About Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament · Miami, Arizona
Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament is a historic Roman Catholic parish in the copper-mining town of Miami, Arizona, belonging to the Diocese of Tucson. The parish was established in October 1915 and its present Mission/Spanish Revival church was dedicated on July 1, 1917, making it one of the most prominent landmarks of the Globe-Miami area and a building listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2008. Today it is served by Rev. Fr. Martin Bosco Ormin and Deacon Richard Le Mieux, offering daily and Sunday Mass in both English and Spanish, the sacraments, RCIA, youth ministry, and a wide circle of lay ministries that keep the century-old parish active.
- Established
- 1915
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament (Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of the Blessed Sacrament)
- Rector
- Rev. Fr. Martin Bosco Ormin
- Diocese
- Diocese of Tucson
Why belong here
Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament is a small, bilingual Catholic parish with deep roots in Miami's copper-mining heritage — its 1917 Mission Revival church is on the National Register of Historic Places. It offers something most parishes its size can't: daily Mass six days a week (including a Spanish Sunday Mass), a full sacramental life (Baptism, Marriage, RCIA, Anointing of the Sick, Confirmation, Eucharist, Holy Orders), a Catholic Youth Ministry for grades 9–12, RCIA for adults, and about fifteen lay ministries from choir and lectors to Flowers & Grounds, Offertory Counters, and St. Vincent de Paul outreach. The parish also subscribes to FORMED.org for free Catholic content and publishes a monthly newsletter, Our Lady's Courier. With Deacon Rich on call after hours and a pastor reachable through the parish office, it is a tight-knit community that has worshipped in the same building for over a century.
Mass times at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday 5:00 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.
- Saturday 5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
- By appointment
History of the Parish
Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament was established in October 1915 by Bishop Henri Granjon of the Diocese of Tucson and is the spiritual heir of a Catholic mission that traces back to 1876 in the Miami-Globe mining district. The first permanent resident pastor was Father Joseph O. Barrette, who had been commuting from Sacred Heart in Globe since 1908 to serve the growing Mexican, Anglo, and especially Croatian Catholic population. Fundraising in 1916–17 by the Catholic Ladies' Aid and other parish groups, plus land donated by the Inspiration Consolidated Copper Company and Miami Copper Company, made the present church possible. It was dedicated July 1, 1917.
- 1876: First official Catholic missionary visits to Miami-Globe, from Our Lady of the Assumption in Florence.
- 1891: Mission authority transferred to Our Lady of Guadalupe in Solomonville; circuit-riding priests serve Miami.
- 1908: Fr. Joseph O. Barrette begins visiting Miami from Sacred Heart in Globe.
- 1911: Small frame church built at 'Church Hill' to serve the growing Catholic population.
- October 1915: Bishop Granjon establishes Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament as a separate parish; Fr. Barrette becomes first pastor.
- Late 1916: Sufficient funds raised for a permanent church.
- January 26, 1917: Construction underway by Briggs and Daniels Construction of Globe (winning bid $9,661.80).
- July 1, 1917: Formal dedication by Bishop Granjon; over 600 Catholics confirmed that day.
- 2005: Parish incorporated.
- 2008 (January 2): Church added to the National Register of Historic Places (#07001332).
- 2017: Parish celebrates its 100th anniversary and publishes the Jubilee Magazine.
Architecture & the Historic Church Building
The church is a Mission Revival / Spanish Revival design by Henry O. Jaastad, a self-taught Norwegian-born architect who moved to Tucson in 1902 and eventually served 14 years as Tucson's mayor. The building's most distinctive Mission Revival features are its twin domed bell towers and curvilinear gable parapets (espadanas), the small red clay-tile secondary roof on the facade, cast concrete pilasters and pediment around the front entry, Roman-arched windows, stucco plaster walls, and an arched niche on the facade. Inside, plaster walls and a barrel-vaulted ceiling (an early alteration of the original steeply pitched redwood-truss ceiling) complete the look. Jaastad also designed Miami's YMCA at the opposite end of Sullivan Street at the same time.
- Architect: Henry O. Jaastad, Tucson
- Style: Mission Revival / Spanish Revival (with Gothic-vernacular touches in the steep shingled main roof and tall arched side windows)
- Exterior: stucco plaster walls, twin domed bell towers, espadanas, red clay tile facade roof, cast concrete pilasters and pediment, Roman-arched windows, arched niche
- Interior: plaster walls and barrel-vaulted ceiling; original exposed redwood-truss ceiling replaced early on
- NRHP #07001332 — listed January 2, 2008
- Significance: best-preserved Mission Revival example in the Globe-Miami area; one of Jaastad's two known Miami designs
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is led by Rev. Fr. Martin Bosco Ormin and supported by Deacon Richard Le Mieux, the parish office manager Sandra De La Torre, and a Parish Pastoral Council and Finance Council. A Board of Directors oversees the parish's institutional life, including Bishop James A. Misko (Diocese of Tucson), Fr. Edward Lucero, and lay members Mike Benjamin and Franceen Gregovich.
