Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church sits on Turner Road in Salem, Virginia, where it has served the Roanoke Valley since 1949. As a parish of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond - one of fifteen deaneries, with OLPH in Deanery 12 - the community worships in the ordinary form of the Roman Rite, celebrates the seven sacraments, and reaches outward to neighbors in Salem, across Virginia, and in a sister village in rural Haiti. The parish occupies a campus built in stages since the late 1960s, anchored today by a worship space that first opened for Mass in December 2004 and a Social Hall that has welcomed everything from wedding receptions to the parish picnic.
Sunday Mass and the Sunday Obligation
Weekend worship at OLPH centers on two celebrations. The Saturday Vigil Mass is celebrated at 5:00 PM, and the Sunday Mass is celebrated at 10:30 AM. The Sunday Mass is also livestreamed on the parish's Facebook page, so homebound parishioners and traveling family members can join remotely.
Visitors enter through glass doors on Turner Road into the Commons, the gathering space just outside the worship area. Worship aids sit in baskets along the way, and ushers are on hand to help with seating. Most parishioners describe their dress as smart casual - collared shirts, blouses, khakis, and skirts - though some arrive in suits and dresses and others in shorts and sandals. The parish asks only that clothing be modest and respectful. A few women wear traditional lace mantillas as a sign of devotion, but that is a personal choice. There is no expectation that visitors put anything in the collection basket; the basket is simply passed by.
Worship aids printed for each Sunday guide everyone through the order of Mass and the prayers, with cues for when to sit, stand, or kneel. Visitors who are not Catholic are warmly welcomed to follow the lead of those around them and are invited to come forward at Communion with arms crossed over the chest to receive a blessing instead of the Eucharist.
Weekday Mass, Confession, and Eucharistic Adoration
Beyond the weekend, OLPH keeps a steady rhythm of weekday worship and devotion.
Weekday Masses are celebrated Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday at 12:00 noon, and on Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered three times a week in the Reconciliation Room at the back of the worship space, near the sound booth. Confessions are heard on Tuesday from 11:00 to 11:45 AM, on Wednesday from 5:00 to 6:15 PM, and on Saturday from 3:30 to 4:30 PM. Additional times are added during Advent and Lent, and the pastor is available by appointment for anyone whose schedule does not fit those hours.
Eucharistic Adoration fills two windows on Wednesday afternoons and evenings, from 3:00 to 6:15 PM and again from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. Adorers commit to spend one hour each week in silent prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, displayed in a monstrance on the altar. All are welcome to drop in at any time during those windows, whether scheduled or not.
The Seven Sacraments at OLPH
OLPH prepares parishioners for every sacrament of the Catholic Church. The parish follows the diocese's standard pathway for children, with First Reconciliation typically celebrated in the fall of second grade and First Holy Communion the following spring. Both are preceded by parent meetings, classroom sessions, and a half-day retreat for First Communion families. Confirmation preparation is generally for teens in at least tenth grade and at least fifteen years old, with sessions beginning the fall before the sacrament is celebrated in the spring. Adults preparing for any of these sacraments go through the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) program.
Couples preparing for marriage are asked to contact the pastor at least six months before the desired wedding date. A priest or deacon then walks them through preparation sessions and wedding planning. Infant baptism is usually celebrated during Mass on the second weekend of the month, outside of Advent and Lent; parents complete a preparation class with one of the parish deacons before the baptism. The Anointing of the Sick is available for those facing serious illness, injury, or the effects of aging - parishioners simply contact the pastor, and a dedicated line (540-384-0386) handles sacramental emergencies.
The pastor, Father Kyle O'Connor, is supported in sacramental ministry by two deacons: Deacon John Beach, who recruits and coordinates liturgical ministers, and Deacon Eric Surat, who visits the sick and homebound and prepares parents for infant baptism. Together with the Coordinator of Music and the Coordinator of Religious Education, they form the team that brings the sacramental life of the parish to every age.
Faith Formation for Children and Youth
Religious education at OLPH runs from nursery age through high school and meets on Sunday mornings from mid-September through the end of April. Classes are not held on the first Sunday of the month, a long-standing rhythm that gives families one free Sunday each month.
The Nursery welcomes children from six months through three years during the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass, with check-in beginning at 10:15 AM. Background-checked caregivers and parent volunteers staff the room. The Nursery is generally closed on Christmas Eve, Easter Day, and during the months of July and August. Preschool, for ages three through five who have not yet started kindergarten, meets during the 10:30 AM Mass from 10:30 to 11:30 AM and introduces children to Scripture, prayer, ritual, and the Mass through an active learning environment.
