Photo Courtesy of OLA

BROOKHAVEN—On May 17, parishioners packed the pews of Our Lady of the Assumption Church to celebrate 75 years of community at the parish many call, “OLA.”

Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv., celebrated the anniversary Mass. The celebration marked a milestone generations in the making, one rooted in the vision of Catholics who, in 1951, established a new parish on a hilltop in North Atlanta.

Seventy-five years later, the parish has grown from a fledgling community celebrating Mass in temporary spaces to one of the largest and most established Catholic communities in the Archdiocese of Atlanta.

Through decades of change, including the transition from Marist leadership to archdiocesan priests last year, parishioners say the heart of OLA has remained the same.

“What makes this parish community unique is, without question, our people,” said Anne Stephens, parish communications director. “We take care of one another here.”

Founded on May 1, 1951, Our Lady of the Assumption was named mere months after Pope Pius XII formally declared the dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Father Paul Burkort, SM, pastor of OLA, is photographed with some of the youngsters receiving first holy communion in November 1969. Photo Courtesy of OLA

Archbishop Gerald P. O’Hara of the Diocese of Savannah-Atlanta purchased the original 10-acre tract of land for $50,000, envisioning a parish that would include a church and school for Atlanta’s growing Catholic population.

Before parish buildings were completed, parishioners gathered for Mass at the old Lawson General Hospital near Naval Air Station Atlanta and later in the auditorium of Jim Cherry Elementary School. By 1952, Masses were celebrated in the chapel of the newly opened school, staffed by the Sisters of Mercy.

The original church building opened in 1957 under the leadership of Msgr. Joseph Moylan, OLA’s founding pastor. The parish would later undergo renovations following the reforms by Vatican II liturgical directives before eventually constructing the current church building, dedicated in 2005 by then-Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory.

Stephens’ connection to OLA is deeply personal.

“I grew up here,” she said. “OLA has been woven into every part of my life.”

Stephens began serving as director of OLA’s youth ministry in 1998 before later taking on the role as the parish’s communications director.

Over nearly three decades working at the parish, she witnessed many of the milestones that shaped the community, including the construction of the current church, the opening of the preschool and the growth of Indonesian and Hispanic communities.

Gloria Bartolon and her husband Manuel Roblero of the Latino Community at Our Lady of the Assumption prepare to celebrate the Feast of the Assumption in August 2025. To serve its diverse community members, the parish offers Mass in Spanish and an Indonesian Mass on Sundays. Photo Courtesy of OLA

In 2000, the parish began offering Mass for Indonesian Catholics in the area. The community has become a “vibrant and integral part of parish life,” Stephens said.

After the closing of Our Lady of the Americas Mission in Doraville, OLA added a Sunday Spanish-language Mass in 2007.

“Over the years, the Latino community has brought life and energy to the parish through their deep and reverent faith, active involvement and spirit of celebration,” Stephens said.

The parish’s long history also includes decades of retreats, ministries and service organizations that parishioners say helped define the spirit of OLA. One of the most influential has been Christ Renews His Parish, a retreat program first held in 1980.

“Attendees of that weekend experience renewal in their personal lives that heals brokenness, strengthens faith, creates lifelong friendships and brings people into ministry,” Stephens said.

Stephens credits the retreat in changing her own life.

“I had been that person who snuck out the back door of the church after Mass each week to avoid having to socialize with anyone,” she said. “The weekend changed my life. Within a few months I was teaching seventh grade Sunday school.”

Parishioners take part in the program, Christ Renews His Parish, in 1982 at OLA. The weekend experience helped many heal and strengthen faith. Photo Courtesy of OLA

The retreat eventually led Stephens into parish ministry, where she spent years accompanying young people through confirmation retreats, youth programs and service opportunities. Today, she watches many of those former teens return to OLA as adults raising families of their own.

“One of the greatest joys of serving at OLA for so many years has been watching the young people I once knew in youth ministry return to the parish as adults,” she said. “It’s incredible, and a great blessing, to see these former kids of mine grow into strong, kind, faith-filled adults.”

Bringing people together

Faith being passed down to generations is something that defines OLA, parishioners say.

Stephanie Maddox joined the parish in 2009 with her husband, Nick Maddox. They are now raising their three children in the parish.

“Our church does not have a cry room, and the fact that children are welcome into Mass has shaped our family,” Maddox said. “OLA encourages children to come to Mass, to be part of the family and for the family to worship together.”

Maddox serves in several ministries, including the parish docent ministry, which offers tours of the church and shares the history behind its architecture and sacred artwork.

“My favorite tours are those where long-time parishioners join us,” she said. “They bring their stories from years past to the tour, making OLA’s history accessible and real.”

Some of her most meaningful memories at the parish center around her children’s sacraments, but also moments of grief. Maddox recalled the funeral Mass of a close friend who died from pancreatic cancer in 2022.

“Remembering the entire church filled with the community that rallied behind the family was truly touching,” she said. “It showed the power that God has in bringing people together.”

OLA continues to grow among young families. Father Daniel Ketter, who became pastor in July 2025 after the parish returned to the care of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, described the parish as “growing young.”

Nia Santoyo and Enrique Lopez with their children Grecia and Jessia enjoy time with Father Jim Duffy, SM, the last Marist pastor of Our Lady of the Assumption Church. Diocesan priests returned to the Brookhaven parish in 2025 after years of service by the Marists. Photo Courtesy of OLA

“We have more and more young families and young adults joining our parish, which is a huge blessing and gives us confidence about our future and that of the Catholic Church in Atlanta.” Father Ketter said. “These young families and parishioners imbue the parish with a vitality that is palpable.”

He pointed specifically on the crowded 9:30 a.m. Sunday Mass, which is “crawling, literally, with little children.”

Father Ketter acknowledged that the transition from Marist leadership after nearly six decades brought uncertainty for some parishioners. The Society of Mary assumed pastoral care of OLA in 1965 and remained at the parish until June 2025.

“Some understandably have expressed the trepidation they have experienced over losing their beloved Marist fathers,” Father Ketter said. “It certainly helps that both Father Nick Le and I are Marist graduates and have ourselves been formed in the Marist spirit.”

For Father Ketter, “it’s a great honor to be the pastor of our parish as we mark this important milestone.”

As OLA looks toward its next chapter, parishioners say the parish’s greatest strength is its people, which is one that has sustained across the last 75 years.

Looking through decades of parish archives while prepping anniversary Mass materials, Stephens said she was moved by the photographs of parishioners who helped build the foundation of the community long before her time.

“They laid the foundation for the wonderful community that exists today,” she said.

Now, another generation continues the story.

“My hope is that we continue to grow in faith and love, serving God’s people and bringing his light and love into the world in all that we do,” Stephens said.