A public meeting on 25th April 1978 decided to build a brand new church, on the Bailieboro Road site. The Foundations Stone for this new church was duly blessed at Knock Shrine by the visiting Pope John Paul II, in September 1979. Plans, reviews, fundraising and the arrival of Fr. Gene Dowd as PP in February 1987, added up to work getting underway in 1988.

On 16th October 1988, with walls up to roof level, the foundation stone was formally ‘inserted’ by Bishop F. J. MacKiernan. The re-installation of “The Crucifixion” window over the altar, and the “Annunciation” and “Sacred Heart” windows in the main entry porch, and the retention of the “Stations of the Cross”, was much appreciated by those whose hearts hurt at the loss of the ‘old’ church – which was now been transformed to a most popular and ‘state-of-the-art’ theatre!

On 8th October 1989, the lovely new church was blessed and opened by Bishop MacKiernan, Fathers Tom McKiernan CC and Gene Dowd PP. The totally committed local committee and community rejoiced with the outcome of so many years of hard work. Their successors respectively are Fr. Sean McDermott CC, since August 1998 and Fr. John Cusack PP, since August 2000.

With seating for 600, a gradient of 1-in-20 in the floor inclining towards the sanctuary, all seats ‘angled’ towards the well laid out sanctuary, carpet tiling throughout, very good acoustics, heating and lighting, and all debts cleared, the people of Virginia thank God daily for their fine functional Church!