Our Lady of Consolation Catholic Church

About Our Lady of Consolation

Our Lady of Consolation Roman Catholic Church serves those living in Callahan and the surrounding communities of northeast Florida. Founded in 1974 and part of the Diocese of Saint Augustine, the parish is open to all who are interested in learning about the Catholic faith as well as practicing Catholics looking for a new church home. The community gathers, celebrates Mass, and promotes the faith through educational activities and parish ministries. Parishioners welcome newcomers to stop by the Parish Office in the rectory and fill out a registration form.

History

Established in 1974 to serve Catholics in and around the Nassau County seat of Callahan, Our Lady of Consolation built its home on U.S. Highway 1 and has anchored parish life there ever since. Over the decades the community has developed a daily Mass schedule, a Religious Education program for children and adults, a Parish Library, a Food Pantry, and outreach ministries including Rachel's Vineyard. Fr. Richard Perko served as pastor during a long stretch in which the parish's ministries and online presence were developed; he is now followed by Rev. Dung Bui as the current pastor.

• Established: 1974
• Diocese: Saint Augustine
• Pastors of record: Fr. Richard Perko; Rev. Dung Bui (current)
• Patronal title: Our Lady of Consolation (Consolatrix Afflictorum)

Holy Week at OLC

The parish observes the Paschal Triduum with the customary liturgies: Palm Sunday begins the week with blessing and distribution of palms, Holy Thursday brings the Mass of the Lord's Supper at 7:00 PM, Good Friday includes the Celebration of the Lord's Passion with veneration of the Cross and Holy Communion at 3:00 PM, and the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night gathers the community around the new fire, the Liturgies of the Word, Baptism, and Eucharist. Easter Sunday Masses are celebrated at 9:00 AM and 11:15 AM.

Parish Staff

The parish is currently led by Pastor Rev. Dung Bui. The 2026–2027 Diocese of St. Augustine directory lists Traci Nickens as Office Manager, Kelly Devlin as Finance Council Chair, Deacon Lawrence P. Geinosky as Coordinator of OCIA, and Joseph A. Colsant as Director of Music; the Administrator of Religious Education and Youth Ministry positions are listed as vacant. Earlier parish pages also reference Fr. Richard Perko (previous pastor), Deacon Rev. Mr. John Moniz, Administrative Assistant Noel Forshier, and DRE Joseph Smith.

• Pastor — Rev. Dung Bui ([email protected])
• Office Manager — Traci Nickens
• Finance Council Chair — Kelly Devlin
• Coordinator of OCIA — Deacon Lawrence P. Geinosky
• Director of Music — Joseph A. Colsant
• Director of Religious Education (CCD) — Joseph Smith (per parish ministries page)
• Deacon — Rev. Mr. John Moniz (per older parish page)

Parish Ministries and Organizations

The parish runs a wide range of lay-led ministries serving the altar, the parish hall, and those in need in the wider Callahan community. Music, lectors, and Eucharistic Ministers serve at each Mass; the Knights of Columbus provide fraternal and service leadership; the Food Pantry, Gift Shop, Parish Library, and Parish Nurse program serve practical needs; and RCIA welcomes those becoming Catholic. The parish also participates in the diocesan Respect Life and Rachel's Vineyard ministries.

• Activities Committee — Roger Cook
• Altar Servers — Fr. Richard Perko
• Eucharistic Ministers — Lauren Carr
• Finance Committee — Kelly Devlin
• Food Pantry — Fr. Richard Perko
• Gift Shop — Linda Hack
• Kitchen Coordinator — Shannon Stewart
• Knights of Columbus — Michael Lafayette
• Lectors — Lauren Carr
• Ministers of Hospitality (Ushers) — Ed Cox (with Chad Beck & Laurie Armstrong, Ron Carr, Jim Garrett by Mass)
• Music Ministry — Paul Poston (5:30 & 11:15), Trish Reynolds (9:00)
• Parish Library — Jackie Hall
• Parish Nurse — Patti Walker, R.N.
• RCIA — Joseph Smith
• Respect Life — Marcia Garrett
• Sacristan — Zoel Houle
• Youth Group — Mike Sparkman

Religious Education and Sacraments

Religious Education is offered for all ages; parishioners may call between 9 AM and 3 PM on weekdays at 904-879-3662 or email [email protected] for more information. Children prepare for First Holy Communion (typically in 2nd grade) and Confirmation (typically in 8th grade) through two consecutive years in the OLC Parish Religious Education Program; home-schooled students may use an approved home-based curriculum reviewed by the pastor. Baptism requires a parent preparation class at least two months in advance; couples planning marriage should contact the pastor at least eight months ahead and complete a Marriage Preparation Course.

• Baptism
• First Holy Communion (2nd grade)
• Confirmation (8th grade)
• Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA)
• Anointing of the Sick
• Marriage
• Holy Orders (referral to [email protected])

Outreach and Pastoral Care

Our Lady of Consolation extends its mission beyond the church walls through several pastoral and outreach ministries. The Parish Nurse, Patti Walker, R.N., coordinates the OLC Nursing Ministry. The parish promotes the Rachel's Vineyard Retreat Weekend for anyone affected by abortion (contact 904-221-3232 or [email protected]). Professional counseling is available through St. Vincent's Health Care Catholic therapists on a sliding-fee scale (904-551-2619). A Respect Life ministry and a Food Pantry round out the parish's local charitable work.

Visiting and Joining the Parish

New parishioners are warmly welcomed. Simply stop by the OLC Parish Office in the rectory and fill out a registration form. For pastoral emergencies, the priest can be reached at 386-209-0231. The parish office is open for calls between 9 AM and 3 PM on weekdays at 904-879-3662.

Contact and Location

The parish is located at 541668 U.S. Highway 1, Callahan, FL 32011 (mailing address: P.O. Box 692, Callahan, FL 32011). The office can be reached at (904) 879-3662 (fax 904-879-3677) or [email protected]. The church sits one mile south of the intersection of A1A and State Road 301.