Our Lady of the Assumption Roman Catholic Church stands at 35 Old Eagle School Road in Strafford, Pennsylvania. Rooted in the Italian immigrant community of the Main Line, the parish is known for its limestone Romanesque Revival church, its long tradition of lay service, and its welcome to people of all origins. Its worship, family formation, music and outreach remain closely connected.
A Church Born to Serve Italian Immigrants
At the beginning of the 20th century, immigrants from Abruzzo and other parts of southern and central Italy were settling in Strafford, Devon and Wayne. Most were Catholic, but they encountered language barriers and a lack of Italian-speaking priests. Many worked as builders, stonemasons, gardeners and chauffeurs while seeking a place where their faith could be lived in their own language.
One of those immigrants was Rosaria Cimini DiLorenzo, who came from Teramo in 1903 as an 18-year-old bride. In 1907, at 22 and the mother of two daughters, she wrote to Pope Pius X on behalf of the struggling community. Archbishop Ryan sent Father Aemilius Landolfi to establish a parish for Main Line Italians. Father Landolfi chose the name Our Lady of the Assumption from Santa Maria Assunta, the Cimini family's former parish church in Teramo.
- June 7, 1908: The parish's first wooden church was blessed.
- The small building had served as the Strafford Union Sunday School and was moved in March 1908 to its new location on Old Eagle School Road.
- Our Lady of the Assumption became the eighth Italian national parish in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
The Limestone Church on Old Eagle School Road
Father Antonio Scialabba, a priest from Messina, Sicily, took over in 1911. The parish had about 100 families, and Sunday plate collections rarely exceeded $10. Nevertheless, he and the parishioners promised free labor for a permanent stone church. They bought 1.5 acres in 1921, opened the cemetery and laid the cornerstone. The stone church was blessed on the Feast of the Assumption in 1922, and a two-story rectory was completed later that year. The $70,000 building left the parish with debt for the next 25 years.
The church was built on a basilica plan in the Romanesque Revival style, with semicircular arches. Its limestone came from a quarry in Howellville, was hauled to Strafford by horse and cart, and was shaped into blocks by parish stonemasons. During Father Francis Rauseo's pastorate, Mario Sgambati painted the ceiling, and an Allen organ was installed in 1999. Later work restored the stained glass, created an outdoor piazza, renovated the basement into the Sacred Heart Chapel, added an elevator for older and disabled parishioners, and improved drainage around the flood-prone lower church.
Behind the church, the parish cemetery dates to 1921 and has grown to include the St. Gabriel and St. Therese sections. A property across Old Eagle School Road, acquired in the late 1940s, serves as overflow parking.
An Italian Parish Open to All Origins
OLA began as a national parish for Italian immigrants. In 1955 it became national-territorial, opening membership to nearby residents of other backgrounds. An effort to restore territorial status in the 1980s was denied, and the Italian restriction remained until the early 2000s. OLA is an Italian National, or Personal, parish that welcomes people of all origins. Its mission work begun for the 2008 centennial sought to unite that cultural inheritance with the changing parish community, while the parish continues to greet newcomers with the word Benvenuti.
The parish has also maintained a broad identity beyond its immigrant beginnings. Altar servers, lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, greeters, ushers, musicians, teachers, artists and many other parishioners share in worship and the work of the parish.
Mass, Confession and Eucharistic Adoration
The parish keeps a clear and familiar rhythm of worship:
- Weekday Mass: 8:00 AM.
- Saturday: 9:00 AM Mass and 5:00 PM Vigil Mass.
- Sunday: 7:00 AM, 8:30 AM and 10:00 AM Masses.
- Confession: Saturday from 3:30 to 4:30 PM and by appointment.
- Eucharistic Adoration: Tuesday from 7:00 to 8:00 PM in the church.
Mass is the center of parish worship, with Scripture proclaimed by lectors, Holy Communion distributed by ordained ministers and extraordinary ministers, altar servers assisting at the altar, and ushers and greeters welcoming people. Cantors and choirs lead the assembly in song, while the Arts and Liturgical Environment ministry tends flowers, altar paraments and other visual elements in harmony with the season or celebration.
