‘Unity in diversity’
MONROE — May 10 marked the 80th anniversary of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish. Nearly 1,000 parishioners joined their pastor, Father Benjamin Roberts, for a celebration at the Union County Agricultural Center throughout the day.
Parishioners of all ages were treated to complimentary food and beverages, family-friendly games, an inflatable slide and bounce house.
Father Roberts has served the diverse community for a decade, guiding his flock through the pandemic by offering outdoor Masses rain or shine at the Lourdes Grotto on the church campus and hearing confessions on the steps of the parish activity center for the better part of a year.
The May 10 anniversary celebration was a time when the parish community of longtime Union County families and many newcomers from across Latin America could all finally enjoy some moments of levity in wake of the pandemic and a fire that destroyed the parish offices and damaged the original chapel and rectory.
“We had a wonderful celebration,” Father Roberts said. “We were celebrating unity in diversity and also, like the tree we used for the anniversary logo, that we are deeply rooted in Christ in Monroe.”
Our Lady of Lourdes Church was established in 1942 to meet the needs of Catholic servicemen and their growing families stationed at nearby Camp Sutton during World War II. Several religious orders staffed the parish over the years.
As Charlotte and the surrounding areas have grown, so this humble parish has swelled in enrollment over the past eight decades. It is now home to a predominantly Hispanic population.
It is interesting to note that while Bishop Peter Jugis was pastor of the parish in 2003, he received the call from Rome to become the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Charlotte.
Parishioners of all ages gathered for the anniversary celebration May 10. (Photos provided by Our Lady of Lourdes Parish)
Parishioners of all ages gathered for the anniversary celebration May 10 at the Union County Agricultural Center.
Father Roberts and members of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish enjoy the 80th anniversary celebration May 10.
He delivered a videotaped congratulatory message to his former parish at the May 10 celebration.
Nancy Arizmendi has been a parishioner of Our Lady of Lourdes Church since 1997, when she came to the parish with her family as a child. She remembers
“Father Jugis” and appreciated his remarks.
“Bishop’s video was nice,” she said. “The celebration was like a family reunion. It was a joyous occasion. The turnout was amazing!”
Arizmendi is bilingual, and as a member of the anniversary committee, she was instrumental in assisting parishioners at the event by helping to translate Spanish to English and vice versa as needed.
“Since Father Benjamin has been here, he has worked on blending our communities,” she explained. “(Before) we were each to own language (attending separate Masses). But now we have bilingual things. We can see each other more now that Father is offering the homily in both languages. I see all of us blending like a big family now.”
The anniversary committee chair, Laura Laurenzana, is thankful for Arizmendi’s efforts. “Of course, in a diverse parish, there are always challenges with language barriers. I appreciate that volunteers like Nancy helped bridge those barriers. That is the true spirit of charity and love of neighbor.”
To inspire charity in the community and to commemorate the anniversary, the parish distributed a commemorative prayer card at the celebration. It features a quote from St. Bernadette Soubirous of Lourdes and states, “Let us pray for each other that Our Lord will give us the grace to be saints.”
“That’s what Our Lord calls us for,” Laurenzana said. “It’s always in the end about Jesus and His message of redemption, and in getting to heaven in the company of all the saints.”
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter
Learn more
Read a detailed history of Our Lady of Lourdes Church on the parish’s website at www.ourladymonroe.org.
After fire destroyed the parish office, new building nears completion
The repair of the original Our Lady of Lourdes Church is nearing completion as part of a fire restoration project at the Monroe parish. (Photo provided by Diocese of Charlotte Office of Properties) MONROE — In the morning hours of July 27, 2020 the pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Father Benjamin Roberts, got word that the church offices, chapel and original parish rectory were ravaged by a pre-dawn fire.
When he arrived at the church property on Deese Street, fire crews were still working the scene. No one was hurt in the blaze, but the parish office, including its archives, was a complete loss. The chapel and former rectory were also damaged.
Now, two years later, the effort to rebuild and restore the buildings is nearly complete – despite months of delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Built in 1945, the chapel is the parish’s original church. It was built in 1945, and the former rectory was constructed two years later. An office space was built to connect those two buildings in the 1980s. It was those brick walls of the office which prevented the fire from spreading further into the former chapel and rectory.
