
The Spiritual Life
The force that binds a parish together
and preserves its unity is the Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament
preserved on its altars. From that
living spring flows forth the many expressions of faith in the spiritual life
of the people.
Eucharistic Adoration
Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration
Committee of the Archdiocese of Louisville has for its goal the spread of
Eucharistic adoration throughout the Archdiocese. Mrs. Patricia Cheatham, a member of the
committee, made several contacts with Fr. Reilly. With the help of Sr. Mary Naomi, they secured
a list of adorers. Adoration began
September 14, 1992 after the 8am Mass, closing with Benediction at 8pm. Adoration continued every Monday. After Fr. Reilly’s stroke, Fr. Caskey from
St. Columba Church came over for Mass, Exposition and Benediction every
Monday. Eucharistic adoration was
discontinued at the beginning of summer.
Beginning in 1999, formal Eucharistic
adoration was held in conjunction with Prayers for Life on the 22nd
of each month. This date coincides with
the anniversary of the January 1973 Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion.
May Procession
May Processions followed the Sunday
morning Mass in May. In 2000 it was held
in the evening outside on the west side of Lehmann Hall. The Pilgrim Virgin Statue provided by the Blue
Army of Our Lady of Fatima was carried in procession. The service included recitation of the
rosary, singing of hymns, crowning of the Blessed Mother, enrollment in the
Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Benediction of the Blessed
Sacrament. The threat of rain and the
noise of the nearby expressway led to the decision to host services in church
thereafter. In 2002 and 2003, members of
the Holy Name Band provided musical accompaniment.
Our Lady’s Little Ones
In April, 1992 there was a pilgrimage
to the ‘Holy Land’ of
Sr. Buniff read the life of Rev.
Charles Nerinckx, one of the first
Sr. Buniff thought that if such a
society were started at the parish, the children could pray for God’s blessing
on family life and pray for an ‘adopted’ future priest or religious Sister or
Brother. Permission was granted from Fr.
Reilly and parents were asked if they would like to enroll their children. Their names and ages were recorded in a bound
book kept at the parish.
At the time of enrollment, each member
received a welcome letter and a prayer card with instructions on the back. The first child, Brian Samuels (age 4
months), was enrolled May 4, 1992, followed by Kyle Seng (age 18 months) on May
6, 1992.
Our Lady’s Grandmothers
In 1992, Sr. Buniff visited the Shrine of
St. Anne de Beaupré. While there she met
the person who wrote the Grandmothers’ column ‘Calling All Grandmothers’ in the
ANNALS Magazine published by the Shrine.
Victoria Hebert asked Sister to write her story about the beginnings of
the chapter in
Dear
Victoria,
It all
started with a desire that everyone in the
Then one day
I casually mentioned the Grandmother’s Club to a friend who belongs to another
parish. ‘Oh! Can I belong?’ That was the beginning of rapid growth. Individuals who heard of the club volunteered
to be contact persons for their own parishes, relatives and friends.
Although
grandmothers are perfectly free to send in their names to the Shrine, if I send
them in I enter their names and parishes in a bound book kept here in the
parish and they are known as ‘Our Lady’s Grandmothers.’ At the present time [1993] there are ten
contact persons including a young man, 276 Grandmothers: 237 from 38 parishes
in
What is it
that seems to bind these beautiful people together? I believe it is the common pain, concern,
worry and anxiety they experience because of their great love for their
grandchildren. The world is so different
from the way it was when they grew up and knew the joy and protection of close
family. St. Anne’s care and intercession
offer them hope. Unity in prayer with
all other grandmothers gives them the strength and courage to continue living
their lives in that hope that better days lay ahead for their loved ones.
Plans are
being made to gather the grandmothers together for a special day of prayer –
perhaps around the feast of St. Anne.
When I mentioned this, the response was the same: ‘I will help
you.’ Indeed the virtues of St. Anne
shine forth in our Grandmothers!
