In 1984, Father Bill Finnegan received a call from Cardinal Bernardin and was asked to found a new parish at 123^rd and Wolf Road, at the site of the Joseph P. Kennedy school. His yes echoed Mary’s YES, and our parish began. Being initially located on the grounds of the Kennedy School meant that we were born within a community of service to those of the margins. This commitment to dignity of all persons continues. 
       We began as a small parish of three hundred families but eventually grew to a community of over 2,000 families. In the gathering of two or three people in the Lord’s name, in the dreams of planning committees and in the prayers of the people we became a faith community of hundreds of volunteers and a variety of ministries.
       In 1992, we outgrew the parish church on 123^rd and Wolf Road and a new facility was built at our current location on 131^st to accompany our growing parish family. In 1997, Father Bill Finnegan retired and Father Michael O’Connell was installed as the second pastor of OLOW. Under Father Mike’s leadership the Finnegan Center was built, housing religious education, athletics, youth ministry, and family ministry.  The continuing commitment to our young people and to the larger community became even more visible.
       Fr. Michael Foley became the third pastor of Our Lady of the Woods in 2012. He leads a vibrant community with parish activities and ministries that continue to grow and flourish. Bishop Gorman continues his residence in the parish with the addition of an associate pastor, Fr. Robert Marchwiany, and a wonderful parish staff. We strive to make Christ visible in the local community and in the larger world through a spirit of welcoming; a spirit of prayerfulness; a spirit of learning; a spirit of joy; and a spirit of compassion.
       Our motto is “All are Welcome”.  Come join us on this journey of faith!