About Our Lady of Lourdes · Bethesda, Maryland
Our Lady of Lourdes is a Roman Catholic parish in the heart of Bethesda, Maryland, canonically established in 1926 and part of the Archdiocese of Washington. The parish serves approximately 1,500 families and households with daily and Sunday Mass in English, a weekly Spanish Mass (offered in some form for more than sixty years), Eucharistic adoration, confession, a healing Mass on First Fridays, a K-8 parish school, faith formation, youth ministry, and outreach ministries. The parish celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2026 with Cardinal Robert W. McElroy presiding at the centennial Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, February 11.
- Established
- 1926
- Patron
- Our Lady of Lourdes
- Rector
- Rev. Robert E. Walsh
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Washington
Why belong here
Our Lady of Lourdes offers a rare combination of long-established Catholic identity and living diversity in the heart of Bethesda. Daily Mass (seven days a week), a full Sunday schedule including a Spanish Mass, daily confession, weekday adoration, and a First Friday healing Mass give parishioners the rhythms of a traditional devotional life, while ministries like Cana Couples for young married couples, Walking with Purpose women's Bible study, OCIA, faith formation for children, Confirmation prep, youth ministry, food drives, and outreach to local senior citizens offer clear ways to belong and serve. The parish school (founded 1941, National Blue Ribbon School) anchors family life, and parishioners consistently describe the community as a welcoming, multi-generational, English- and Spanish-speaking family that has stayed together across 100 years.
Mass times at Our Lady of Lourdes
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday – 11:30 AM
- Tuesday – 11:30 AM
- Wednesday – 11:30 AM
- Thursday – 11:30 AM
- Friday – 11:30 AM
- Saturday – 4:00 PM
- First Friday – 12:30 PM to 7:00 PM, followed by Mass with Healing Prayers
Adoration times
- Monday – 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
- Tuesday – 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
- Wednesday – 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
- Thursday – 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
- Friday – 12:30 PM to 3:00 PM
- First Friday – 12:30 PM to 7:00 PM
Parish History & Centennial
Our Lady of Lourdes Parish traces its beginnings to December 12, 1926, when its first Mass was offered in a small Bethesda neighborhood serving roughly 30 families. One hundred years later, the parish numbers about 1,500 families and households, with Cardinal Robert W. McElroy presiding at the 100th anniversary Mass on February 11, 2026, the feast of the parish's patroness. The bilingual liturgy reflected the parish's long-standing ministry to Spanish-speaking Catholics, a tradition of more than 60 years. The anniversary year opened on December 12, 2025 (Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe) with a bilingual Mass celebrated by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.
- First Mass: December 12, 1926 (Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe)
- Centennial Mass: February 11, 2026, celebrated by Cardinal Robert W. McElroy
- Opening anniversary Mass: December 12, 2025, celebrated by Cardinal Christophe Pierre
- Grew from ~30 founding families to ~1,500 families/households
- Hispanic community active in parish life for more than 60 years
Clergy & Parish Staff
The parish is led by Father Rob Walsh, pastor since July 2020, who previously served for a decade as chaplain at the Catholic Student Center at the University of Maryland. Father Dylan Prentice serves as parochial vicar, and Father Kyle Poje, a priest of the Archdiocese of Seattle, is in residence while studying canon law. Sister Claudia Ruvalcaba directs Religious Education, Amparo Acevedo serves as Parish Manager, and Claire Toms is Parish Assistant.
- Pastor: Rev. Robert E. Walsh (since July 2020)
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Dylan B. Prentice
- Priest in Residence: Rev. Kyle Poje (Archdiocese of Seattle)
- Director of Religious Education: Sister Claudia Ruvalcaba
- Parish Manager: Mrs. Amparo Acevedo
- Parish Assistant: Mrs. Claire Toms
Devotions & Parish Life
The devotional life of Our Lady of Lourdes centers on the monthly Healing Mass on First Fridays and the parish grotto with a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Bernadette. Community fellowship is supported through coffee and donuts after the 9:30 AM Sunday Mass, a Study of Saints Book Club, and a Women's Holy Hour and Reflection. The parish is also known for its bilingual and multicultural celebrations, especially around major feasts and the 100th anniversary.
