By Msgr. Noel C. Burtenshaw

The proud concrete looks almost the same as it rises above the sidewalks of Boulevard. It has a shinier look and the windows gleam brightly. On the outside this is Our Lady of Lourdes School. You recognize it. The revolution has taken place on the inside.

"For the first time in the history of the school," says the principal, Sister Regina Lake, "the bathrooms have hot water and heat." This is one improvement, but it's only the beginning. In the past six months the three-story school building, which was built in 1912, has been renovated with touches of beauty never known to this inner city home of Catholic learning.

"Note the color scheme," says Sister Regina as she delightedly gives the tour. "The ground floor is done in green-that is for the earth. The second floor is orange, for the warmth of the sun and the third floor is blue for the sky above. It is all such a new experience for our students."

Word of the new experience is spreading. The number of students has jumped over the last few weeks. Now, the six grades plus kindergarten have an enrollment of 236. Sister Regina believes it will go as high as 265.

The excitement of the new surroundings is obvious to the sisters and teachers of our Lady of Lourdes. It is, perhaps, more obvious to pastor Father Frank Giusta. Along with Sister Regina, Father Frank takes you to the kindergarten where, even in the late afternoon, songsters are ready. As hands clap and rhythm descends, they sing the chant from the Mass of dedication: The Lord is my Light and my Salvation. "And the archbishop loved it," they scream. You just know he did.

The tour takes us to the end of the building and into the breezeway. There standing in the shadow of the old school is the brand new library building. "I would like to call it Drexell Hall after Mother Drexell and the Blessed Sacrament Sisters who serve the parish so long," says Sister Regina, "but right now we just call it the new building. We are thrilled to have it."

The second floor of the beautiful spacious building is a library with colorful tables where books can be studied. There is also a large utility room. "From here," says Father Frank, "We will do social projects with St. Vincent de Paul for the parish and the community. So it will not be just school. It will be outreach to people in need too."

The ground floor is the new cafeteria along with the kitchen moved from the old building. "It was in perfect condition so we brought it all over. The stoves are old but still serviceable." As Sister Regina spoke, a large truck was delivering dining room furniture for the bright new cafeteria. "We'll be having our first meal soon," remarked Sister Regina.

In 1977, Our Lady of Lourdes parish celebrated 65 years of service on Boulevard. The changes to the area are very obvious. Across from the parish, the Martin Luther King Center is coming into life, building by building. "We use their physical education center each day for the school," says Father Frank. "It is a beautiful facility."

But many of the old Lourdes families have moved. "They still come back to Mass," says the pastor. "And others are moving back into town, but they are not living around the area. Still we are happy with the growth in the parish. We are very happy."

While Lourdes is not as affluent a parish as some in the archdiocese, the Lourdes families still have time and energy to reach out to others. On one Sunday each month food is taken to needy families. Sister Linda, who is a parish associate, organizes that project along with many other activities in this active inner-city parish. "She stays very busy," says Father Frank. "In Grady Homes we have a 'Help the Children Project' which is a boys and girls club. All the churches in our area are interested in this project. Sister Linda represents us at the meetings and in the organization. We need these activities."

Father Frank Guista, who has been pastor at Lourdes for almost two years, is a native of Italy. He was born in Cuneo, near Turin, Italy, where his parents still live.

"My father is 83 and paints beautiful pictures," says Father Frank as he shows two landscapes covering his dining room wall.

Outside the rectory is a newly established lawn with grass inching out of the ground. "We need greenery," says the happy pastor. "The sun gets so hot in the summer. Next thing I will plant is a dogwood tree."

Our Lady of Lourdes Church and School stand proudly on Boulevard, ready to carry the name to the Catholic Community as new life comes to the inner-city. The eternal flame burns brightly at the tomb of Atlanta's most famous son, Martin Luther King, Jr. The worshipping and learning community at Lourdes is another flame that flickers just as brightly.

The children yell and scream as they go to play. There is no decay. There is new life at work in one of the city's oldest parishes.

Our Lady of Lourdes has written a new chapter in the life of the church.