This Saturday, June 27, 2020 at 9:00 am, the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Holman will be hosting a clean up day. The purpose of the clean-up day is to improve the grounds and prepare the church for various restoration projects. Lunch will be provided, so be sure to stop by with your pruners, weed whackers, and trash bags and stay for a nice meal!

The Immaculate Heart of Mary Church was originally built in the 1940s and served as a parish for Chacon, Holman, Tramperos and Cleveland. In 1958, Father James Flanagan became the pastor of the Holman church. Father Flanagan, along with Father John McHugh (then the pastor of St. Gertrude’s in Mora) founded a religious order of sisters named after the patroness of the church. The Immaculate Heart of Mary sisters later became the S.O.L.T sisters (Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity). The order now consists of priests, brothers, and lay members and now serves in over one hundred countries worldwide. In 1970s, the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church made national news because of claims that many witnessed the face of Christ on the wall of the adjoining building. Busloads of people came to this site from all over the country in hopes of seeing the miraculous vision. People still stop by to take pictures and pray on the church grounds. The founders are both buried on the grounds near the church.

Although the church grounds were once a thriving site (complete with the church, a convent, and even a school), it has since fallen into disrepair. The bones of the church are sound, but there are many cracks in the building that need to be filled, and it needs to be washed and painted. The church caretakers also hope to install a new concrete pad outside of the church and restore the inside of the church by repairing the choir loft and light fixtures and installing a new altar and pews. They will also have an iron fence and gate installed by local artist and welder, Leo Paul Pacheco.

The church needs a lot of work to restore it to its former glory. So far, faithful parishioners have raised about $20,000 to aid in restoration efforts. However, with so much work yet to be done, this is only the tip of the iceberg. If you are interested in volunteering or donating to the cause, be sure to attend the clean-up day this weekend and check out https://www.immaculateheartofmaryholman.com for more information.