Grandmothers pray on Tuesday for other
Grandmothers’ special intentions and practice St. Anne’s virtues. Tradition tells us that St. Anne was born on
Tuesday and died on Tuesday. The
Grandmothers had their first annual Day of Recollection on July 24th
with an excellent turn–out and pot luck supper.
In the year 2003, they celebrated their 10th annual
celebration.
Our Lady’s Fathers and Grandfathers
After the little ones and grandmothers
of the parish were given special societies, Sr. Buniff thought of fathers and
grandfathers. The following letter was
sent to those who became members of the group:
St. Joachim
was the father of the Blessed Mother Mary.
Can you imagine how concerned he was when the time came for a husband to
be chosen? Joseph was the one God the
Father chose as foster father of His Son, Jesus. The virtues of
As a member
of the Club, please do the following: Pray in a special way on Wednesdays. According to tradition, Wednesday has been
regarded as
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Grandmother’s Day of
Reflection June
24, 1993
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Children’s Religious Education
The primary focus of the religious
education program is to prepare all the children for the Sacraments of
Reconciliation, First Holy Communion and Confirmation. Instruction on Baptism is given to parents of
children who are to be baptized. The
following children received the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion
at Our Lady Parish (since 1991):
12/25/91 Jeremy and Richard Wilbert
04/26/92 Gabriel Cahill, Brian Cassady, Aaron
Chapman, Milton Rodgers
11/22/92 Adam Edelen.
04/25/93 Bradley Cassady, Lindsey Culver, Summer
Daub
04/24/94 Lindsay Noonan, Tony Miles, Nicholas Nail,
Alicia Recktenwald, Justin Renck, Russ Villier, Brittnay Watson, Misty de Witt
05/14/95 Joey Embry, Kelly Goff, Amanda Keeter,
Stephanie McEntire, Katie Mills, Tommy Mills, Zachary Peters, Kara Waterbury
04/14/96 Holly Pittman, Justin Wiseman
05/11/97 Christina VonAllmen, Kristofer Ward, Sara
Waterbury
05/03/98 Jeremy Brian, Nicholas Brian, Ashley
Pilbean, Lacy Randolph, Billy Joe Renck, Katherine Saettel, Kyle Seng, Cody
Watson
04/25/99 Shelby Villier, Hannah Wright
04/30/00 Sydney Fihe, Derek Randolph, Rebecca
Rodgers, Nicholas Smith
04/22/01 Sarah Seng
05/26/02 Justin Dant
05/25/03 Henry Craven
Blue Army of Our Lady of
On May 13, 1917 a beautiful lady
appeared to three shepherd children in a remote area of
Children in the religious education
program are told this story. They learn
as basic prayers the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be, including an
explanation of each of the Mysteries of the Rosary. One decade of the Rosary is prayed before each
of their classes.
The Blue Army has for its apostolate
the spreading of the message of Our Lady of Fatima. Several members of the parish have joined the
Blue Army and had the Pilgrim Virgin Statue, provided by the Blue Army, visit
their homes. Rosaries, scapulars, and
booklets are located in the back of church to help spread Our Lady’s
message. To become a member of the Blue
Army one:
1.
Prays the Rosary every day.
2.
Offers up their daily duty as a sacrifice.
3.
Wears the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of
Sr. Buniff joined the Blue Army after
her high school geometry teacher told her of it in 1953. In the 1980s she attended meetings of the
local Blue Army. In 1995 she became Secretary
and then President of the Louisville Archdiocesan Division of the Blue Army,
which by then was officially recognized by the
Respect for Life
Parishioners of Our Lady have several
opportunities to help further the cause for life in the ‘culture of death’ as
described by Pope John Paul II. Prayers
for Life are prayed on or near the 22nd of each month in conjunction
with Eucharistic Adoration. Notices are
placed in The Record reminding all those in the Archdiocese.
