OLQH History/Historia

The Early Years 

Our Lady Queen of Heaven, located in the heart of LaBelle, FL, was established in 1966. It was begun as a mission church from Saint Francis Xavier Parish being first ministered by Monsignor DeVaney and Fr. Thomas Anglim. During those formidable eight years, the mission held mass in the local movie theatre. By June of 1975, Our Lady Queen of Heaven Mission became a parish having a dedicated facility in which to celebrate mass.  

Chapels

The main chapel area has a maximum seating of 250 persons, for mass during the weekday and weekend. Above the main altar is a beautiful faux-stained glass window of the prodigal son reuniting with his father. Those windows scenes depicting the Stations of the Cross include actual faces of parishioners. At the rear of the church is the Jubilee Chapel with an additional 35 seats.  There are a total of seven stained-glass windows designed for the church. 

Members and Facilities

Since 2004 the parish has seen a steady growth. There were 250 registered families but this number nearly doubled by 2007 as members surpassed 450 families and it continues growing. With over 300 children, the parish hall accommodated activities and a burgeoning religious education program. The parish center was constructed in 2000 with eight religious education rooms and a centralized administration office.  At present in 2020, the parish has over 604 registered families with 452 participants in Religious Education.

Holy Martyrs Mission

On May 12, 2007,  Bishop Frank J. Dewane, established Holy Martyrs Mission. It was then lead by Fr. Czeslaw "Chester" Domaszewicz who was the acting Pastor of the parish and Administrator for the mission. 

Source: Diocese of Venice, History of the Diocese of Venice in Florida: Our Silver Jubilee 1984-2009 (France: Editions du Signe, 2009), 87.