Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church (Raleigh, North Carolina)
Encyclopedia
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church & School is a Roman Catholic church and lower school in Raleigh, North Carolina
. Our Lady of Lourdes parish is a member of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh
.
. The second Bishop of Raleigh, the most Reverend Eugene J. McGuinness
considered the possible use of the donated land for future Catholic hospital.
After much consideration, Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary School opened two months before the official establishment of the parish, in 1954. Sister M. Bettina Batchelder was appointed its first principal. Sisters of the Holy Cross
served on faculty of the school. The first Mass was celebrated on December 5 of that year. Most Reverend Vincent S. Waters, the bishop of Raleigh at the time, presided then dedicated the temporary church and school. Reverend Paul Byron preached at the Mass. Reverend Francis J. Tait was installed as first pastor of the Our Lady of Lourdes Parish.
In 1955 First patronal feast of the parish was celebrated by Most Reverend Vincent S. Waters and Reverend Michael J. Begley, Bishop of Charlotte
. In 1957 The first class, nine students, graduated from the Our Lady of Lourdes School.
, we are disciples always pointing to Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We do this in union with the Holy Catholic Church
and all the faithful in the Diocese of Raleigh. We have a special care for the domestic church, our families, and desire to strengthen and support them as they grow in faith and love.
Our parish has special charisms: our Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
and our parish school. We continually strive to improve our religious education programs, our stewardship of God’s gifts, and our outreach to the materially and spiritually poor, the unprotected and the sick. We respect the life and dignity of every person, each created in the image of God.
As living witnesses to the love of Jesus Christ, we desire to strengthen our life of prayer in community and individually, always aspiring to live as God’s loving children."
. Our Lady of Lourdes is a 2007 Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
. Our Lady of Lourdes parish is a member of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh
Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh
The Diocese of Raleigh is a Roman Catholic diocese that covers the eastern half of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The bishop is seated at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Raleigh, North Carolina.- Establishment :...
.
History of church and school
In 1938 Mr. James Joseph and Rosalie W. Fallon donated twenty acres of land to the Roman Catholic Diocese of RaleighRoman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh
The Diocese of Raleigh is a Roman Catholic diocese that covers the eastern half of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The bishop is seated at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Raleigh, North Carolina.- Establishment :...
. The second Bishop of Raleigh, the most Reverend Eugene J. McGuinness
Eugene J. McGuinness
Eugene Joseph McGuinness was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Raleigh and Bishop of Oklahoma City-Tulsa .-Biography:...
considered the possible use of the donated land for future Catholic hospital.
After much consideration, Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary School opened two months before the official establishment of the parish, in 1954. Sister M. Bettina Batchelder was appointed its first principal. Sisters of the Holy Cross
Sisters of the Holy Cross
The Sisters of the Holy Cross headquartered on the same grounds as Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, Indiana, is one of three Catholic congregations of religious sisters which trace their origins to the foundation of the Congregation of Holy Cross by the Blessed Father Basil Anthony-Marie Moreau,...
served on faculty of the school. The first Mass was celebrated on December 5 of that year. Most Reverend Vincent S. Waters, the bishop of Raleigh at the time, presided then dedicated the temporary church and school. Reverend Paul Byron preached at the Mass. Reverend Francis J. Tait was installed as first pastor of the Our Lady of Lourdes Parish.
In 1955 First patronal feast of the parish was celebrated by Most Reverend Vincent S. Waters and Reverend Michael J. Begley, Bishop of Charlotte
Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte, formally in Latin Dioecesis Carolinana, is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southern United States comprising the counties of western North Carolina divided into ten vicariates named for and administered from Albemarle, Asheville, Boone,...
. In 1957 The first class, nine students, graduated from the Our Lady of Lourdes School.
Church
The Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church was founded in 1954. The current minister of the church is The Very Reverend John Forbes.Mission statement
The church's mission statement is as follows: "Like our patroness, Our Lady of LourdesOur Lady of Lourdes
Our Lady of Lourdes is the name used to refer to the Marian apparition said to have appeared before various individuals on separate occasions around Lourdes, France...
, we are disciples always pointing to Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We do this in union with the Holy Catholic Church
Catholic Church (disambiguation)
Catholic Church most often refers to:* The Roman Catholic Church, i.e. the Western and the 22 Eastern Catholic Churches in communion with the Bishop of Rome...
and all the faithful in the Diocese of Raleigh. We have a special care for the domestic church, our families, and desire to strengthen and support them as they grow in faith and love.
Our parish has special charisms: our Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
Blessed Sacrament
The Blessed Sacrament, or the Body and Blood of Christ, is a devotional name used in the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Catholic Churches, Old Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran churches, to refer to the Host after it has been consecrated in the sacrament of the Eucharist...
and our parish school. We continually strive to improve our religious education programs, our stewardship of God’s gifts, and our outreach to the materially and spiritually poor, the unprotected and the sick. We respect the life and dignity of every person, each created in the image of God.
As living witnesses to the love of Jesus Christ, we desire to strengthen our life of prayer in community and individually, always aspiring to live as God’s loving children."
School
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School is a private school for boys and girls from preschool through eighth grade. The school feeds into Cardinal Gibbons Catholic High SchoolCardinal Gibbons High School (Raleigh, North Carolina)
Cardinal Gibbons High School is a private coeducational college-preparatory Catholic high school in Raleigh, North Carolina. Cardinal Gibbons and St. Thomas More Academy are the only Catholic high schools in Raleigh, and two of three high schools in the Diocese.Cardinal Gibbons was founded in 1909...
. Our Lady of Lourdes is a 2007 Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.
Athletics
Our Lady of Lourdes offers many sports for its students to participate in. The school plays against other local private and charter schools.- Girl's Sports: Cheerleading, Basketball, Lacrosse, Soccer, Volleyball, Cross Country
- Boy's Sports: Baseball, Basketball, Lacrosse, Soccer, Cross Country