Parishioners also signed their names to
be published in the Courier–Journal on January 22nd each year. A speaker from the Right to Life Board once
spoke at the end of Mass on partial–birth abortion, describing the horrendous
procedure. The organization sold cards
at Christmas and roses on Mother’s Day, the proceeds of which went to the local
Pilgrimages
On October 12, 2002, parishioners
embarked on a pilgrimage to the ‘Holy Land’ of
The Choir
During the 1980s, Mary Eugene Thompson served as organist
and several parishioners formed a regular choir. In 1991, Sr. Mary Naomi accompanied the
existing choir at the 9:30am Sunday Mass.
Then on March 1, 1992, Dennis Nash was hired as music director to
formalize the music program. He
immediately formed a choir. At first
they stood in the right–front pews. Just
before Christmas 1996, they ascended into the choir loft and faithfully led the
congregation with their voices, even if not seen.
Dennis Nash began his music ministry at the age of fourteen
when he started playing and singing at liturgy at St. Lawrence Parish. This was just after Vatican II reforms, which
encouraged musicians to employ more contemporary musical styles to the
liturgy. Musically, it was referred to
as a ‘hootenanny’
Mr. Nash came to Our Lady via
Mr. Nash directs the choir and accompanies on guitar. Charles Wetzelberger IV joined as keyboard
accompanist in 1993, adding a variety of color to the music, from traditional
organ to flute, trumpet and bells. He
completed the Archdiocesan music certification program in 2002. They divide the responsibility for music at
weddings and other liturgical celebrations.
Several traditions evolved from the music program. One is the Christmas Vigil Mass, which
continues to be a ‘full–church’ celebration.
Early in his tenure, Mr. Nash had the assistance of a Celtic music band
‘Ten Penny Bit’ with Bob Loeffler (guitar), his wife Robin (hammered dulcimer)
and Kimble Howard (Irish harp). They led
the congregation in singing Christmas Carols before Mass, as well as the hymns
and Proper of the Mass itself. After
Communion, Mr. Nash calls the children up to the manger where they sing Happy
Birthday to Jesus.
A favorite moment for parishioners and parents alike is on
the occasion of First Communion. After
the Sacrament is conferred, Mr. Nash invites the First Communicants to sit on
the steps of the altar with him while he sings ‘Bless This Child,’ composed by
Timothy Schoenbachler.
Highlights of the choir include:
·
Singing at the chapel of the Ursuline Sisters, Sunday March
23, 2003. The program included: ‘Sweet,
Sweet Spirit’, ‘When He Came’, ‘Hail Mary, Gentle Woman’, ‘Song of the Body of
Christ’, ‘Lord of the Dance’, ‘Mary’s Boy Child’ and ‘Hallelujah’. On March 27, the choir led singing for a
pro–life mission at St. Bartholomew Church.
·
The ‘Hallelujah’ chorus from George Handel’s ‘Messiah,’ sung
the first time at the Christmas Vigil Mass in 2003.
·
Singing with members of St. Cecilia choir when Rev. John
Burke was installed as pastor of Our Lady and
Members of the choir (since 1991) included: Charles and
Genevieve Cahill, Leslie Harrington, Diane Popson (Boehm), Jennifer Klump
(Kowalski), Erin Blume, Nancy Randolph, Mona Yates, Charles Frick, Bob Quire,
Joann and Jerry Recktenwald, Sug McBride, Richard Watkins, Michael Nash, Carol Jensen
and Beatrice Wetzelberger. The Cahill’s
son, Matthew, sat faithfully with the choir for many years.
In good humor, the following ad appeared in the bulletin
February 1, 1998:
CHOIR OPENINGS
·
Positions open: Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass. No others need apply.
·
Physical qualifications: Must be able to carry light musical
notes part way across the sanctuary.
Must have sufficient vision to see the director.
·
Experience: No application will be accepted from persons who
have not sung, hummed or whistled in the bathtub or shower at some time.
·
Beginning wage: Increased satisfaction and joy in the
service of the Lord.
·
Fringe benefits: Social Security. We promise you the security of social
fellowship with other choir members.
