|
|
|
This fourth parish on Hamilton Mountain was established in
1958 with Father Clifford Day as the founding pastor. That year
marked the centennial of the apparitions of our Blessed Mother
at Lourdes, and so Our Lady of Lourdes seemed a natural choice
for the name and patroness of the new parish. Our Lady of
Lourdes School had been opened the previous year. Father Day
lived at the Precious Blood Monastery on the Mountain Brow, and
on Sundays celebrated Mass in Hill Park Secondary School.
It took only one year to erect Our Lady of
Lourdes Church, which was blessed by Bishop
Joseph Ryan on May 24, 1959. Twice the church
experienced some minor internal damage from
fire. In October of 1960 a small fire damaged
the altar rail and altar cloth. There was also a
minor fire in May of 1976.
|
|
|
Various priests from the Diocese of Hamilton served as pastors
in the 1960's and 1970's. Father John Murphy was briefly the
administrator of the parish in 1960, and was succeeded by the
new pastor. Father William Nolan. Father John Jordan was the
longest- serving pastor, and he was succeeded by Father John
Walsh in 1972. The neighborhood experienced continued growth,
and St. Cecilia School was established in 1975, to accommodate
the increasing number of young families. The years 1979 to 1984
saw the parish under the care of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate,
with Father Donald Brennan serving as pastor during that time.
|
|
In 1983, the parish marked its 25th anniversary. A major project
for that occasion was the construction of a grotto to serve as a
shrine to Our Lady of Lourdes. it was blessed and dedicated on
May 22 of that year. The following year saw the construction of
a ramp to facilitate wheelchair access to the church.
|
Construction of our Grotto |
The Oblate Fathers ended their association with
the parish in 1984, and Father Robert Dunn began an eight-year
term as pastor. During that time, the parish was actively
involved as a founding member of the
Neighbour to Neighbour food
bank. Father Stephen Csiszar arrived in 1992, and during his
term undertook much needed repairs and renovations of the
church, the hall, the offices and the rectory. Father Csiszar
was succeeded by Father Daniel Miehm in 1998. The continued
growth of the neighbourhood was evident in the opening of Mother Teresa School that same year, the
third school affiliated with our parish.
Grotto 2003
|
In July, 2004 Father Miehm moved on to Saint
Ann's in Ancaster and Our Lady of Lourdes welcomed Father
Bob Walz. In 2005 Fathers Mike King and Bob Love succeeded
Father Bob Walz who moved on to
St. Mary Immaculate in Elora
Our parish has grown to become one of the largest in the Diocese
of Hamilton, numbering some 2500 families.
We rejoice in our past, and we look forward to being a vibrant
and active faith community in the future. |
|
Pastors 1958-Present
| 1958 - 1960 | Rev. Clifford Day
|
| 1960 - 1963 | Rev. William Nolan
|
| 1963 - 1972 | Rev. John Jordan
|
| 1972 - 1979 | Rev. John Walsh
|
| 1979 - 1984 | Rev. Donald Brennan, O.M.I.
|
| 1984 - 1992 | Rev. Robert Dunn
|
| 1992 - 1998 | Rev. Stephen Csiszar
|
| 1998 - 2004 | Rev. Daniel Miehm
|
| 2004 - 2005 | Rev. Bob Walz |
| 2005 - Present | Father Mike King |
|
|
Current
Pastor |
Father Mike King
|
|
|
|
