A Parish Built on a Hillside in Southwick
Our Lady of the Lake Parish gathers each week on Sheep Pasture Road in the small town of Southwick, Massachusetts, where it has served Catholics in the western reaches of Hampden County for more than seven decades. The parish is part of the Diocese of Springfield and describes itself with a simple mission: Loving Christ, Loving Others. Members strive for a living faith in Jesus Christ, nourished by the Eucharist and guided by the Holy Spirit, sharing the Gospel, encouraging youth, and welcoming anyone who is in need. The parish sees itself as the people of God, called by Baptism to proclaim the Gospel through worship, prayer, and service to Southwick and the towns around it.
From Basement Church to Steeple-Top Parish
The story of Our Lady of the Lake begins in 1945, when Father James Kirby, pastor of St. Mary's Church in Westfield, announced that a Catholic church would be built on Sheep Pasture Road. Construction started on September 1, 1947, on three acres of land donated by Daniel and Mrs. Keenan Sr. A basement church was finished in time for Easter 1948, when the first Mass was celebrated in the new space.
For three more years the basement served as the worship space. On June 24, 1951, Bishop Christopher J. Weldon established Our Lady of the Lake as its own parish and appointed Father Thomas A. Shea as its first pastor. Father Shea and his parishioners continued to worship in the cellar church while the present upper structure rose above it. The handsome colonial edifice was completed by Christmas 1961, and Bishop Weldon solemnly dedicated it on January 6, 1962.
Eight pastors have shaped the parish since 1951. Father Thomas S. Hanrahan cleared the parish of debt and acquired the Chapman Estate to the south of the church (1964 to 1968). Father James P. Sears renovated the Chapman house as a convent and improved the rectory and church (1968 to 1970), the year Bishop Weldon extended parish territory to include the towns of Granville and Tolland. Father James J. Flahive redecorated the church, welcomed the Sisters of St. Joseph, and built a parish pavilion (1970 to 1979). Father James Menge oversaw the 1981 steeple, the handicap elevator, and renovation of the downstairs hall (1979 to 1993). Father Timothy Hallahan painted the interior and added air conditioning (1993 to 2003). Father Henry Dorsch led a capital effort that produced the parish Faith Formation Center, blessed by Bishop McDonnell in 2013 (2003 to 2019). Father Matthew Guidi, who arrived from St. Mary of the Assumption in Cheshire, served as eighth pastor from 2019 to 2025, was named Dean of the Hampden West Deanery, and served as pastoral administrator of St. John the Evangelist in Agawam before transferring to St. Mary, Lady of the Church in Lee. The rectory was renovated during his tenure. Father Alexander Asamoah, who came from Holy Name Catholic Church in Springfield, became Administrator in Residence in July 2025.
Mass Schedule and Reconciliation
Weekend Mass is offered on Saturday evening at 4:00 p.m. as the vigil, and on Sunday morning at 8:00 and 10:00 a.m. Weekday Mass is celebrated Monday through Thursday at 8:30 a.m. Three novenas follow the weekday liturgies: the Miraculous Medal Novena after Tuesday Mass, the St. Joseph Novena after Wednesday Mass, and the St. Jude Novena after Thursday Mass.
Confessions are heard on Saturday from 3:00 to 3:45 p.m. The pastor is also available to hear confession by appointment through the parish office. The faithful are encouraged to arrive early for Mass, to spend a few minutes in quiet prayer before liturgy begins, and to introduce themselves as visitors so a greeter or parishioner can lend a hand.
The Sacraments Celebrated at the Parish
Our Lady of the Lake celebrates all seven sacraments. Baptism, often conferred on infants shortly after birth, is the gateway to the divine life and frees the baptized from original and actual sin. Adults are normally baptized at the Easter Vigil through the restored Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, while Christians validly baptized in another tradition are received into full communion without rebaptism. Symbols of water, oil, light, and the white garment mark the celebration.
Eucharist stands at the center of parish life. The parish teaches that the Risen Jesus is truly and substantially present in the consecrated bread and wine, and that the priest, through ordination and the Holy Spirit, brings about this transubstantiation. Catholics who have made First Communion are invited to receive at Mass unless conscious of mortal sin, in which case the Sacrament of Penance is to be received first.
Penance (the Sacrament of Reconciliation) follows four steps: contrition for sins, confession to a priest, absolution, and a renewed resolve to live a Christian life. Anointing of the Sick is offered to anyone struggling with illness, not only at the moment of dying, and may be celebrated communally or within the Eucharist. Marriage is taught as an unbreakable covenant imaging the relationship between Christ and the Church, while Holy Orders continues the apostolic work through bishops, priests, and deacons. Confirmation perfects baptismal grace by anointing with chrism oil and the laying on of hands by the bishop, conferring the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Becoming Catholic Through OCIA
The parish runs the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), the communal process for forming new members of the Catholic Church. The OCIA team walks with inquirers through the ancient steps restored by the Second Vatican Council. The journey begins with the Pre-Catechumenate, a Period of Inquiry in which seekers acknowledge that Christ is calling them into the Church. Catechumens (unbaptized adults) and candidates (already baptized Christians from another tradition) move through the Rite of Initiation, the long Catechumenate of study, the Rite of Election when they are chosen by the bishop and community, and finally the reception of the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil. The Easter celebration is followed by Mystagogy, a period of reflection on the mysteries of the faith.