·
Hours: Wednesday evening from 7pm until director gets tired
– usually about an hour and a half.
There will occasionally be opportunity for over–time.
·
Vacation: Occasional absence allowed. The frequency of missed rehearsals and Mass
is primarily a matter of conscience.
·
Retirement: No particular age, but it is generally
determined by prayer, the printed notes getting too small, the hymnal getting
too heavy, the notes getting too high, the sanctuary getting too hot or cold,
or when the organist is unable to play the notes you sing.
The following commentary written by Mr. Nash appeared in the
March 2000 newsletter:
If you ask a member of Our
Lady’s choir what they enjoy most about being in the choir, the most likely
answer is that they have fun singing. There
is a sense of fun and enjoyment that develops anytime people share a common
interest. In the case of the choir, that
common interest is a love of music.
The fact that this choir does
have fun singing together overshadows a deeper truth. As choir director, I see more than a group of
people who like to see and have fun together.
I see people who have a deep faith and a willingness to share that faith
with others. I see people who believe in
prayer and recognize sung prayer as an opportunity to draw us closer to
Christ. I see people who have heard
God’s call and answered it. I see
ordinary people of all ages and walks of life who are not afraid to give of
their time and talent. I see people who
understand that all they give, God will return to them tenfold.
The next time you hear the Choir
sing, rest assured they are having fun.
Like Paul Harvey, I just thought you should know the rest of the
story. As always, there is an open invitation
to join the
The above sentiment rings true with choir members, most of
who participated for more than a decade in making a ‘joyful noise,’ as Mr. Nash
often says. In terms of fellowship, the
choir hosts an annual social gathering after their final rehearsal for
Christmas. As to his participation in
church music, Mr. Nash shared these words:
I have always considered my role
in church music as ministry. I have told
my choir, and I believe this fervently, that our role is to facilitate worship
and bring people closer to God through sung prayer. It is this simple tenant that drives my
decisions regarding music at
Being involved in music at Our
Lady’s has been a personal blessing for me.
My full time job would not allow me to be as active in Church music at a
larger parish. What I am capable of
giving in terms of time and talent has seemed to work very well at Our
Lady’s. I am grateful to Fr. Reilly and
the people of Our Lady’s for putting up with me for so many years. There is a song titled ‘Servant Song.’ The first verse expresses better than I my
feelings about service to the Church:
Will you let me be your servant,
Let me be as Christ to you.
Pray that I may have the
strength to,
Let you be my servant, too.
Our Lady’s has given me much
more in return for the small part that I play as music director. I will always be grateful to God and Our
Lady’s for the chance you have given me to serve in some small measure.
The choir descended from the loft in October 2005 to take
its place with the congregation. A small
music space was created at the right-front by removing the 1965 electronic
organ and a few pews.
Parish Missions
From the
parish newsletter in September 1999:
Are you
looking for something, but can’t quite identify what it is? You only know that whatever you try doesn’t
satisfy, so you keep looking and trying, looking and trying. Do you feel like your life is all cluttered
and you don’t know how to get out of that seemingly eternal rut? Do you need some time for peace and
quiet? Then come to the mission!
Each mission opened with Mass on Sunday
morning with a homily, a talk each evening at 7pm. The opportunity for the Sacrament of
Reconciliation was offered each day and the Sacrament of the Anointing was
celebrated. Each mission closed with
Mass on Wednesday evening followed by a reception in Lehmann Hall prepared by
the Ladies Club. The first mission was
hosted November 14–18, 1998. Past
missions include:
·
November
14–18, 1998
The mission
was conducted by Dominican Fr. Bede Shipps, formerly an associate pastor at St.
Louis Bertrand Church in
·
November
13–17, 1999 – The Touch of God: Christ in the Sacraments
The mission was
conducted by Dominican Fr. Paul Keller, who was assigned to St. Mary’s Church
in
·
November
11–15, 2000
The mission
was conducted by Fr. Joseph Barranger, O.P. who was from the St. Stephen Priory
in
·
November
10–14, 2001 – God, Are You On–Line?