Holy days follow a separate pattern of a 7:00 PM vigil, with 8:00 AM and 12:05 PM Masses on weekdays and 9:00 AM on Saturday. The overflow property across Old Eagle School Road provides additional parking for worshippers.
Sacraments and Devotions Shaped by Mary
Parishioner registration is required for Baptism, Confirmation, Matrimony, Letters of Eligibility, service as a baptismal godparent or confirmation sponsor, and a tuition discount at Assumption Academy. Baptisms are celebrated on the first and third Sundays at 11:30 AM and may also occur within Mass at a family's request. Pre-Jordan preparation for parents and godparents is required and meets on the third Monday of each month.
Reconciliation is heard every Saturday from 3:30 to 4:30 PM, with additional weekday evenings during Advent and Lent and appointments available when the regular time does not work. The Anointing of the Sick may be requested for a homebound person, and preparation for surgery is offered after Mass.
Marriage preparation begins at least six months before the wedding. Saturday ceremonies begin at 1:00 PM, 1:30 PM or 2:00 PM, while Friday evening celebrations are arranged with the priest and couple. Funeral liturgies are scheduled Monday through Saturday. Families may choose Scripture readings and sacred music, and a visitation in the Sacred Heart Chapel often precedes the funeral Mass. A trained organist and cantor lead the music, guest vocalists may sing one hymn, and only sacred music is used.
Devotion to Mary is woven into the parish calendar. First Friday devotions follow the 8:00 AM Mass, and First Saturday devotions follow the 9:00 AM Mass. The Rosary is prayed 20 minutes before every Mass on the first full weekend of each month. An annual Forty Hours Devotion ordinarily takes place during the second week of Lent, and a May Procession and an annual Triduum honor Our Lady of the Assumption.
The parish teaches that Holy Baptism is the gateway to life in the Spirit and the beginning of Christian life, while Penance offers a path of conversion and restored grace after sin. Its five-part catechesis on the Mass, adapted from Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio's Exploring the Catholic Church, is intended to deepen understanding of the Mass. The Dry Mass, another OLA devotional, is the liturgy without the offertory, consecration and subsequent Communion.
Learning at Every Stage
Assumption Academy began when the parish elementary school opened in 1955 with 102 students in six grades. Enrollment reached 337 pupils in 1962, the school closed in 1976, and it reopened in 1982 as a preschool and kindergarten. The present Assumption Academy offers a Middle States accredited Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten program with religion, art, music and movement, role playing, language, mathematics, motor skills, story time, cooking and science. It provides religious formation while welcoming students and respecting their faith traditions.
The Academy's CARES program serves working parents from 3:00 to 6:00 PM. Together with early drop-off and Lunch Bunch, it provides full-day coverage from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Within the parish, PREP provides religious education for children, and the annual May Procession includes PREP students and the wider parish family.
The Youth Group welcomes young people in grades 6 through 12 for friendship, faith discussion, social activities, fundraising and service both within the parish and in the community. Its approach places service at the table where young people gather, learn and have fun together.
Adult faith formation is offered particularly during Advent and Lent, with opportunities to study Catholic teaching, church history and current issues. The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults welcomes those entering the Catholic Church, those completing sacraments and Catholics seeking to live Christ's values more deeply. Its process includes the Precatechumenate, Catechumenate, Purification and Enlightenment during Lent, and Mystagogy after Baptism.
Women's Bible Study meets Wednesday evenings from 6:45 to 8:00 PM in the Sacred Heart Chapel or through Zoom. Each session combines a short video with discussion, requires no homework or previous study experience, and is open to anyone who wishes to attend. IHM Companions in Prayer and Ministry meets on the second Thursday from 10:00 to 11:30 AM, with an alternate second-Wednesday meeting from 7:00 to 8:30 PM during October through May. In Cooking with Kids, older parishioners teach Assumption Academy kindergarteners to prepare food each week, passing along traditions through shared meals.
