Lourdes Parish

We are a community of believers, young and old, male and female all created in the "image and likeness" of God. We come from Utica, Whitesville, Philpot, Hawesville, Owensboro and all over Daviess County. Most importantly we come together to serve God and to witness our Catholic lives to others. Parishioners drawn from Blessed Mother and Immaculate... parishes attended the first mass celebrated at Our Lady of Lourdes Church. On that day, September, 6th 1959, Lourdes began a tradition of being a close-knit, faith-filled Christian community. Bishop Francis R. Cotton established Our Lady of Lourdes and appointed Reverend Victor Boarman as the first Pastor. He began this position on July 10, 1959. The first building included the church and four classrooms, in what is now the west end of the school. The rectory was built next, and in following years the school responded to its growth with a new wing and convent for the Sisters of Charity. A social hall was built behind the school in 1964 and is now used by the school. In 1966, the current church was built and the old one was converted into classrooms. Father Boarman remained at Lourdes for 23 years molding the parish into a strong, caring family unit. Father Anthony Ziegler was appointed the second pastor of Lourdes in 1982. He served three years, until 1985, when Father Delma Clemons became the third pastor. In 1989, the parish schools went through a major change. It, along with fourteen other parish schools, consolidated to form the Owensboro Catholic Schools. In 1990, the parish bought the former Catholic Pastoral Center from the diocese to use as an expanded parish hall, for parish offices, and a larger daycare. Reverend John Meredith was installed as the fourth pastor of Lourdes Parish in 1995. Upon his arrival, Fr. John initiated many parish activities to assist the spiritual development of the parishioners. Some of these activities included community small groups. These groups were a means of drawing Lourdes parishioners closer to other parishioners in their ...Read More