Our Lady of Lourdes Parish is a Roman Catholic parish at 3850 Lourdes Drive in Decatur, Illinois. Its identity is centered on worship, discipleship, service, and love: the parish describes itself as a Catholic community gathered through Baptism and calls people to worship in liturgical celebrations, learn the teachings of Jesus, serve those inside and beyond the parish, and honor Christ's two great commandments of love. The parish is known for daily Mass, a Spanish Sunday Mass, formation from childhood through adulthood, and service rooted in family life, scouting, meal service, grief support, and mission work.
Mass, Confession, and the Week at Lourdes
Mass forms the center of parish life, supported by a steady schedule of weekday, Sunday, and Spanish celebrations.
- Daily Mass is celebrated at 7:00 a.m. Monday through Friday.
- A second Mass is celebrated at 2:00 p.m. on Thursdays during the school year.
- The Sunday Vigil is at 4:30 p.m., followed by Sunday Masses at 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.
- The 11:30 a.m. Sunday Mass is celebrated in Spanish.
- Reconciliation is offered Thursday from noon to 1:00 p.m. and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to noon in St. Anne's Chapel.
The parish welcomes all to its liturgical celebrations, and the 9:30 a.m. Sunday Mass includes a special Liturgy of the Word for children in grades 1 through 4. Spanish is central to the 11:30 a.m. celebration, where Sr. Maria Lina Ramos serves as Hispanic Ministry Coordinator. The parish office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and closed on Fridays and weekends.
A Liturgy Shaped by Song and Service
Liturgy is the central focus of Our Lady of Lourdes. The Liturgy Committee oversees the elements that shape worship, from the greeting at the door through prayer, song, the proclamation of the Word, and the Eucharistic celebration. The parish has many ministries in which people take part in that work.
- Greeters welcome arrivals at least 20 minutes before Mass.
- Lectors proclaim the first and second scripture readings before the Gospel.
- Eucharistic Ministers distribute the Body and Blood of Christ, with training offered twice a year.
- Giftbearer Families bring the gifts of bread and wine to the altar.
- Ushers serve as greeters, information centers, collection assistants, traffic directors, and emergency contacts.
- Sacristans and Altar Servers assist with the altar and the ministers, with students in fourth grade or older invited to serve.
Music gives each celebration a distinctive character. An Ensemble serves at the 9:30 a.m. Mass on the second and fourth Sundays, while a Folk Group serves at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on those same Sundays. The parish also has OLOL Chimers, handbells, the OLOL School Children's Choir, and band students at Friday Mass. Cantors and accompanists minister at the other celebrations. The Art and Environment Committee uses color, decoration, and seasonal symbols to evoke Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time throughout the liturgical year.
Children Take Their Place in the Liturgy
The 9:30 a.m. Sunday Mass gives children in grades 1 through 4 a role in sharing God's Word at a level they can understand and connect to everyday life. This Liturgy of the Word is designed to help young people participate in the Mass rather than simply observe it.
The Parish School of Religion serves grades 1 through 8 on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. during the school year. Public-school students are encouraged to attend, and volunteer teachers provide the instruction. The parish estimates that the program usually serves about 150 students with 15 teachers, making it one of the larger parts of its formation work.
Parental involvement is built into sacramental preparation. Children prepare for First Reconciliation in second grade and receive First Holy Communion and Confirmation in third grade through the parish school or Parish School of Religion. Informational meetings for parents are held before each sacrament. This sequence reflects the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois practice of receiving Confirmation before First Communion, allowing the two sacraments of Christian initiation to be celebrated together in third grade.
A Weekly Path Toward Catholic Discipleship
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults welcomes unbaptized adults, people baptized in another religion or Christian tradition, baptized Catholics who have not received First Eucharist and Confirmation, and Catholics seeking fuller initiation. Weekly gatherings combine prayer, Scripture study, discussion, and an examination of the sacraments, theology, liturgical life, and parish life.
OCIA is presented as a flexible four-step journey rather than a single program. Inquiry classes begin with questions and continue through preparation for the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, and Profession of Faith. Adult baptism is also arranged through this process. For adults who have already been baptized but have not received all the sacraments of initiation, the same journey offers a structured way to deepen their understanding of Catholic discipleship and sacramental life.
Adoration, Reconciliation, and the Seven Sacraments
Eucharistic Adoration is held every Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in St. Anne's Chapel. People may come at any time during the day to pray for special intentions, vocations, peace, respect and dignity for life, praise, and thanksgiving. Reconciliation is offered Thursday from noon to 1:00 p.m. and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to noon in the chapel, with appointments available for other times. The parish teaches that Reconciliation is required at least once a year and encourages its frequent reception as a way to deepen discipleship.
Our Lady of Lourdes prepares people for all seven sacraments:
- Baptism: Parents preparing for an infant's baptism meet with a priest for instruction. Baptisms traditionally take place during or after the 4:30 p.m. Saturday Mass or the 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. Sunday Masses. Children older than the age of reason receive Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion, while adults prepare through OCIA.
- Confirmation: Confirmation seals a baptized person with the Holy Spirit and strengthens them to witness to Christ. In the local diocesan order, it is received before First Communion in third grade.
