Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church in Allen raised more than $230,000 at its 25th anniversary gala to fund a multi-phase campus expansion on Ridgeview Drive.
The parish at 1914 Ridgeview Drive has grown from 389 attendees at its first mass in 2001 to more than 1,600 weekly attendees, according to Business Manager Tara Ellwanger. That growth is driving a three-phase building plan, with Phase 1 construction targeted for later this year.
Ellwanger told Community Impact the current campus is limiting growth in several ways. Parking, a new rectory and a larger church building will "enable us to welcome more people to our parish each week," she said in an emailed statement.
Phase 1 calls for a 53-space parking lot expansion and a new right-turn lane from the lot onto Ridgeview Drive.
No specific construction start date has been announced beyond later in 2026, Ellwanger told Community Impact.
Later phases would add an on-site rectory, a new church building with expanded seating, more parking and other site improvements. The full expansion is a multi-year project, and the timeline depends on fundraising, Ellwanger told Community Impact.
How the campus grew
The parish was founded Aug. 15, 2001, as a response to population growth in Collin County. It is part of the Diocese of Dallas.
The congregation held its first mass at a Plano-area elementary school before building a temporary worship center on the Allen campus in 2004.
Since then, the campus has added an education and formation building, an outdoor basketball pavilion, a picnic pavilion and a children's playground.
The church now offers four weekend masses and daily mass during the week under Pastor Wade Bass and Deacons Coy Pierce and Andrew Tanner.
Anniversary celebration
The church held its 25th anniversary celebration Saturday, Aug. 15, featuring an anniversary mass followed by food, a silent auction, a raffle and a museum display of church memorabilia.
Other anniversary events throughout the year included movie nights and service days.
The gala and fundraiser that netted the $230,000 is separate from the Aug. 15 celebration, though both marked the milestone. Phase 1 construction on the parking lot and turn lane is the next physical step for the parish.