- Pastor: Rev. Fr. Martin Bosco Ormin
- Deacon: Richard Le Mieux (after-hours line 928-200-1327)
- Office Manager: Sandra De La Torre
- Parish Council President: Mario Reyes
- Parish Finance President: Fernando Shipley
- Board of Directors: Fr. Martin Bosco Ormin, Mr. Mike Benjamin, Ms. Franceen Gregovich, Bishop James A. Misko, Fr. Edward Lucero
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Marriage, Holy Orders, and Anointing of the Sick, plus RCIA for adults seeking initiation. Parents are asked to bring children for Baptism as soon after birth as is reasonable; older children of catechetical age receive the full complement of Initiation sacraments (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist) with age-appropriate preparation.
- Baptism — infant preparation and child-of-catechetical-age track; godparent requirements spelled out on the parish website.
- Confirmation — preparation for youth and adults.
- Eucharist — First Communion and ongoing celebration of the sacrament at Mass.
- Marriage — celebrated as a lifelong covenant; pastoral preparation required.
- Holy Orders — discernment and support for vocations to the priesthood or diaconate.
- Anointing of the Sick — for the ill, elderly, and before surgery; by request.
- RCIA — adult initiation, culminating in the Easter Vigil.
Ministries & Parish Life
Lay ministry is the heartbeat of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament. The parish lists more than fifteen active ministries, ranging from liturgical service (Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Altar Servers, Sacristans, Liturgical Linen Service, Choir) to hospitality (Greeters, Ushers, Fellowship Committee) and stewardship (Flowers and Grounds, Offertory Counters, Finance Council). Pastoral ministries include Baptism Preparation, RCIA, the Parish Pastoral Council, and the Catholic Youth Ministry (CYM) for grades 9–12, which meets on Sundays after the 10:00 a.m. Mass from September through May. Outreach includes St. Vincent de Paul volunteers, prayer groups, memorial luncheon volunteers, and a long-running crochet ministry led by Aurora Herrera, who makes slippers for residents of local nursing homes and for babies in neo-natal centers (the parish welcomes donations of yarn, which may be left at the parish office).
- Liturgical: Liturgical Linen Service, Lector, Greeters, Flowers and Grounds, Eucharistic Minister, Sacristan, Altar Server, Usher, Choir
- Pastoral: Baptism Preparation, RCIA, Parish Pastoral Council, Catholic Youth Ministry (grades 9–12)
- Stewardship: Fellowship Committee, Offertory Counters, Finance Council
- Outreach: St. Vincent de Paul, Prayer Group, Memorial Luncheon volunteers, Yarn donations / crochet slippers for nursing homes and neo-natal centers
- All volunteers must complete a parish Application for Ministry and Volunteer Service; ministries requiring contact with minors also require a background check (paid for by the parish).
Youth Ministry
Catholic Youth Ministry (CYM) is the parish's program for high-school-age teens in grades 9 through 12. CYM meets on Sundays after the 10:00 a.m. Mass and runs September through May. More information is available from the parish office at 928-473-3568.
- CYM for grades 9–12
- Meets Sundays after the 10:00 a.m. Mass
- September through May
RCIA — Becoming Catholic
The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament prepares unbaptized adults and those seeking full communion with the Catholic Church. The journey follows the ancient practice of the Church, restored by the Second Vatican Council, and culminates at the Easter Vigil when candidates receive the Sacraments of Initiation — Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist.
- Open to adults who have never been baptized, as well as Christians from other denominations seeking full communion
- Catechumenate, election, and scrutinies during Lent
- Initiation at the Easter Vigil (Holy Saturday)
Communication & Resources
The parish publishes a monthly newsletter, Our Lady's Courier, with parish events and people, and maintains a current weekly bulletin. The parish also subscribes to FORMED.org, a free online gateway to Catholic films, study programs, audio, and books; parishioners can sign up at formed.org by selecting Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament and their email address.
- Our Lady's Courier — monthly newsletter
- Weekly bulletin — available on the parish website
- FORMED.org — free Catholic streaming content for parishioners
- Facebook: facebook.com/ourladyromancatholic
Contact, Visit & Giving
Parishioners and visitors can reach the office by phone, fax, email, or in person during office hours. The church sits at 844 W. Sullivan Street in Miami, Arizona, at the corner of David Cayon Road, just west of the Miami Police Department. After hours, callers can reach Deacon Rich on his dedicated line for emergencies.
- Address: 844 W. Sullivan Street, Miami, AZ 85539
- Phone: 928-473-3568
- After-hours (Deacon Rich): 928-200-1327
- Fax: 928-473-3338
- Email: [email protected]
- Web: ourladymiami.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/ourladyromancatholic
- Office hours: Mon, Wed–Fri 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. (closed Tue, Sat, Sun)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Joseph O. Barrette1915–1917 (first pastor, founding; later long-term pastor)
Previously served Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Globe; began visiting Miami in 1908; oversaw the building of the 1917 church and the original 1911 frame church on Church Hill; worked with Inspiration Consolidated Copper Co. and Miami Copper Co. for land.