church history
OLL History Our Parish began in 1907 as a mission of St. Matthew's Parish called St. Margaret's Church. In May 1940 the U. S. War Department purchased the church property at which time Archbishop Thomas J. Toolen asked the Society of St. Edmund to take over the parish and find a new site for the church. Mass was said in the new church, named Our Lady of Lourdes, on May 25, 1941 and dedicated on November 2, 1941.
Religious Education in the early years was provided by the Sisters of the Most Holy Trinity. As the parish grew it was deemed a school was needed so with the arrival of the School Sisters of Notre Dame the school opened on August 19, 1949.
Our school educated the children of the parish for 55 years but with a decline in enrollment and the loss the parish families the school closed permanently in 2004.
In 1962 our current church, cruciform in shape, was built with the first Mass being celebrated on Christmas 1962 and dedicated on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes in 1963. The statue of our Blessed Mother and the ironwork that graced our school has been moved to the Rosary Garden and entrance to the parish center.
The Grotto, with the statues of Mary and St. Bernadette was dedicated July 20, 1981.
In 1986 the Edmundite Community relinquished control to the Archdiocese of Mobile.
Our new parish center was built in 1992 with the hard work of our parish family and fundraising such as bingo, annual Benefit Night, and our annual Lawn Party.
Religious Education in the early years was provided by the Sisters of the Most Holy Trinity. As the parish grew it was deemed a school was needed so with the arrival of the School Sisters of Notre Dame the school opened on August 19, 1949.
Our school educated the children of the parish for 55 years but with a decline in enrollment and the loss the parish families the school closed permanently in 2004.
In 1962 our current church, cruciform in shape, was built with the first Mass being celebrated on Christmas 1962 and dedicated on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes in 1963. The statue of our Blessed Mother and the ironwork that graced our school has been moved to the Rosary Garden and entrance to the parish center.
The Grotto, with the statues of Mary and St. Bernadette was dedicated July 20, 1981.
In 1986 the Edmundite Community relinquished control to the Archdiocese of Mobile.
Our new parish center was built in 1992 with the hard work of our parish family and fundraising such as bingo, annual Benefit Night, and our annual Lawn Party.
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Priests who have served as pastor over the years:
1941-44 Rev. Joseph P. Walsh, S.S.E. 1944-45 Rev. Cleo Forcier, S.S.E. 1945-50 Rev. John B. Paro, S.S.E. 1950-56 Rev. Francis Donnellan, S.S.E. 1956-59 Rev. Vincent O'Reilly, S.S.E. 1959-65 Rev. Francis Moriarity, S.S.E. 1965-71 Rev. Leo J. Corbett, S.S.E. 1971-74 Rev. Casimir Cichanowicz, S.S.E. 1974-77 Rev. Edward F. Conlin, S.S.E. 1977 Rev. Charles Ranges, S.S.E. 1977-82 Rev. Richard Myhalyk, S.S.E. Deacons who have served our parish: 1994-2015 Deacon Gordon Kenny 2003-2009 Deacon Raymond Vrazel 2016-present Deacon Edward Connick |
1982 Rev. Nelson Ziter, S.S.E. 1982-85 Rev. Russell Wise, S.S.E. 1985-86 Rev. Howard Muehlberger, S.S.E. 1986-89 Rev. J. Alex Sherlock 1989-95 Rev. Msgr. Timothy Deasy 1995-97 Rev. Peter Cunningham 1997-98 Rev. Patrick Maher 1998-2010 Rev. Msgr. Francis Cusack 2010-2017 , Rev. J. Francis Sofie, Jr. 2017-2020 Rev. Marcin Dudziak 2020-present Fr. Prabhu Arockiasamy |
