On Electric Road in southwest Roanoke, Our Lady of Nazareth Catholic Church has served its parish family since 1914. From a converted frame hall in 1918 to the present-day church dedicated by Bishop Sullivan in 1978, OLN has grown into a Catholic parish with weekend and daily Mass, full faith formation from nursery through adult, an active outreach network across the Roanoke Valley, and a thirty-year twinning relationship with a teacher-training college in Haiti.
Weekend and Daily Mass
OLN offers Mass throughout the week. Weekend Mass is celebrated on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. (also live-streamed on the parish YouTube channel) and on Sunday at 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., and 11:30 a.m. A digital worship aid is published to help parishioners follow along with the prayers and readings. Daily Mass is offered Monday through Friday at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday evening also features Eucharistic Adoration from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m.
The sacrament of Reconciliation is offered in three regular settings: Monday mornings after the 8:30 Mass, Wednesday evenings from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. alongside Adoration, and Saturday afternoons from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Those who need a different time can arrange one through the pastor.
First-time visitors are warmly welcomed. Registration forms are available in English and Spanish, and the parish office is reachable by phone or email during business hours, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
A Century on Electric Road
Our Lady of Nazareth traces its origins to 1914, when the Bishop of Richmond sent Father James Gilsenan, a young priest ordained in 1904 and born in County Cavan, Ireland, to begin a new parish in the southwestern part of Roanoke. By 1915, he had purchased a property on Campbell Avenue that included a brick building to house the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth and a two-story frame building for a Catholic school. The school opened in 1916 and grew by one grade each year, eventually becoming a complete high school program that over fifty-six years would enroll more than 11,000 students.
In 1918, lumber salvaged from the demolition of a wooden school at the foot of St. Andrew's Hill was used to build a hall on the Campbell Avenue property. On the Sunday before Christmas that year, the first public Mass was celebrated there. The hall still stands as St. Francis House, a place the parish continues to support as a ministry to the hungry.
Bishop Dennis J. O'Connell visited the hall on February 16, 1919 and announced the parish's name: Our Lady of Nazareth. No other Catholic parish in the United States then bore that name. Within six years, the cornerstone for a new church was laid. The completed building was dedicated in 1926. Father Gilsenan was named a Monsignor in 1940 and died on September 12, 1953. His requiem was sung at Nazareth, and he is buried in St. Andrew's Cemetery.
Father Robert F. Beattie succeeded him as pastor and made extensive improvements while purchasing land for a future church. On July 9, 1978, the last Mass was celebrated at the original church, and that same afternoon Bishop Sullivan dedicated the present facility on Electric Road, made possible in part by a $450,000 bequest from parishioner Anita Obermeyer. The Christian Life Center was dedicated on June 25, 1989 in memory of Anna Louise Haley (1910-1988).
Parishioner involvement has remained a hallmark of Nazareth through all these changes, as old organizations have given way to new ones in response to the needs of the time.
Sacraments at OLN
OLN celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. The church is a regular setting for Baptisms, First Reconciliation and First Communion (typically prepared for in second or third grade), Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, and Holy Orders.
Families begin infant Baptism preparation through the parish office, with arrangements made by Jen Kellner. Older children seeking Baptism are referred to Ellen Vanden Eykel. Marriage preparation begins at least six months before the anticipated wedding date, with Rita Harris coordinating the initial steps.
Sacramental preparation for youth Confirmation is led by Meg Griffith and is open to adolescents in at least tenth grade and at least fifteen years old who have already received Baptism and First Eucharist. The Bishop or his representative typically celebrates the sacrament with the parish in the spring. Adult Confirmation candidates and others returning to the faith can join the OCIA process.
The Anointing of the Sick is offered to any baptized Catholic facing serious illness or surgery, and to those of advanced age. Requests go directly to Msgr. Patrick Golden. Discerning men interested in the priesthood or permanent diaconate are invited to schedule a conversation with parish clergy, and OLN also points them to the Diocese of Richmond vocations resources.
Family Faith Formation and the Atrium
Faith formation at OLN is intentionally intergenerational. The Family Faith Formation program gathers parents and children from kindergarten through twelfth grade at the same time, on Sunday mornings from 10:00 to 11:15 a.m., between the 9:00 and 11:30 Masses. Children are grouped by grade level, the nursery is open during this hour, and the schedule runs twice a month from September through May.
For younger children, the parish offers the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in three atriums built on Montessori principles. The Mustard Seed Atrium serves ages three to six, meeting Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons and Friday mornings. The True Vine Atrium gathers seven-to-nine-year-olds on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. The Golden Thread Atrium welcomes ages nine through twelve on Wednesday afternoons. Each session runs from September through May and is designed to give children a hands-on, contemplative encounter with the essentials of the Catholic faith.
