A Catholic Parish on Mulberry Street
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church sits at 800 Mulberry Street in Montoursville, Pennsylvania, in Lycoming County. The parish has long been a fixture of life in the West Branch valley, known locally for its annual Fall Festival, a steady Pro-Life witness, and an active roster of ministries that ranges from a Knights of Columbus council to a support group for those who have lost a spouse. Rev. Sean G. Carpenter serves as pastor, and the parish worships in the Roman Catholic tradition.
Mass and Reconciliation
The parish gathers for Mass on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. and Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Two weekday Masses are celebrated at the Mulberry Street church, on Mondays and Wednesdays at 9:00 a.m. Reconciliation is heard on Saturdays from 3:00 to 3:30 p.m., half an hour before the vigil Mass, and any time by appointment. The neighboring Church of the Resurrection also offers Reconciliation on Tuesdays from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., and the two parishes share a common sacramental rhythm. Funeral Masses are celebrated Monday through Thursday at 11:00 a.m., and Holy Days and Holidays are observed as scheduled.
The Holy Hour
Monday evenings belong to the Blessed Sacrament. From 6:00 to 7:00 p.m., Our Lady of Lourdes hosts a weekly Holy Hour with Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament. The parish has adopted the words of Venerable Fulton Sheen as its invitation: "The third reason I keep up the Holy Hour is to grow more and more into His likeness. If we spend time with Jesus, people just might see Him when they see us." For Catholics who cannot make a weekday Mass, the Monday hour offers a chance to sit quietly in prayer before the Eucharist exposed on the altar.
The Seven Sacraments
The parish's teaching rests on the seven Catholic sacraments, which it describes as outward signs instituted by Christ to give grace. The three Sacraments of Initiation are Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist. The two Sacraments of Healing are Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick. The two Sacraments of Commitment are Matrimony and Holy Orders.
Baptism, the entry into the Church through water and the Holy Spirit, is arranged through the parish office. Reconciliation is celebrated regularly and by appointment. First Communion welcomes children into regular reception of the Eucharist, the sacrament in which, in Catholic belief, bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ. Confirmation is one of the Sacraments of Initiation and is conferred by the bishop; the young people of the parish receive it together with their peers from the neighboring parishes of Resurrection and Saint Ann, typically when Bishop Bambera comes for the rite. Matrimony is prepared over at least six months of formation with a priest. Anointing of the Sick, the sacrament once known as Last Rites, is recommended any time someone is hospitalized, before surgery, or in the course of a serious or chronic illness.
Faith Formation for Children
Religious education at Our Lady of Lourdes takes place on Sundays at 9:00 a.m., between the two Sunday Masses, with classes for Grades 1 through 8. In a recent year sixteen of the parish's children received their First Communion, and Confirmation preparation leads to a joint celebration with Resurrection and Saint Ann. The program is run from the parish office, and parents can reach the religious education staff at religioused@ourladyoflourdesrcc.org.
The Choir
A parish choir rehearses on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. in the choir loft and leads music at the weekend liturgies. There are no auditions, no requirement to read music, and no prerequisite other than a willingness to sing and praise the Lord. The choir has been a familiar presence at the parish's major celebrations, from the Fall Festival Mass to the annual graduation Mass for high school seniors. Jennifer Frye directs the group.
Knights of Columbus and the Pro-Life Witness
Our Lady of Lourdes is home to Council #14329 of the Knights of Columbus, part of the global Catholic fraternal service order founded in 1882. The council's men serve the parish through charity and volunteerism, and their generosity of time and money is a fixture of parish life.
Alongside the Knights, the parish Pro-Life group gathers on the fourth Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Its members are dedicated to defending and preserving the sanctity of life from conception until natural death, and they further the Church's mission through prayer and public witness. Each October the group joins other Pro-Life advocates and churches from across the Williamsport area for an annual Life Chain on the Golden Strip. Good Counsel Homes, which takes in homeless pregnant women and their babies, has been a long-standing parish mission, and each spring the parish hosts a Parish Baby Shower that collects supplies directly for Good Counsel. Deb Steinbacher leads the Pro-Life group.
RCIA and Adult Faith Formation
Adults and teens who wish to become Catholic, or who were baptized in another Christian denomination and want to learn more about the Roman Catholic faith, walk the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. Sessions are built around reflection on the Sunday Scriptures and run through the year. Those who were baptized Catholic but never received First Communion or Confirmation can also join the process. The parish office coordinates enrollment.
Love Never Ends
For those who have lost a spouse, the parish hosts a ministry called Love Never Ends, offering support and fellowship to anyone in the parish family walking through widowhood. The group meets regularly, gathers for a Christmas party in December, and welcomes new members at any time. Curt Fink coordinates the group.
Prison Ministry and the Sick
Catholic tradition places particular weight on the corporal works of mercy, and Our Lady of Lourdes takes that call literally. A Prison Ministry carries the words of Matthew 25 into local correctional facilities, visiting the incarcerated in the name of Christ. Eucharistic Ministers to the Sick and Homebound take communion to those who cannot come to church, whether temporarily after surgery or in the long course of a chronic illness. Ushers, Mass Greeters, Altar Servers, and Mass Lectors round out the parish's liturgical ministries and keep the doors and services running week by week.
Parish Council and the Fall Festival
The Pastoral Parish Council helps the pastor set the direction of the parish, and a Coordinating Team supports its work. Each September the parish holds its annual Fall Festival, a major fundraiser and social event that draws families from across the parish and the wider Lycoming County area. With food, games, activities, and music, the festival has long been one of the highlights of the year, and a Fall Festival Committee plans it year-round.
The parish also keeps up a steady rhythm of intergenerational events, including a Lenten pancake breakfast, a St. Nicholas Party for the Youth Group, an Advent Wreath Family Activity for families, and a Celebration of Parish Life in the parish hall with displays about the saints prepared by children in Faith Formation. A Spaghetti Dinner held by parishioners helps fund Youth Activities across the year.
Mission and Identity
The parish's mission statement runs simply: "We are a Christian Community rooted in Word and Sacrament striving to fulfill our Baptismal commitment by following the example and teaching of Christ. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, we endeavor to pass on our faith through the Roman Catholic Tradition to the next generation for the greater glory of God." September, traditionally the month of Our Lady of Sorrows, is observed with a reflection on Mary's Seven Sorrows and the sword that, as the Church teaches, pierced her heart at the foot of the cross.
Visiting and Giving
Visitors are welcomed at every liturgy and can register as parishioners by downloading a registration form online or by contacting the parish office. The office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and the staff can be reached at (570) 368-8598 or at parishoffice@ourladyoflourdesrcc.org. Online giving is available through the parish's Vanco account, where parishioners can set up recurring contributions and review their giving history; green contribution cards in the pews allow those who prefer to give in person without using envelopes. The parish maintains a Facebook page and an Instagram account (@olol_montoursville) for ongoing news.