The $1.6 million renovation project is being paid for primarily with insurance claim funds.
“We have been through so much. It still doesn’t seem real. It’s been such a long process with the fire and the pandemic,” Father Roberts said.
He and his staff have been without an adequate office space for nearly two years. They set up a temporary office for the staff in the parish activity center, while
Father Roberts has worked from the dining room table in his rectory or at any available space he has been able to find.
He and staff members recently toured the nearly completed space, and he admits it was a bit emotional. “I’ve not had a settled place to work, and to be able to do that again is overwhelming. The completion of this building is the end of a very long and difficult journey.”
Father Roberts and parish staff will move into their offices in early June. The chapel restoration will take a little longer, with anticipated completion in mid-June.
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter. Kimberly Bender, online reporter, contributed.
Historical highlights of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish
1942: Camp Sutton, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers training site, is established on the east side of Monroe in March. The camp brings thousands of Catholic soldiers from all parts of the country. About 16,000 soldiers in 49 units train at the base throughout World War II.
1942: Our Lady of Lourdes Parish is established by Father James Hudson and Father Patrick Hanley on May 10. Father Hudson offers the first public Mass on May 31, 1942, in the Center Theatre on Main Street. About 500 Catholic soldiers and their families attend. The parish’s first home is in a Maurice Street residence renovated to accommodate a chapel, an office and a living area for the priests.
1942: Father Hudson buys land in November to construct Our Lady of Lourdes Church at the corner of East Franklin and Deese streets.
1945: Construction of Our Lady of Lourdes Church begins.
1946: The new church is dedicated by Raleigh Bishop Vincent Waters on April 24.
1973: A parish activity center is built.
A photo of the original church circa 1980s.
1984: The new Education Building blessed by Bishop Michael F. Begley.
2003: While serving as pastor, Father Peter Jugis is appointed the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Charlotte by Pope John Paul II.
2004: Bishop Peter Jugis dedicates a new 12,000 -square-foot church building on April 18 across Deese Street from the original church.
2013: Twenty-four stained glass windows featuring various saints of special significance to the parish are installed inside the church.
2016-’18: Multiple Biblical murals are painted by local artist Lisa Autry to beautify the church’s interior.
2017: An outdoor Lourdes Grotto is dedicated by Father Benjamin Roberts, pastor, on the parish’s 75th anniversary, May 10.
2018: Parishioners celebrate their patronal feast day Feb. 11 with a Mass offered by Bishop Peter Jugis, their former pastor.
2020: Fire destroys the church’s office and damages the original church and rectory building.
2021: A mural featuring the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Bernadette Soubirous of Lourdes and St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin – three saints of particular devotion to parishioners – is installed in the church’s narthex.
2022: Repairs to restore the original church and rectory are completed.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter. Dr. Ralph Frasca contributed.
Pastors
Father Martin Walsh, pastor, assists Bishop Michael Begley during the blessing of the education building at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in 1984. (Diocese of Charlotte archives)1942-1947 Father James F. Hudson, S.P.M.
1947-1951 Father Thomas F. Corcoran, S.P.M.
1951-1952 Father John P. O’Brien, S.P.M.
1952-1953 Father Raymond F. Borcino, S.P.M.
1953-1955 Father Julian F. Burt, S.P.M.
1955-1956 Father Joseph Burgdorf, S.P.M.
1956-1957 Father Martin F. Reidy, S.P.M.
1957-1960 Father Daniel J. Sheehan, S.P.M.
1960-1962 Father Robert F. Shea
1963-1965 Father Albert J. Todd
1965-1969 Father William N. Pharr
1969-1972 Father Joseph J. Lash
1972-1973 Father Edward J. Sheridan
1973-1976 Father Donald J. Joyce, O.M.I.
1976-1978 Father George Waggett, O.M.I.
1978-1982 Father Paul McCartin, O.M.I.
1982-1988 Father Martin Walsh, O.M.I.
1988-2000 Father Edward J. Vilkauskas, C.S.Sp.
2000-2001 Father Carlo Di Natale Tarasi
2001-2003 Father Peter J. Jugis (prior to selection as fourth bishop of Charlotte)
2003-2009 Father James J. Cassidy, O.S.A.
2009-2012 Father Thomas Kessler
2012-present Father Benjamin A. Roberts