Gail P.
Yelp
I was staying on Nicollet Island last weekend and knew I wanted to attend a religious service in Minneapolis on Sunday morning. Toying with the idea of fulfilling my desire for grandeur and pomp in a church atmosphere, I considered Uber-ing over to the Basilica of St. Mary. However, I am so happy I chose instead the beautiful Catholic Our Lady of Lourdes Church.
www.mnopedia.org said "Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in the St. Anthony Falls area of Minneapolis is the oldest continuously used church building in the city. It was a source of ethnic pride for immigrant families from France after its founding in 1877." Architecturally, the church has a" restored and renovated country-Gothic (Gothic Revival and French Provincial) structure that looks like a medieval temple of faith." In 1934, it was designated as a U.S. Historic Landmark.
It is not a large chapel but the humble wooden pews were comfortably full at the 11 a.m. service I attended. There was a great diversity of congregants, which is always a good indicator of a vibrant flock. The young priest who held the Celebration of the Pentecost service was wonderful. He said he was a hospital chaplain and was filling in. I loved that this Man of God was young, cool and gave a great sermon. My service had a live choir and music that gave the service an even greater solemnity. The tolling of the church bells was awesome.
This church was once scheduled to close but Praise God that the diocese gave it a reprieve. A renovation of the church's interior and exterior was completed in 1997 and though a smaller church, it has regained it's ground as the area around it has redeveloped. Inside the church are two statues of the Blessed Virgin appearing to St. Bernadette at Lourdes; something my religiously Catholic Portuguese relatives are supremely proud of! www.mnopedia.org also noted that "the interior also features painting and carpeting that highlights the modern Catholic liturgy, but also incorporates classical French designs." And in 2017, Our Lady of Lourdes celebrated its 140th anniversary as the "Little French Church with a Big Heart!" What an absolutely lovely 5 STAR YELP church Our Lady of Lourdes is.