Our Parish History
“From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”
Ephesians 4:16
Catholicism through the courtesy of St. Leo Abbey came to Inverness and Citrus County in 1893, with the establishment of St. Thomas Mission located in Inverness. Bishop John Moore of St. Augustine visited the mission that year to dedicate a chapel in honor of St. Thomas. The mission chapel was repurposed from the old printing office on Grace Street where the Inverness Primary School is currently located. From 1893 until 1901, Mass was celebrated only once a month by visiting priests that served the missions of Florida. When the Grace Street chapel came into a state of disrepair as a result of age, Mass was offered in the home of a parishioner.
It was not until after WW II in 1947 that the Inverness Mission began offering Mass weekly in the American Legion Hall in Inverness with a celebrant from St. Leo Abbey presiding. By 1948, Father James Hoge celebrated Mass in the Mess Hall at Good Counsel Camp in Floral City for six years.
On October 1, 1953, property in Sportman’s Park, just north of Inverness, was deeded over to the diocese as a church site by the parishioners. The following year, under the direction of Father Ignatius MacCarthy, a small chapel was erected to seat one hundred persons. The furnishings for the church were donated by various parishes throughout Central Florida.
On September 7, 1954, a parish church was officially established under the name of Our Lady of Fatima. The new parish church saw its first use on November 14, 1954.
The Territory for the mission was taken from St. Anthony’s at Brooksville, where for several years the small group of Catholics in Citrus County had been attending Sunday Mass. The territory assigned to Our Lady of Fatima was the eastern half of Citrus County. There has been a resident priest in Inverness since 1955.
In a period of 32 years, from its creation as a separate parish, three parish churches were built to meet the growing needs of the Catholic community of Our Lady of Fatima. The first was in 1955 in Sportman’s Park. The second was in January of 1975 located at 550 U.S. Highway 41 South. The third was on May 28, 1987, with the first Mass being celebrated in the new Church of Our Lady of Fatima on the Feast of the Sacred Heart, Friday, June 10, 1988.
The main church sanctuary can seat 950 persons, while the Blessed Mother Chapel can accommodate 150 persons. These two parts of the main church combined with the Narthex, sacristy, quiet room, and restrooms cover an area of 23,000 feet. The sanctuary and chapel are designed to achieve a peaceful and beautiful space for prayer and contemplation. The furnishings lead the mind and heart toward the worship of the Triune God. The large skylight illumines the open space with soft natural light as the stained glass of the Eastern and Western gables case vibrant colors of the artistic interpretation of The Creation from Genesis.
Beneath it is the beautiful wood sculpture of Jesus Christ Crucified. Immediately below is the Altar of Sacrifice made of red Georgia granite, flanked by two large candle sticks from the former church.
The 90-foot north wall consists primarily of glass. This huge window is a source of air, light, and color, and further unites the interior with the exterior by means of four oak and glass doors. Here on the north wall sit 14 stained glass Stations of the Cross that beautifully unfold The Passion story.
The Marian Chapel
Adjacent to the Narthex and Sanctuary is Our Lady’s Chapel. The chapel is a peaceful and beautiful space for prayer and contemplation. It serves as a devotional chapel for daily Mass, baptisms, funerals, and small weddings. Images of the Blessed Mother surround us and remind us of her life as the Mother of Jesus and of her love for us, her children.
The chapel is dedicated to the Blessed Mother. The altar is the same dimensions as the main altar in the Sanctuary and is made from the same piece of Georgia red granite. It is adorned with a bronze plaque inscribed with the letter A superimposed on the letter M, to commemorate the mother of Our Lord and the salutation, “Ave Maria,” pronounced by Archangel Gabriel. To the left of the altar is the baptismal font, fashioned from the same stone as the altar. To the right of the altar is the marble statue of Our Lady of Fatima surrounded by the three shepherd children who witnessed Her presence in Fatima, Portugal in the year 1917.
The Devotional Chapel
Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness,but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
All are welcomed to light a candle, pray, and meditate in a quiet space to uplift the spirit and encounter the peace of Christ.