A summer Faith Camp extends this work over a four-day program in early June, with Bible stories, crafts, games, music, and movement for pre-K and elementary children. Middle and high school students are invited to serve as leaders, and a separate Middle School Camp and High School Camp run in the same week, with high schoolers serving as overnight counselors for the middle school program.
Middle School, High School, and the Fearless Retreat
OLN Youth brings middle and high school students together for community games, snacks, teaching, small groups, and prayer on the second and fourth Sundays of each month between the 9:00 and 11:30 a.m. Masses. Beyond the bimonthly gatherings, students can take on social, service, and discipleship leadership roles.
The Discipleship Group is a year-long commitment for confirmed eleventh and twelfth graders who lead their peers. Members train over the summer, lead small groups, give faith talks, and serve the youth ministry throughout the year. Membership is by application and opens each spring.
The Fearless retreat is an annual weekend for eighth and ninth graders from across the Roanoke Valley. Held at The Peaks Retreat Center in Thaxton, the two-night program includes canoeing, a low ropes course, rock wall climbing, bonfires, and Mass. The retreat opens with Friday-evening drop-off and closes with a Sunday-afternoon Mass back at OLN.
Becoming Catholic through OCIA
Adults exploring the Catholic faith, Christians from other traditions considering full communion, and baptized Catholics wanting to complete their initiation sacraments all find a home in OLN's Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) program. Inquiry meetings begin in early June and meet on Tuesday evenings in the Fellowship Hall. The program is year-round, with the length of the journey tailored to each participant.
The process moves through Inquiry (an informal time for questions), the Catechumenate (deeper teaching and community formation), Purification and Enlightenment during Lent, and Reception into the Church at the Easter Vigil, where participants receive Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. A period of Mystagogy follows, reflecting on the mysteries of the Mass. OCIA is offered in Spanish as well, with Carina Navarro coordinating the children's OCIA and a separate Spanish-language session meeting Tuesday afternoons. There is no cost to participate.
Music and the Liturgical Arts
Music is described by the parish as the work of humble, yet talented singers and musicians that add so much to the liturgical celebrations. The parish choir rehearses on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the nave, and reading music is not a prerequisite. Singers and instrumentalists of all levels are welcome; men in particular are encouraged to join.
The Children's Choir invites children ages six through eleven to share their gifts at least four times a year. After the first rehearsal, each child takes home a packet of music to practice during the week.
Other liturgical roles include Lectors, who proclaim the readings; Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion; Ushers and Hospitality Ministers who greet at the door; the Liturgical Art and Environment ministry, which decorates the worship spaces throughout the liturgical seasons; and Altar Servers, open to boys and girls who have received First Communion and completed second grade.
Caring for One Another
The parish pastoral care network reaches beyond the church walls. The Grief Ministry runs GriefShare and other support offerings throughout the year, accompanying parishioners through the loss of a loved one.
The Hospital/Homebound Ministry visits Catholics at Carilion Hospital (rotating weekly with the Basilica of Saint Andrew), as well as those in rehabilitation, long-term care, and parishioners who are homebound. Visits bring prayer, companionship, and the Eucharist to those who cannot be present at Mass.
The Prayer Shawl Ministry knits and crochets shawls that are blessed and given to those facing diagnosis, hospitalization, grief, or difficult times. The group meets on the first Monday of each month (except holidays) from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. in the library and welcomes beginners. The Funeral Committee prepares a reception in the Fellowship Hall following a Funeral Mass, with table setup, food service, and cleanup provided by volunteers.
Parish Life and Fellowship
Parish life at OLN runs deep and broad. The Boy Scouts meet in the Youth Center, and the Knights of Columbus organize fraternal and service work. A monthly Coffee and Donuts follows the first and third Sunday Masses, and the Fellowship Committee organizes additional parish gatherings.
Men's Fellowship meets on the first Thursday of the month and again on the second Thursday evening from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. for men of the parish. The Creation Care Ministry promotes environmental awareness and sustainable practices through education, advocacy, and worship. The OLN Gardeners tend both decorative landscapes and the Giving Garden, whose harvest is donated to local charities.
OLN has two welcoming groups for LGBTQIA+ parishioners and their loved ones. Rainbow Connections is a safe space for members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and a parallel Family & Friends Support Group meets separately. Both aim to help OLN listen to, know, and love those the parish serves.
