After years of disputes over the location where a new church was to be built for the parish of Lodelinsart, the decision was made in 1874. The new church was to be built on the site of the old presbytery on Place Edmond Gilles. Work began immediately on the plans, but it was not until 1891 that the building was completed.

The Neo-Gothic church is christened the 'Sainte-Marie of Notre-Dame Church'. From the very beginning, the cards were stacked against the church. Not only was it built on a sloping surface, but old mine shafts also run through the subsoil. All of this does not benefit the stability of such an immense structure.

But ultimately, it was a pigeon that dealt the church the final blow... In addition to the vulnerability of the foundations, the building suffered from water infiltration. This occurred when a pigeon ended up in the gutter. The church council asked the municipality to remove the pigeon, but no one did anything. The pigeon clogged the drain, causing the water to seek and find another route, specifically through the plasterwork.

When the ceiling of a side aisle of the church collapsed in early December and the danger to church visitors became imminent, the mayor had no choice but to seal off the church. In the meantime, one of the vault arches had also cracked. It has since been shored up. Five years later, there was still no sign of much-needed repairs.