The mission
was conducted by Fr. Bill Garrott, O.P., a Dominican Friar assigned to St.
Gertrude Priory in
Fr. Garrott
plays the piano, organ and guitar and composes music. He was a 17 year–old high school soccer
player when he first began to experience the deep joy of knowing loving and
serving Jesus Christ. Once a fan of Led
Zeppelin, Fr. Garrott now uses his musical talent to draw listeners into a
deeper knowledge of the unconditional love that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
make known to us through the Catholic faith.
·
November
16–20, 2002 – Jesus Christ is Good News in Bad Times – Growing in Faith with
the Woman at the Well
The mission
was conducted by Fr. Walter Wagner, O.P., Master of Novices at St. Gertrude
Priory in
·
November
8–12, 2003 – It Isn’t Who I Am But Whose I Am
The mission
was conducted by Fr. Frank Sutman, O.P., director of preaching for the
·
November
13–17, 2004 – With What Great Love
The mission
was conducted by Dominican Fr. John Burchill from St. Pius in
·
November 12,
2005 – Hold Your Fork, the Best is Yet to Come!’ – Aging With Grace
Fr. Frank
Sutman, O.P., director of preaching for the
·
November 12–15,
2006 – Riding Home on the Questions of
God
The mission was conducted
by Fr. Frank Sutman, O.P. On the
weekdays, Fr. Sutman celebrated morning Mass at St. Cecilia followed by a
session. Approximately 60 people
attended the evening sessions at Our Lady.
The mission concluded with Eucharistic adoration and a reception in
Lehmann Hall.
Confirmation Classes
When Sr. Mary Naomi arrived in 1991,
Fr. Reilly desired to prepare youth for the Sacrament of Confirmation. The last Confirmation occurred in the
mid–1980s. Candidates from St. Anthony
parish joined those from Our Lady. They
were instructed by Mrs. Sharon Pittman, DRE at St. Anthony and Deacon William
Klump, Sister Teresa Kelemen, C.D.P. and Sister Mary Naomi Buniff, R.S.M. from
Our Lady. Past confirmation classes:
·
March 31, 1992
The following
were confirmed by Rev. Archbishop Thomas Kelly: Heather Michelle Bagshaw,
Andrew Patrick Cahill, Steven Anthony Cowles, Taren Leigh Culver, Jennifer Lynn
Downs, Karen Beth Fortwengler, Brandy Nicole Goff, Tarrah Leigh Goodman, James
Edward Hall, Arthur Wesley Harrington, Heather Ayre Harrington, Rae Frances
Kessinger, Amy Jane May, Mary Kaye May, Wendi Sue May, Andrew Lee Massey, Tania
Rae Miles, Shannon Lynn Moore, Lorie
Marie Myers, Christopher Duwane Myers, Wesley James Recktenwald, Matthew
(Rocky) Laine Rodgers, Amy Marie Tarter, Jennifer Lynn Tarter, Michael Stephen
Amos Tarter, Tricia Michelle Waterbury, Andrea Nicole Watson, and Stacy Lynn
Wiseman.
·
March 14, 1995
The following
were confirmed by Bishop Charles Maloney: Daisha Ann Bagshaw, Erin Louise
Blume, Jeremy Robert Blume, Abbey Rose Cahill, Michelle Renee Downs, Tera Lynn
Embry, Holly Catherine Harrington, Jessica Lynn Myers, Amy Marie Pittman, Emily
Rae Rodgers, Jennifer Marie Rountree, Eric Louis Tillman, Samantha Blair
Watson, Eric Lee Wiseman, Jr. and Jeffrey Paul Wiseman.
·
February 11, 1998
Our Lady
hosted a Confirmation Mass with students from
·
March 30, 2000
Bishop
Charles Maloney confirmed a total of thirty–eight students including those from
·
In 2002, Bishop Charles Maloney confirmed a total of
forty–three students including those from St. Anthony and
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