WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES NOVEMBER 16, 2017 29
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD: THE WAY IT WAS
Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal School celebrated its 75th anniversary
celebration in 2004. Pictured from left are the main organizers: Margaret
Chance, JoAnn Cooney, Pat Kiprovski, Marion Cetinske, OLMM Principal
Margaret Baxter and pastor Msgr. Edward Ryan.
assist Msgr. Vetro in the formation of the
fi rst Diocesan Home School association,
writing the by-laws and constitution
while also helping local parishes develop
their chapters.
Our parish priests were there for us
in good times and in bad ones, and we
were/are fortunate to have the “cream
of the crop” who helped/help us through
the many challenges of life. I still fi nd
myself quoting some of the words of
wisdom each one shared with me.
I am loaded with gratitude and so
very proud to be a lifetime member of
RIDGEWOOD TIMES/File photo
Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. May
Our Lady continue to have her Son bless
each of us as we journey along the path
of life to our fi nal destination. Multos
Annos!
We thank Ms. Virgadamo for her
recollections. Let’s expound on some
of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal’s
history.
The church was officially established
on May 8, 1917 by Bishop
Charles McDonnell, who appointed
Father John J. Oppell to create a parish
serving the Ridgewood and Maspeth
A picture of the front and back of the Miraculous Medal.
area. He secured temporary quarters
on the bottom fl oor of 61-09 Ralph St.
(now Menahan Street) and worked to
fi nd a temporary site to celebrate Mass.
Aft er considering multiple sites including
a fi rehouse and even a movie
theater, he settled upon the Montauk
Hall dance venue located at Metropolitan
Avenue and John Street. The
parish was offi cially incorporated in
June of 1917.
The Miraculous Medal itself was
designed by St. Catherine Labouré after
an apparition of the Blessed Virgin
Mary in Rue du Bac, Paris, France in
1830. The front of the elliptical medal
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
shows the Virgin Mary with the prayer,
“O Mary! conceived without sin, pray
for us who have recourse to thee!"
The fi rst OLMM Church was completed
the following summer, a red-brick
house of worship with a capacity of 500
persons. The parish used part of the
church as a foundation to erect the parish
school in 1928. Church services were
then relocated to the school’s auditorium.
The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur
arrived in Ridgewood on Sept. 3, 1929.
They were originally housed on the
fourth-fl oor of the school building.
OLMM School opened in September
1929 with 581 pupils. Four years later,
the sisters relocated to their new convent
on 60th Place.
The present incarnation of OLMM
Church took 24 years of work and
planning before the cornerstone was
laid in November 1941. One year later,
the new church -- constructed in the
Transitional Romanesque style of
architecture -- was dedicated on Nov.
28, 1942.
Soon aft er Msgr. Oppel died, Msgr.
Sylvester Ronaghan took the reins of
OLMM Parish in 1953. He helped lead
the construction of a new wing on the
school building in 1962.
Sadly, changing times led to a drop
in enrollment at OLMM School. As part
of a diocesan consolidation program,
in 2009, OLMM School partnered
with St. Aloysius School to form Notre
Dame Catholic Academy of Ridgewood,
which continues to this day to educate
young minds at the Bleecker Street
schoolhouse.
If you have memories to share with us,
send an email to editorial@ridgewoodtimes.
com (subject: Our Neighborhood:
The Way it Was) or write to The Old
Timer, ℅ Ridgewood Times, 38-15 Bell
Blvd., Bayside, NY 11361. Any mailed
pictures will be carefully returned to
you upon request.
RIDGEWOOD TIMES/File photo
Father Sean Suckiel, a long-time OLMM parishioner, celebrated his fi rst Mass at his home church following his
ordination in June of 2012.
