Welcome!

I welcome you to our parish with the hope that this window into the life at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church will help you glimpse something of the vitality and goodness that is here.

Established in 1929 by the Society of Jesus, the parish was then known as St. Ignatius.  The Jesuits had ambitious plans: to move Seattle College—now University—from its original site to what is now called Wedgwood; a geographic area North of Seattle.  At the time, it was dotted by woods, ravines and dairy farms.  After ten years, the Jesuits decided not to move after all and handed parish jurisdiction over to Diocese of Seattle; now an Archdiocese.  It was then the name of the parish was changed to Our Lady of the Lake due to it being situated on a bluff above Lake Washington.

Following WWII, this rural setting gave way to tract housing developments making way for young families.  It was then the parish began to grow in size and number.  In 1949 a parish school was built and opened; staffed by the Dominican Sisters of Tacoma for nearly thirty years.  

Due to the expansive nature of God’s grace, our parish continues to grow and sees herself as the hands, feet and heart of Christ; wellspring of justice and mercy.  The fabric of this parish is multi-generational and inclusive; welcoming all who seek Christ in the sacramental life as well as within faces of others, especially the poor.   We are an archdiocesan parish that offers hope and inspiration to many, all of it God’s handiwork under the patronage of Mary, Mother of God.

I wish you God’s own peace.

Father Timothy Clark