Our Lady of Lourdes at 100 Walnut St,, Montoursville, PA 17754 US - Our History

From a first Mass around the table of the Beatty homestead, 1400 Fairview Drive, celebrated by the Rev. Hubert G. McGranaghan of the Church of the Resurrection on Sunday, December 7th, 1941 and again of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8th, an early band of Catholics in Montoursville committed their services to God and began the formation of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish.

Subsequent Sundays found the Masses being offered in the Masonic Hall, where a $10 rental fee was underwritten by the few members contributing $1 per week. The church at 424 Broad Street was made possible in July 1942, with the purchases of the George Weaver home for the rectory and the large brick barn in the rear for the church, later offering a seating capacity for 175 parishioners.

Rev. T. Otto Boor, an assistant at St. Boniface Church in Williamsport, was assigned the duties of Pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes, and we gained full status as a parish in the Diocese of Scranton. Formal dedication took place on December 13, 1942 by the Bishop, the Most Rev. William J. Hafey.

Events happened rapidly following our acceptance as a formal parish, for Father Boor soon had St. Ann’s Mission in Loyalsock Township up and running, and then assumed Pastoral duties there. His replacement, Rev, Alexander Moriarity in May 1959, served until his untimely death August 2nd.

Father McDonough’s spiritual leadership and guidance put the parish in the forefront of the many changes dictated by the Second Vatican Council. Lectors and Commentators were assigned, Parish councils formed, the Cursillo Movements established with Father becoming its diocesan spiritual director. His leadership identified us as “the model parish, years ahead in its spiritual development”.

Through the following years the parish grew financially and physically, adding a new rectory on ground, burning the mortgages quickly through the many, many fund-raising activities.

From the original 27 members in the formation parish operating with a $10 per week expense, growing in the interim, with a parish budget of approximately $10,000 we now register 547+ families and operate with a budget exceeding $225,000.

Older parishioners remember the many past efforts, hard work and enjoyable events encountered over the history of our church – the Labor Day Chicken Bar-b-q’s, bingo, the variety shows produced in the hall.

Many were the fine musical groups, back in the old church and later in the 70’s and 80’s, when we boasted a Children’s Choir, a Chancel Choir, and yes, even a Men’s Choir, a Folk Groups, all led and directed by dedicated persons.

Our hall has served the community in a number of ways, and is currently offered for wedding receptions, birthdays parties of young and the old, as well as bloodmobile visits, a Senior Citizens Center, and various social group meetings.

In 1972 during the Agnes flood, the hall was offered as a refuge for those made homeless by the raging waters of the Loyalsock Creek, and yes, sadly, following the tragic Flight 800 disaster it served as a funeral parlor for the return of many of its victims, our young parishioners.

Today as before, its serves as a teaching center for the CCD classes and Bible study sessions, and occasional parish dinner, always the bingo center and of course the annual Flea Market, catering events for wedding receptions, and other affairs continue.

In it’s relatively short history Our Lady of Lourdes became a parish envied by many other parishes in the Scranton Diocese. A parish recognized for the dedication of the army of volunteers who willingly gave of their free time to accomplish the multiple fund-raising drives that were necessitated to overcome the financial indebtedness of the parish.

To those who served our parish so well, in the past, to the many dedicated priests and deacons who directed our prayers and spiritual efforts, and to the many of those parishioners of the parish who may have already gone before us to join the Lord, we must remember all in our prayers. May God always smile on our parishioners and may our parishioners always maintain a highly recognized, respected parish in the Diocese of Scranton, dedicated and blessed by Our Lady of Lourdes.