Congregation Highlight: Our Lady of the Assumption

Our Lady of the Assumption (OLA) Parish was established in Carmichael, California in 1950 to serve a growing post-war population in suburban Sacramento.

Under the leadership of the founding pastor, Father Thomas Bannon, a place for Sunday worship was built two years later. The physical plant continued to expand with the construction of an elementary school in the mid-1950’s, a convent and chapel for the teaching nuns, planning and construction of the current church in the mid-1960’s, and construction of several additional buildings to support the numerous parish ministries. Today the parish community consists of more than 1600 families, many of whom participate in various liturgical, spiritual, service and social ministries.

The mission of the parish community at Our Lady of the Assumption Church is to:

• proclaim the Word of God more faithfully;

• serve the people of God especially in our efforts to meet the needs of the poor in our local community and, when able, around the world;

• and build a sense of parish community among our parishioners and, when possible, the wider diocesan community.

Along with several other service ministries, OLA has been active with the local Family Promise agency since its establishment in Sacramento. When Family Promise was opening its day center on the Loaves and Fishes campus, several OLA parishioners were instrumental in preparing the facility for occupation. Although we don’t have the ability to house families overnight, OLA has a large team which acts as support for other local congregations by providing a dinner meal and occasional overnight support.