- Eucharist: The Mass proclaims the Word and makes present Christ's Body and Blood. The parish describes the Eucharist as the source and summit of Christian life and encourages weekly participation.
- Reconciliation: Through confession to a priest and absolution in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a person receives forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God and the Church.
- Anointing of the Sick: This sacrament is for those with grave illness, advanced age, or danger of death. It offers spiritual strengthening and consolation, and Holy Communion may accompany it as viaticum for those nearing death.
- Holy Orders: The sacrament continues the apostolic mission through the episcopate, presbyterate, and diaconate. Priests teach, govern, and sanctify, while deacons assist with liturgy, charity, and care.
- Matrimony: Matrimony is understood as a lifelong sacramental covenant. Couples are encouraged to begin preparation with a priest at least six months before their intended wedding date.
Funeral liturgies accompany families through the death of a loved one, with the Church's funeral rites offering comfort, prayer, and hope. The parish also schedules funeral Masses and supports families through the funeral luncheon ministry.
Lunches, Grief Care, Visits, and Mission
Parish volunteers prepare and serve lunch at the Good Samaritan Inn Soup Kitchen on the first Monday of each month from 9:00 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. Volunteers may choose shifts of approximately two hours, making this a flexible way to contribute to a direct community need.
Bereavement support is available to individuals and families, and the Living With Loss Support Group meets at the parish on the first Monday of the month, or the second Monday when the first is a holiday. The ministry's monthly rhythm brings together people dealing with the pain of death and the loss of someone dear.
The Visitation Circle serves sick, homebound, hospitalized, and nursing-home residents, including residents of Pershing Estates, Keystone Meadows, and Keystone Gardens. Visitors bring the Eucharist to hospitals and assisted-living centers and to the homebound as requested. The ministry also organizes projects such as seasonal meals, a holiday gathering, and cards made by parish students for people living in isolation.
Mission activity reaches beyond Decatur. Rosary Makers makes cord rosaries for missionaries and lay ministers serving at home and abroad, with training provided. The parish supports St. James the Apostle in Guatemala through a monthly collection after the third Sunday Masses. A Pro-Life Commission organizes parish activities and maintains a connection with the New Life Pregnancy Center, while Natural Family Planning classes are offered through St. Mary's Hospital in Decatur.
Scouting, Women, and a Shared Parish Life
Scouting is a substantial family ministry at Our Lady of Lourdes. Cub Scouts are open to boys in grades 1 through 5, with weekly den meetings and monthly pack meetings. The Boy Scout troop serves boys in grades 6 through 12, meets weekly during the school year, and adds a monthly outdoor activity such as camping or hiking. Girl Scout troops for girls ages 5 through 18 are divided into Daisies, Brownies, Juniors, Cadettes, and Seniors, with most troops meeting twice monthly after school.
The Council of Catholic Women welcomes women of the parish for fellowship and service through educational seminars, trips, luncheons, fashion shows, and craft workshops. The Pastoral Council advises the pastor, identifies parish needs, and works on practical responses to those needs. The Finance Council assists with the annual budget and reviews financial reports. A Welcoming Committee helps new families enter parish life through personal contact, a welcome from the pastor, and letters sent to new families.
The Library, Gift Shop, and Ministry Scheduler
The Gift Shop is at the church's west exit and opens after the weekend Masses. Volunteers assist with books, Bibles, rosaries, crucifixes, crosses, statuary, music, jewelry, sacramental gifts, and seasonal religious articles. The parish library, near the Red Room, catalogs hundreds of books, tapes, and videos for knowledge and spiritual growth, including Catholic encyclopedias, works about saints, and Bibles. Reference books remain in the library, while other materials may be checked out.
Ministry scheduling is handled through Ministry Scheduler Pro, which gives ministers a way to submit availability, request substitutions, and view upcoming schedules through a parish portal or mobile app. A weekly newsletter is available by email, and giving is available through online giving.
A Long Line of Priests and Current Leaders
Fr. Christopher Trummer serves as pastor, with Fr. Wayne Stock and Fr. Charles Delano serving as parochial vicars. Sr. Maria Lina Ramos, MAG, coordinates Hispanic Ministry, and Jami Snow coordinates pastoral care. These roles place liturgy, formation, Spanish ministry, and care for those in need among the parish's central responsibilities.
The succession of pastors shows a long institutional history. Rev. John H. Ratchford served from 1958 to 1966, followed by Rev. Joseph T. Murray, Rev. Patrick J. Holloran, SJ, Rev. James P. O'Hara, Rev. Leo F. Sestak, and Rev. Kevin B. Sullivan. Most Rev. Kevin W. Vann served from 1992 to 2001, followed by Rev. Richard W. Weltin, Rev. Michael A. Friedel, Rev. Braden Maher, and Rev. Jason P. Stone. Fr. Trummer began serving as pastor in 2026.
Love of God and Neighbor at the Center
Our Lady of Lourdes gathers these ministries into a single Catholic community. Its mission calls people to worship through liturgical celebrations, learn the teachings of Jesus as discipleship grows, serve God's people in a spirit of stewardship, and gather around the two great commandments of love. From daily Mass and children's Scripture to Spanish worship, adult initiation, scouting, soup kitchen service, grief support, home visits, and mission work, Our Lady of Lourdes continues to shape its life around worship, formation, service, and love in Decatur.