Parish History & Connections
History of OLPH
Since the parish was founded, the people of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church have worked to build a strong Catholic faith community in Salem, VA. We are a community that provides for the spiritual needs of its members and reaches out in the love of Christ, serving our brothers and sisters in the Roanoke Valley and throughout the world.
Parish Origins
In the 1940s, Salem's Catholic Community was served by the Diocesan Missionary Fathers, who traveled in a mobile trailer home that converted into a chapel for Mass. That chapel was called St. Mary of the Highway.
In 1947, eight Catholic women in Salem began petitioning the Diocese to establish a Salem Catholic parish. Finally, in 1949, an Army chapel building from North Carolina was moved to the corner of West Main and Green Streets (near the current Burger King). Under the direction of the Redemptorist priests, the parish grew and flourished over the next 20 years.
Parish Growth
Moving to Turner Road
By 1969, the parish had outgrown the space at its original location, so a new building was constructed at the current Turner Road location. At that time, the building contained offices, classrooms, and a worship space that has since been renovated into our current Social Hall.
Our Current Space
As the parish continued to grow, a new worship space was constructed, and the first Mass was held there in December 2004. Since that time, we have added stained glass and a new baptismal font.
CONNECTING WITH OTHER CATHOLICS
Our Lady of Perpetual Help is part of the Diocese of Richmond, which serves over 140 parishes across approximately 33,000 square miles of southern Virginia. As a diocesan parish, we are committed to strengthening our faith and fostering unity within the wider Church.
