As Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church in Highlands approaches its 75th anniversary, it’s embarking on a transformative journey – one that honors tradition while embracing the future. The parish has broken ground on a breathtaking new Baroque-style church, a project years in the making and deeply rooted in both architectural reverence and spiritual renewal.
In July 2022, OLM launched its “Building a Beacon of Catholic Faith” capital campaign, which raised over $9.6 million to date. Now OLM is seeking the remaining funds needed to complete the project’s first phase of construction debt-free. Through pledges and special donations to honor loved ones with memorialized sacred items, OLM is moving optimistically toward its $12.6 million goal.
Interior vision
Designed by McCrery Architects of Washington, DC, the new 9,000-square-foot church reflects the magnificence of the Baroque period that inspired worship by integrating art and architecture with the spiritual. With its barrel-vaulted ceiling, ornate columns, and multiple marble altars, the structure will evoke the Counter-Reformation’s spirit of renewal. It also will complement well the graceful, artistic beauty that is prevalent throughout the Highlands area.
On July 14, 2024, Diocese of Charlotte Bishop Michael Martin led the groundbreaking ceremony – his first since being ordained bishop six weeks prior. Nearly 250 people gathered for Mass and the blessing. Among them was Mayor Patrick Taylor, who called the new church “an icon of Catholic faith for this community for decades and probably even centuries to come.”
Exterior vision
Construction is underway, and the current church will remain in use for Mass until the new one is consecrated. The final design includes seating for 268 worshipers, six side chapels, custom-crafted pews and paintings, antique Stations of the Cross, and a narthex for fellowship. A landscaped span of grass, trees, and flowering shrubs adjacent to the church will complete the serene setting.
Father Jason Barone, who has shepherded OLM since his arrival in 2019, sees the new church as a phoenix rising from the ashes – a sign of hope and holiness in a fractured age.
Parishioners signing beamsifest
“Our commitment is to do this work to glorify God and sanctify souls,” he says, “and to enhance the cultural and spiritual fabric of our community with a sacred space that reflects its faith, hospitality, and beauty.”
To learn more or to contribute, visit olmhighlands.com or call (828) 526-2418.
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