- Healing Mass with Healing Prayers: First Friday, 7:00 PM
- Parish grotto with Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Bernadette statues
- Women's Holy Hour and Reflection
- Community Coffee and Donuts after the 9:30 AM Sunday Mass
- Study of Saints Book Club (every fifth Sunday, 3:00–4:00 PM, Delacroix room)
- Bilingual Mass Aid for the Spanish liturgy
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation is coordinated by Sister Claudia Ruvalcaba and serves children, youth, and adults in both English and Spanish. The parish runs a weekly Faith Formation Program for children, a parallel Spanish catechism (Clases de Catequesis para Niños), Confirmation preparation with a three-day retreat for Confirmandi, and the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (O.C.I.A., the restored name for the RCIA process).
- Faith Formation Program for children (English)
- Clases de Catequesis para Niños (Spanish catechesis)
- Confirmation preparation, including a three-day Confirmation Retreat (Retiro de Confirmación)
- O.C.I.A. (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults)
- Catechist corps preparing students for First Communion and Confirmation
Youth Ministry
The OLOL Youth Ministry hosts a high school youth group that meets on Friday evenings from 7:00–9:00 PM in the convent. Open to all teens regardless of parish or school, the program combines catechesis, service opportunities, social activities, retreats, week-long camps, and Eucharistic adoration to help young people grow as faithful Catholics.
- Friday youth group: 7:00–9:00 PM in the convent
- Weekend retreats and summer camps
- Service projects and social activities
- Regular adoration nights
- Open to all high school teens
Parish School
Our Lady of Lourdes School, founded in 1941 and originally staffed by the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, educates 240 students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. It was named a National Blue Ribbon School in 2015. Under Principal David Long — a 29-year veteran of the school — OLOL combines a Catholic faith foundation with academic excellence and a notable no-social-media policy that the school community credits with supporting student wellbeing.
- Founded 1941 by the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia
- Named a National Blue Ribbon School in 2015
- 240 students, PK through 8th grade
- Principal: David Long (29th year)
- Annual Kate Truax Lions Roar 5K honors a beloved late teacher; six of her former students now teach at the school
Parish Ministries & Outreach
Our Lady of Lourdes supports a wide range of parish ministries for men, women, young adults, couples, and seniors. Outreach to local senior citizens includes bringing Communion to residents of a nearby assisted living facility. The parish regularly hosts food drives and other service projects.
- Cana Couples – young married couples group
- Walking with Purpose – women's Bible study
- Women's Bible Study in Spanish
- Men's ministry
- Communion to the homebound at a nearby assisted living facility
- Food drives and parish outreach
Sacraments
Information about how to receive the seven sacraments is available through the parish office and via Sister Claudia for the sacraments of initiation. First Friday brings a special opportunity for the Anointing of the Sick in the context of the Healing Mass. The parish also supports marriage preparation through Cana Couples.
- Baptism (infant and adult through O.C.I.A.)
- First Communion and Confirmation preparation
- Matrimony with Cana Couples support
- Anointing of the Sick at the First Friday Healing Mass
- Reconciliation (daily and Saturday; see confession schedule)
- Eucharist at daily and Sunday Mass; Adoration weekdays
Visit & Contact
Our Lady of Lourdes is located on Pearl Street in the heart of Bethesda and is wheelchair accessible. The parish office can be reached by phone or email, and the parish website at lourdesbethesda.org carries the full Mass, confession, and adoration schedule, a parish calendar, ministry sign-ups, and 100th anniversary updates.
- Address: 7500 Pearl Street, Bethesda, MD 20814
- Phone: 301-654-1287
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: lourdesbethesda.org
- Wheelchair accessible
- Parish calendar with Faith Formation, O.C.I.A., Confirmation Retreat, and Walking with Purpose listed weekly
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Robert E. WalshJuly 2020 – present
Became pastor in July 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, after 10 years as chaplain at the Catholic Student Center at the University of Maryland.