dallas NE in northeast Albuquerque, with formal parish establishment in February 1954 under Archbishop Edwin V. Byrne. Fifteen years under Fr. Carl Hammer brought stability, the move to the parish hall in 1960, and the 1965 dedication of the present church — the first in the archdiocese built to reflect Vatican II. Successive pastors grew the school, founded ministries including the archdiocese's first Vietnamese Catholic Community, and strengthened the Hispanic ministry, leading to today's bilingual Mass and broad lay involvement.
- 1951 — Mission Chapel/Quonset Hut opens at 201 Dallas NE
- February 1954 — Parish formally established; Rev. Francis O'Byrne first pastor
- August 1954 — Convent and six-room school dedicated; Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Monroe, MI) begin 28-year tenure
- December 27, 1957 — Parish hall dedicated by Archbishop Byrne
- September 1960 — Worship moves from Quonset Hut to the parish hall
- May 30, 1965 — Present church dedicated by Archbishop James P. Davis
- 1980 — First Vietnamese Catholic Community in the Archdiocese founded at OLA
- 1993 — Cry room reconstructed under Fr. Jaramillo
- July 2002 — Fr. Edward C. Domme assigned pastor
Church Architecture and Worship Space
Architect John W. McHugh of Santa Fe designed the 1965 church as 'a simple prayer,' and its interior was deliberately built to embody the renewed liturgy of Vatican II. The reredos, marble altar and sanctuary, and separate Eucharistic chapel were considered innovative for the era.
- Designer: John W. McHugh, Santa Fe
- General contractor: Blue and Associates (completed 1965)
- Stained glass by UNM Prof. John Tatschi — including a large symbolic window of Christ in the winepress
- Reredos themes: creation and fall, sacrifice, grace, virtue, sacraments
- First church in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe to reflect Vatican II liturgical changes
- Bronze sculpture of Our Lady above the cry-room entrance; Marian grotto on north side built by the Knights of Columbus
Clergy and Staff
OLA is served by a pastor, a parochial vicar, three deacons, and a Coordinator of Religious Education. Many of the deacons have decades of marriage and parish ministry behind them and shepherd specific sacramental and outreach areas.
- Pastor: Rev. Edward C. Domme
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Michelangelo Cimino
- Deacon Jim Delgado — Spanish marriage and baptismal prep; hospice, home communions, funeral/wake liturgy (English and Spanish), home blessings; ordained 1987; at OLA since 2001
- Deacon John (Jack) Granato — Baptism preparation, Baptism, Adult and Youth Confirmation; parish website maintainer since 2004; ordained 2003; at OLA since 2003
- Deacon Maurice Graff — St. Vincent de Paul ministry lead (utility assistance, food pantry); ordained 2004; at OLA since 2004
- Coordinator of Religious Education: Frank Martinez
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Coordinated by Frank Martinez, OLA's Faith Formation programs serve children who attend non-Catholic schools as well as adults preparing for initiation into the Church. Children's Liturgy of the Word brings the Gospel to younger students during the 10 AM Mass.
- RCIA — Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
- Youth Program for K–8, Tuesday evenings 6:20–7:35 PM in the school building
- Youth Confirmation Classes
- Children's Liturgy of the Word — ages 4 through 8 during the 10 AM Mass
- First Communion and Confirmation preparation tied to the Faith Formation curriculum
Parish Life and Liturgical Ministries
OLA runs the full range of lay liturgical ministries that keep weekend Masses running smoothly, plus a parish-school community-building rhythm through Coffee and Donuts and the annual Countdown fundraiser.
- Altar Servers (contact Jim Klarkowski, 505-281-1005)
- Lectors (contact Dolores Armijo, 505-792-2979)
- Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist (contact Sally Rosenheim, 505-255-6813)
- Ushers
- Altar Ministry (flowers, candles, linens, sacristies, cry room)
- Choirs for Saturday 5 PM and Sunday 8:30, 10:00 and 11:30 AM Masses
- Coffee and Donuts in the gym after Sunday Masses every other Sunday during the school year
- Countdown Event — annual school fundraiser the Saturday before Lent (500 tickets at $100; $10,000 grand prize)
Spiritual and Men's Groups
Lay spirituality groups include a Legion of Mary presidium and a Catholic Men's Ministry, alongside 'That Man is You.' The Men's Ministry gathers twice a month on Thursday evenings.
- Legion of Mary — Our Lady of the Assumption Presidium (weekly meetings of prayer, spiritual reading, and apostolic work)
- Catholic Men's Ministry — meets 1st and 3rd Thursdays, 6:00–8:00 PM (contact Scott Neary, 505-269-4827)
- That Man is You
Outreach and Charity
Outreach to the poor and the homebound is a defining mark of OLA parish life, led by Deacon Maurice Graff's St. Vincent de Paul conference and supplemented by parish-run food, blanket, and meal ministries. The Ministry to the Sick reaches residents of the hospital, nursing homes, assisted living, and private care homes within parish boundaries.
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul — utility assistance and food pantry (505-346-1500 ext. 4); Thanksgiving food boxes and Christmas gift-giving for children; president Marie Baca (505-256-9818 ext. 0)
- Casserole Cooking Ministry
- Blankets and Booties
- Ministry to the Sick and Home-bound (contact Deacon Jim Delgado)
- Volunteer commitment for sick ministry ranges from 1 hour/month to 2 hours/week
Parish School (Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School)
OLA Parish and School operate as one community, sharing facilities and pastor. The school opened in 1954 with six rooms staffed by the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and has remained an integral part of parish identity — so much so that the current pastor, Fr. Domme, is a graduate.
- School office: (505) 256-3167
- Pastor of the school: Rev. Edward C. Domme (Alum)
- Deacons serving the school: Jim Delgado, John 'Jack' Granato
- Secretary: Ms. Berenice Martinez
- Religious Education: Mr. Frank Martinez
- Business Manager: Ms. Anna Moya
- School website linked from olacs.org
Visit, Register, and Contact
New parishioners are invited to register online via the parish website, and the parish office is the central point of contact for sacramental preparation, ministry involvement, and St. Vincent de Paul assistance.
- Address: 811 Guaymas Place NE, Albuquerque, NM 87108
- Parish phone: (505) 256-9818
- Parish office hours: Mon–Fri 8:30 am–12:00 pm and 1:00 pm–3:30 pm
- New Parishioner registration link on the parish website
- Website provides directions to church and parish office
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Francis O'Byrne1954–1955
First pastor/administrator; the parish was formally established in February 1954 under Archbishop Edwin V. Byrne.
- Rev. Philip Blackburn1955–1958
Bought the home at 217 Dallas NE that became the temporary rectory; oversaw construction and Dec. 27, 1957 dedication of the parish hall.
- Msgr. J. A. Maguire1958–1960
Became ill in early 1960.
- Rev. Benedict Cuesta1960 (temporary)
Assigned from Madrid, Spain, while Msgr. Maguire was ill.
- Rev. Carl Hammer1960–1975
Brought stability; led the move from the Quonset Hut to the parish hall in Sept. 1960; oversaw the 1962 second phase of the school and the design and construction of the 1965 church.
- Rev. John Rebold1975–1980
Founded the first Vietnamese Catholic Community in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.
- Rev. Bruckner1980–1987
After seven years was assigned as pastor of the 'sister parish,' Our Lady of the Annunciation.
- Rev. Luis Jaramillo1987–2002
Served 15 years until retirement; strengthened the Hispanic ministry and Spanish Mass; reconstructed the cry room in 1993.
- Rev. Edward C. Domme2002–present
An OLA school alumnus from one of the parish founding families; assigned July 2002.