The central location of St. Olaf, along with a schedule of sacramental ministry designed for the convenience of the downtown worker, visitor, and resident, brought the Catholic faith life within easy access to thousands of people.
Twelve years after St. Olaf was dedicated, history repeated itself: the church building was again destroyed by fire on February 18, 1953. Adding irony to tragedy, this occurred on Ash Wednesday. Plans for a new church began while the ashes of the old were still smoldering. The new and present St. Olaf was rebuilt and reopened on February 23, 1955, on Ash Wednesday, of course!