Young adults in their twenties and thirties gather about twice a month on Thursday evenings at 7:00 p.m. in the Youth Center for casual fellowship, service projects, and prayer.
The OLN Pool and the Tetras Swim Team
The OLN Pool has been a parish ministry since 1988. Open to Catholic parishioners (and friends by referral), it provides a summer setting for swimming and community. The OLN Tetras summer swim team welcomes all ages, rooted in the example of the parish's patron and offering an environment that nurtures confidence, skill, friendship, and faith. The team is named for St. John the Baptist.
Outreach Across Roanoke and Beyond
OLN's outreach network reaches into the wider Roanoke community. Each November, the parish collects toys and warm winter accessories for the Center for Christian Action in Pocahontas and the Commonwealth Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement Program. Family Promise hosts homeless families at the parish four to five times a year, with parishioners providing meals, hospitality, and overnight presence. The OLN Giving Garden grows roughly 2,500 pounds of fresh produce each season for the RAM House and St. Francis House Pantry. Habitat for Humanity draws parishioners into work days and donations to provide affordable housing. The Migrant Ministry coordinates Roanoke Valley Catholic parishes to collect clothing, household, religious, and hygiene items for more than three thousand seasonal migrant farm laborers on Virginia's Eastern Shore.
RAM House (Roanoke Area Ministries) is a homeless day shelter where OLN volunteers serve lunch on the fourth Sunday of every month and on additional days. Respect Life witnesses peacefully against abortion, participates in 40 Days for Life, and supports the Blue Ridge Women's Center. The North Roanoke Valley Home mission visits assisted-living residents for bingo and fellowship. Voices of Faith sponsors interfaith dialogue and events. St. Francis House, the original 1918 chapel-hall that still stands at the old Campbell Avenue location, continues to feed the hungry of the Roanoke Valley, with OLN collecting food donations after every Mass. Justice and Peace teaches Catholic Social Teaching through Operation Rice Bowl, Just Faith modules, and a book discussion group. The Advocacy ministry serves as the parish liaison with the Virginia Catholic Conference.
A Twin Parish in Haiti
OLN's longest-running international relationship is its twinning with Papaye Normal School, a three-year teacher-training college near Hinche in Haiti's Central Plateau. The school's name in French is Ecole Normale d'Instituteurs Hinche Papaye (ENIHP), and it is operated by the Petite Sisters of Saint Therese, the first indigenous order of religious women founded in Haiti. About 150 students are enrolled, with forty to forty-five graduating each year as certified teachers for grades one through nine.
The relationship grew out of the parish's earlier encounter with Haitian migrants in the early 1980s. In October 1981, Haitian men working on apple orchards near Chilhowie, Virginia reached out to the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary for help escaping a migrant camp. The men were first housed in the OLN rectory and then by four parish families. Bishop Walter Sullivan, moved by their journey, purchased a home for them in Roanoke and designated Haiti as the official outreach area of the Diocese of Richmond. In 1989, the parish pastoral council approved entering a formal twinning relationship, and on October 1, 1989 OLN wrote to Sr. Corinne Chartier, then director of Papaye Normal School, announcing the partnership.
OLN's Haiti Ministry Committee meets on the fourth Tuesday of every month (except July and December) at 6:30 p.m. in the conference room. The parish sends an annual sea container of supplies each spring, coordinates pilgrim trips in safe years, and has helped fund major capital projects at the school: solar power installation, a deep well and pump, dormitory repairs, water filtration, computer lab upgrades, and four annual scholarships for students in their second and third years.
Former Papaye director Sr. Jeanna Marseille led the school for many years before being transferred in 2014 to direct a K-8 school of one thousand children near Port-au-Prince. The current director, Sr. Moline Verica, hosts visiting OLN pilgrim teams, with trips documented on the OLN Haiti Blog from 2000 onward.
The People Who Lead OLN
OLN is pastored by Rev. Msgr. Patrick Golden, with Father Dillon Bruce serving as Parochial Vicar. Kerry Morgeiwicz directs Music Ministries. Ellen Vanden Eykel serves as Director of Religious Education. Jen Kellner coordinates elementary faith formation. Meg Griffith coordinates high school youth ministry, with Elizabeth Gurney coordinating middle school. Carina Navarro coordinates children's OCIA, and Margo Vitello coordinates the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Katie Brown is Pastoral Care Coordinator and Faith Formation Assistant. Ryan Hunt serves as Digital Media Specialist and Assistant for Music Ministry. Joan Keating coordinates the nursery.
Parish Council members provide advisory counsel to the pastor, meeting every other month on Tuesday evenings.