Students in kindergarten through twelfth grade gather from 9:00 to 10:15 AM. Lessons are developmentally appropriate and cover the breadth of Catholic teaching, with room for personal reflection on the students' relationship with Jesus Christ and the Church. The Coordinator of Religious Education, Barbara Hairfield, oversees the program along with the Faith Formation Parish Team, a group of parents, catechists, and educators who help shape the parish's vision for family faith formation.
Vacation Bible School takes one week every June, running Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to noon for children ages three through twelve. The week includes music, crafts, storytelling, games, and snack time, with a different Bible story each year - recent themes have included an immersive rainforest setting that explored trusting Jesus in all circumstances.
Youth Ministry serves middle and high school teens. Besides meeting during religious education hours, the youth gather for hikes with the pastor on the Appalachian Trail, family game nights, the Diocesan Youth Conference in Richmond, the Diocesan Fearless Retreat in April, pancake breakfasts supporting charitable causes, and service projects such as serving meals at the Rescue Mission of Roanoke and organizing donations for Catholic Charities.
Becoming Catholic Through OCIA
Adults interested in the Catholic faith - whether unbaptized, already baptized in another Christian tradition, or Catholic and seeking to complete their sacraments of initiation - are welcomed into the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults. OCIA sessions meet on Sunday mornings from 9:00 to 10:15 AM, September through May, and walk inquirers through the core teachings of the Catholic Church, the sacraments, and the rhythm of parish life. Sponsors from the parish walk alongside each inquirer throughout the journey.
Older children who have not been baptized are prepared through a process tailored to their age and circumstances, coordinated with the Coordinator of Religious Education.
Adult Faith Formation and FORMED
Faith formation does not stop with the sacraments. Father Kyle leads a quarterly Lunch & Learn, gathering right after the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass to break open an aspect of Catholic teaching with lunch provided. The OLPH Book Club gathers parishioners around a single book each year for discussion - recent reading has included C. S. Lewis's The Great Divorce.
The parish also holds a parish subscription to FORMED, a digital platform that streams Catholic movies, documentaries, audio talks, children's programming, daily reflections, and Scripture studies at no charge to parishioners. Sign-up is through the FORMED website using the parish name or the zip code 24153.
Liturgical Ministries
Behind every Mass is a small army of volunteers. Altar Servers in fourth grade and up carry the processional cross, hold the Missal for the celebrant, and help prepare the altar, serving roughly one or two Masses a month after training. Lectors proclaim the Word of God at weekend and Holy Day Masses on a rotating schedule of about one or two Masses per month. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion share the Body and Blood of Christ with the assembly, prepare the Eucharistic vessels, and help with cleanup.
The OLPH Choir is a volunteer, non-auditioned ensemble for adults and high school youth who rehearse on Thursday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 PM during the school year and sing at Mass roughly monthly. The OLPH Children's Choir, for kindergarten through middle school, rehearses from 11:30 AM to 12:15 PM on most Sundays and sings at Mass about once a month. Sacristy volunteers keep vestments, linens, ritual books, candles, and the sanctuary lamp in order. Sound board operators run audio for weekend, Wednesday, and Holy Day liturgies, with training provided.
Ushers greet and seat the assembly, take up the collection, and distribute worship aids and bulletins. The Art and Environment team plans floral arrangements and other seasonal touches, with extra hands especially welcome at Christmas and Easter. The Funeral and Wedding Team assists the pastor in preparing the worship space and coordinating liturgical ministers for those celebrations.
Eucharistic Adorers commit to one hour each week in silent prayer during the Wednesday adoration windows. Volunteers also care for altar linens at home, helping with the cleaning and pressing of purificators and other cloths used at Mass.
The parish's scheduling for liturgical ministers is managed through Ministry Scheduler Pro (MSP), with current volunteers able to log in, update their availability, and request substitutes.
Fellowship Groups
Knights of Columbus Salem Council 10015 gathers all Catholic men of the parish ages eighteen and older on the third Monday of every month in the Social Hall. The parish chapter of the OLPH Women's Club meets on the first Tuesday evening of the month from August through May and welcomes all women of the parish, including non-Catholic spouses. The group combines fellowship, mutual support, and fundraising for special projects in the church and community.
Just Older Youth, or JOY, is the parish's senior fellowship for parishioners age fifty-five and older. JOY gathers for lunch and cards in the Social Hall on the third Wednesday of the month, takes trips, and reaches out to parishioners in need.
Several lay Catholic orders meet in the OLPH building. The Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites gathers on the second Saturday morning of the month, the Lay Dominicans on the third Saturday morning, and the Secular Franciscans on the fourth Sunday afternoon. The parish also hosts Cursillo, the three-day lay spiritual retreat movement that has been part of Catholic life since its beginnings in Majorca in the 1940s.