People exploring the Catholic faith are warmly welcomed to begin wherever they are. The parish suggests a simple starting prayer, an honest conversation with the pastor, or simply showing up at Mass and joining in whatever prayers or songs feel familiar. The back door of Marian Hall leads up a ramp into the main church, and a back parking lot keeps the route easy for first-time visitors.
Faith Formation for Every Age
Faith Formation at Our Lady of the Lake is offered in collaboration with St. John the Evangelist in Agawam. The program serves children preparing for the sacraments as well as adults seeking a deeper understanding of Catholic teaching. The parish considers formation a lifelong work and invites parishioners to explore the many opportunities for growth beyond the Sunday classroom, including OCIA, the parish cenacle, and the parish's resources for prayer and study.
Ministries for Every Parishioner
The parish supports a wide range of ministries that invite parishioners to share their gifts. Liturgical roles include altar server (open to boys and girls from grade 3 and above after five weeks of training), lector, Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, sacristan, and music ministry with vocal and instrumental volunteers. Altar flowers are arranged by a volunteer team, and greeters welcome parishioners as they arrive at Mass, while ushers help people to their seats and take up the collection.
Pastoral and finance councils guide the parish. The Pastoral Council meets the third Monday of the month from September to June and oversees the liturgical and spiritual life of the parish. The Finance Council meets quarterly and as needed to advise the pastor on income, expenses, budget, and financial decisions. Offertory counters serve about once a month to count the weekly collection.
Parish devotion and prayer gatherings include Praise and Worship on the first Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in Marian Hall, and the Pray Cenacle with Eucharistic Adoration on the first Saturday of each month at 11:00 a.m. The cenacle is also available by conference call every Saturday at 11:00 a.m. at 712-432-3900, access code 025898. The Knights of Columbus Rev. Thomas A. Shea Council 11178 gathers in the St. Matthew room in Marian Hall on the first and third Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m.
Outreach is anchored by the parish Soup Kitchen, which meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 2:00 p.m. Volunteers gather at Marian Hall (the Faith Formation Center) to prepare and serve a meal, with sign-up sheets posted on the main bulletin board.
Beliefs, Prayer, and the Liturgical Year
Our Lady of the Lake teaches the beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church: the Holy Trinity, the Incarnation, the Paschal Mystery of Christ's death and resurrection, the communion of saints, and the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. The parish shares the Nicene Creed each Sunday at Mass and walks the universal liturgical year through Advent, Christmas, Lent, the Triduum, Easter, and Ordinary Time, concluding with the Solemnity of Christ the King. Solemnities, feasts, and memorials mark additional days of reverence for special events and saints.
The parish shares Catholic essentials such as the Ten Commandments, the two greatest commandments, the eight Beatitudes, the fourteen Stations of the Cross, the seven Last Words of Christ, the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit, the three theological virtues and four cardinal virtues, the corporal and spiritual Works of Mercy, the Precepts of the Church, and the four marks of the Church: one, holy, catholic, and apostolic.
Prayer is taught as communion, both public and personal, spoken and silent. The parish introduces traditional prayers - the Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Act of Contrition, and Hail, Holy Queen - along with contemporary practices such as silent prayer and meditation, Lectio Divina on a Scripture passage, and keeping a prayer journal. The parish is led by the Pope as successor of Peter, in communion with the bishops, and works and prays for Christian unity with other believers.
Pastoral Leadership and Parish Staff
The parish staff is led by Father Alexander Asamoah, Administrator in Residence. Timothy Murphy serves as Pastoral and Administrative Assistant. Lerryn Godden is the Business Finance Manager, and Marguerite Paige serves as Administrative Assistant. Roxanne Casiello directs Religious Education, and Lisa Baxer serves as Child Advocate. Bernadine (Bernie) Laquerre and Jullette Mason serve as Sacristans.
Parishioners may register as new members through the parish registration form, sign up for faith formation, prepare for baptism, marriage, or the OCIA journey, sign in for the Soup Kitchen, or join one of the many liturgical and pastoral ministries that keep the parish running week by week. Online giving makes stewardship simple and supports the work of the parish from any device. The parish also points newcomers to FORMED, the Diocese of Springfield, and other Catholic resources for ongoing formation.
Welcoming the Whole Town and the Towns Beyond
From its beginnings on a donated three-acre parcel in the late 1940s to a Catholic community that now extends its territory to Granville and Tolland, Our Lady of the Lake has remained a parish shaped by its pastors and its people. The colonial edifice on Sheep Pasture Road, the Marian Hall, and the Faith Formation Center built during Father Dorsch's tenure together form a campus where Mass is celebrated, the sacraments are received, children are formed, the hungry are fed on the second Tuesday of each month, and the local Knights of Columbus gather twice a month. Parishioners and visitors alike are invited to come as they are, to take a seat, and to join a community that has been welcoming neighbors into the life of Christ in Southwick for more than seventy years.