About Our Lady of Light · South Strafford, Vermont
Our Lady of Light is a Catholic mission church in the small village of South Strafford, Vermont, located at 203 Route 132 in Orange County. It is one of the four churches that together make up the Upper Valley Parishes cluster in the Diocese of Burlington, alongside Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Bradford, St. Eugene I in Wells River, and St. Francis of Assisi in Norwich. Sunday Mass is celebrated at 8:00 a.m. in English, with confessions heard each Sunday from 7:35 to 7:50 a.m. immediately before Mass. The mission is served by Rev. Andrew Bednarowicz, who serves as Parish Administrator for the cluster, with parish pastoral and finance council leadership provided locally by South Strafford residents Siobhan Lopez and Thomas Essex.
- Patron
- Our Lady of Light (Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of Our Lady of Light)
- Rector
- Rev. Andrew Bednarowicz (Parish Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Burlington (Roman Catholic)
Why belong here
Our Lady of Light offers an intimate Sunday Mass at 8:00 a.m. with the option of confession just before, served by Father Andrew Bednarowicz and lay pastoral leadership drawn from the South Strafford community itself. As a small mission church it is an ideal setting for those who prefer a quieter, more personal liturgical experience, while still being connected through the Upper Valley Parishes cluster to nearby Catholic communities in Bradford, Wells River, and Norwich for added fellowship and sacramental support. Visitors, new residents, those returning to the faith, and those preparing to enter the Catholic Church are all welcomed by the parish.
Mass times at Our Lady of Light
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 7:35 am – 7:50 am
- Confession also available by appointment
Overview and Parish Identity
Our Lady of Light is a small Catholic mission church serving the village of South Strafford, Vermont, at 203 Route 132 (VT-132). It belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington and is administered as part of the Upper Valley Parishes cluster together with Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Bradford), St. Eugene I (Wells River), and St. Francis of Assisi (Norwich). Sunday Mass is offered weekly at 8:00 a.m. in English, with Reconciliation each Sunday morning from 7:35 to 7:50 a.m. immediately before Mass.
- Mission church in South Strafford, Orange County, Vermont
- Part of the Upper Valley Parishes (Diocese of Burlington)
- One Sunday Mass per week (8:00 a.m.)
Clergy and Lay Leadership
Our Lady of Light is served by Rev. Andrew Bednarowicz, who functions as Parish Administrator for the four-church Upper Valley cluster from the parish office at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Bradford. Locally, parish governance is exercised through a Pastoral Council and a Parish Finance Council, with lay chairs drawn from the South Strafford community.
- Rev. Andrew Bednarowicz — Parish Administrator, (802) 222-5268
- Siobhan Lopez — Chairperson, Pastoral Council, (802) 765-4387
- Thomas Essex — Chairman, Parish Finance Council, (802) 765-4118
The Upper Valley Parishes Cluster
Our Lady of Light is administered jointly with three other Upper Valley Catholic churches: Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Bradford (the cluster's main office hub), St. Eugene I in Wells River, and St. Francis of Assisi in Norwich. The arrangement allows one pastor — Father Andrew Bednarowicz — to cover Sunday Masses across the four locations, with Saturday Vigil Masses at St. Eugene (4:00 p.m.) and Our Lady of Perpetual Help (5:30 p.m.), and a Sunday morning rotation including St. Francis of Assisi and Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Parishioners from any of the four churches are warmly welcomed at the others.
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Bradford, VT) — main parish office
- St. Eugene I (Wells River, VT)
- Our Lady of Light (South Strafford, VT)
- St. Francis of Assisi (Norwich, VT)
Parish Office and Contact
Because Our Lady of Light is a mission church, day-to-day parish business is handled through the central Upper Valley Parishes office at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, 113 Upper Plain, Bradford, VT 05033. Office hours are Monday and Tuesday, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. An emergency line and additional contact email are available through the cluster office.
- Mailing address: 113 Upper Plain, Bradford, VT 05033
- Phone: (802) 222-5268
- Fax: (802) 222-5171
- Emergency line: (802) 431-5571
- Office hours: Monday & Tuesday, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
- Additional email: [email protected]
- Website & Facebook maintained by Ginny Flynn
Becoming a Parishioner
Anyone — long-time Catholic, newcomer to the area, visitor, or inquirer discerning entry into the Catholic Church — is warmly welcome to register at Our Lady of Light or at any of the other Upper Valley Parishes. A parish registration form is available on the cluster website under 'Join Our Parishes,' where prospective members can indicate Our Lady of Light in South Strafford as their home church and provide sacramental background (Baptism, First Communion, Reconciliation, Confirmation).
- Register online via uppervalleyparishes.org/our-parishes
- Indicate South Strafford mission as home parish
- Open to visitors, returning Catholics, and those preparing for full communion
Bulletin and Calendar
Weekly bulletins, the parish calendar, and current Mass-time announcements (including any temporary changes) are published on the Upper Valley Parishes website under the 'Bulletins' and 'Calendar' links. The bulletin is the authoritative source for Holy Day schedules and any deviation from the regular Sunday 8:00 a.m. Mass at Our Lady of Light.
- Online calendar on uppervalleyparishes.org
- Weekly bulletins posted online
- Holy Day schedule published in the bulletin