A Long Partnership with Haiti
Since 1996, OLPH has been twinned with Sacré-Cœur (Sacred Heart) Parish in Cabestor, in the central plateau region of Haiti. The partnership was founded by parishioner Dr. Tom Fame and focuses on long-term, community-led development rather than short-term relief. Parishioner donations support four main areas: community healthcare through local clinics and health programs, education by paying teacher salaries and student tuition at the parish school system, clean water and nutrition through filtration setups and food support, and job training and agriculture to generate reliable income in the rural Cabestor Valley.
Parishioners can support the Haiti Project with checks mailed to the parish office, gifts through online giving, or participation in occasional parish trips to the sister parish.
Local Outreach: Family Promise, Habitat, and St. Francis House
Beyond Haiti, OLPH carries out a steady rhythm of local outreach. Commonwealth Catholic Charities is a frequent partner; the parish collects food, clothing, and holiday gifts for foster children and other CCC clients, with financial gifts directed to CCC through online giving.
Family Promise of Roanoke helps families experiencing homelessness by providing overnight shelter at rotating area churches while families spend the day at the Family Center. OLPH hosts Family Promise families for one week every four or five months, with volunteers providing set-up and clean-up, evening meals, breakfast and lunch items, and overnight hosting.
OLPH supports Habitat for Humanity in the Roanoke Valley with both financial gifts and volunteer labor from parishioners who help build houses for local families in need.
Each month, the parish collects food and supplies for St. Francis House in Roanoke, an emergency food pantry operated by Commonwealth Catholic Charities. Grocery bags with requested items are distributed on the second Sunday of the month and returned by the third Sunday.
The Olive Branch Gift Shop
Tucked into the Blue Foyer across from the parish office is the Olive Branch, the only Catholic gift shop in southwestern Virginia. The shop carries religious books for adults and children, rosaries, saint medals, jewelry, prayer cards, greeting cards, crucifixes and statues, stuffed animals and toys, wall hangings, Advent wreaths and candles, and gifts for baptisms, First Communions, confirmations, weddings, and other occasions. Custom orders are possible when an item is not on the shelves.
Hours run Wednesdays from 4:00 to 6:00 PM, Saturdays from 3:00 to 4:45 PM, and before and after the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass. The shop is run by volunteers and welcomes anyone able to give one to three hours a month.
Social Hall Rental and Parish Facilities
The Social Hall, originally the parish's worship space before the current church was built in 2004, now hosts wedding receptions, parties, and business conferences. The hall seats up to 200 for a lecture-style event and up to 160 for a dinner, reception, or dance, with adjustable lighting, a wooden bar, a dance floor, a sound system, projector and screen, and an industrial kitchen. The reservation fee is $1,150 for up to four hours, with $150 for each additional hour, including insurance and cleaning; a $250 deposit holds the date. Parishioners of at least one year qualify for a discount.
Around the campus, parishioners move through the Commons for coffee before or after Mass, the Blue Foyer leading to offices and the library, and the Orange Foyer leading to the choir room, classrooms, and nursery. Outdoors, the grounds include a pavilion, a playground, a Stations trail, and a Mary Garden. The parish also uses a bus to pick up parishioners in assisted living for Sunday Mass and to bring Roanoke College students to Triduum liturgies.
How the Parish Grew
OLPH traces its roots to the 1940s, when Salem's Catholic community was served by Diocesan Missionary Fathers traveling in a mobile trailer that converted into a chapel for Mass - a chapel they named St. Mary of the Highway. In 1947, eight Catholic women in Salem petitioned the Diocese of Richmond to establish a parish. Two years later, in 1949, an Army chapel from North Carolina was moved to the corner of West Main and Green Streets - near the present-day Burger King - and the new parish began to grow under the care of the Redemptorist priests.
By 1969 the parish had outgrown that location, and a new building was constructed at the current Turner Road site, with offices, classrooms, and a worship space. As the parish continued to grow, that original worship area was renovated into the current Social Hall, and a new worship space was constructed. The first Mass was celebrated in the new church in December 2004. Since then, stained glass has been added and a new baptismal font installed. Today, OLPH is one of more than 140 parishes across the Diocese of Richmond's roughly 33,000 square miles of southern Virginia.
Visiting OLPH
OLPH sits at 314 Turner Road in Salem, just down the road from Walgreens and Walmart. A large parking lot is accessible directly from Turner Road, and the most direct route into the worship space is through the glass doors leading to the Commons. Hearing assistance devices are available at the Sound Booth in the back of the worship space. Children are always welcome in the pews, and a staffed nursery is open during the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass for ages six months through three years.
The parish office is generally open from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday, and can be reached at 540-387-0491 or office@olphsalem.org. Sacramental emergencies are handled through a dedicated line at 540-384-0386. Online giving is available through the parish's giving portal, and donations may also be mailed or delivered to the parish office. Newcomers can register online through Camino Life or pick up a paper registration form in the Commons.