Outreach That Reaches Beyond the Parish
OLA Outreach is built around donated time, talent and material. Throughout the year, the parish collects and distributes nonperishable food and clothing. Items go to individuals in the area as well as the Patrician Society, Missionary Sisters of Charity and Piarist missions on the East Coast. Donations include pantry food, diapers, wipes, baby food, bottles, formula and cleaning supplies.
Parishioners also prepare frozen casseroles for parish and local families in need. Pans and recipes are available in the Giving Room, and casseroles are labeled with their main ingredients and heating instructions for families dealing with food allergies. Outreach members assemble gifts, cards and booklets for homebound parishioners and people in skilled nursing care, while Extraordinary Ministers, the Legion of Mary and IHM Sisters assist with visits. Poor Boxes in the vestibule and Candle Room help fund this work, and the parish also collects knitted and crocheted hats, scarves and baby blankets for the NICU at Bryn Mawr Hospital.
The Parish Pastoral Council also directs people toward support for domestic abuse, grief, addiction, recovery, family transitions and senior care through Catholic Social Services, Stephen Ministry, Hope in Christ, Augustine Brothers, Divorce and Beyond and Trinity Senior Transition. This wider network reflects the parish approach of combining direct assistance with practical referral and accompaniment.
Parish Giving supports the mission with one-time or recurring donations by credit card, debit card or bank account. Online giving complements the traditional offertory and provides consistent support for parish ministries.
Music and the Work of Many Hands
The Music Ministry seeks to instruct and inspire the congregation to participate actively in the Liturgy. Choir members and cantors lead the assembly in song, with newcomers welcomed into both roles and trained in the music they serve. Their work supports the prayer of the community and gives voice to the Church's worship.
The Youth Choir serves boys and girls in grades 2 through 8. Thursday afternoon rehearsals in the Upper Room teach note reading, dynamics, harmony and healthy vocal technique. No audition is required, and the choir's repertoire includes Latin and Spanish selections. It enhances the Eucharistic Liturgy once a month and at special celebrations.
The Liturgy Board coordinates Scripture proclamation, Communion ministry, music, altar service, hospitality and the worship environment. Altar servers receive training and wear a simple alb and cincture while helping at the altar of the Word and the altar of the Eucharist. Lectors proclaim the Scriptures, while extraordinary ministers assist at Mass and bring Holy Communion and the Sunday readings to homebound parishioners. The Worship and Fellowship Committee works across ages to encourage spiritual growth, belonging and service within the Catholic community.
Italian Traditions, Shared Service
The parish's historic August feast honored Our Lady of the Assumption with three days of prayer, a Solemn High Mass, an Italian band, games, food prepared by parish women and fireworks. For years, people traveled from miles around for the celebration. The annual Italian Festival and Christmas Bazaar continue that combination of Italian tradition, parish fellowship and fundraising. Parish bakers contribute to Palm Sunday, festival and bazaar bake sales, while bingo, Ladies Night Out and other social gatherings bring generations together.
Spiritual and service organizations also reflect the parish's many expressions of faith. The Sodality, Legion of Mary, Lay Carmelites, Living Bridges, Right for Life, Knights of Columbus and Missionary Servants of Holy Love each offer a distinct form of prayer, advocacy or service. The Missionary Servants gather for a weekly Tuesday Rosary in the Sacred Heart Chapel, praying for an end to abortion, for priests, for peace and for conversion.
A Parish Centered on the Altar and the Neighbor
Father Gerald P. Carey has served as pastor since 2017, and Father Augustin Kassa, SMA, is in residence. Anne Sprissler directs Music Ministry, Sister Rita Marian Angelilli directs Religious Education and leads the Youth Group, Mildred Slifer leads the Youth Choir, and Vince Caprio and Diane Norcini guide Outreach Ministry. Their work is supported by a large network of parishioners who serve as readers, singers, musicians, teachers, greeters, ushers, ministers, volunteers and donors.
At Our Lady of the Assumption, that combination remains the defining story: an Italian parish that lives out Catholic worship through families, music, education, care for the sick and homebound, and practical generosity toward neighbors near and far. Strafford's OLA remains centered on the altar, on the people gathered around it and on service that reaches beyond the church doors.