About Our Lady of Lourdes · Cleveland, Ohio
Our Lady of Lourdes is a multicultural Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Cleveland, located at 3395 East 53rd Street in Cleveland's Broadway–Slavic Village neighborhood on the Southeast Side. Founded in 1883 to serve Czech (Bohemian) immigrants and their Slovak neighbors, the parish today describes itself as a small but faith-rich community whose members trace their roots to Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. Weekend liturgies are celebrated in both English and Spanish, with bilingual worship for major feasts. The parish is known for its hospitality, its strong Hispanic congregation, and its outreach — including a weekly food pantry — to one of the most economically challenged corners of Cleveland.
- Established
- 1883
- Patron
- Our Lady of Lourdes
- Rector
- Rev. Joseph H. Callahan
- Diocese
- Diocese of Cleveland
Why belong here
Our Lady of Lourdes is a small, multicultural Catholic community where English- and Spanish-speaking parishioners worship side by side — the parish's own pages say they are 'small in number as well as economic resources, but rich in faith and strong in commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.' Visitors will find a welcoming bilingual parish with a weekly food pantry, an active Hispanic Ministry, an Altar & Rosary Society, summer catechetical formation, and opportunities to serve through lecturing and outreach. Bishop Malesic has publicly called it 'a beacon of light and hope on Cleveland's Southeast Side,' and parishioners regularly gather for bilingual feasts like Corpus Christi, the parish picnic, and the International Food and Culture Festival.
Mass times at Our Lady of Lourdes
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00–3:30 PM
Adoration times
- Thursday 7:00 PM (Hora Santa following the Spanish Mass)
History of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish
Our Lady of Lourdes was founded in May 1883 to serve the Czech (Bohemian) and Slovak immigrants pouring into Cleveland's East Side to work in steel mills and factories. Its founding pastor, Father Stefan Furdek, had been ordained for the Diocese of Cleveland the year before and was sent from St. Wenceslas Parish to establish the new community. The original frame church and a school — the latter staffed by the Sisters of Notre Dame — were dedicated in 1883, and a permanent brick church was begun in 1891, dedicated in 1893 and completed in 1902.
- First pastor: Rev. Stefan (Stephen) Furdek, 1883–1915
- Frame church and school dedicated 1883
- Current church begun 1891, dedicated 1893, completed 1902
- Architect: Emile Ulrich (later designed Our Lady of Victory Basilica, Lackawanna, NY)
- 140th anniversary Mass celebrated June 25, 2023 with Bishop Edward C. Malesic
Architecture of the Historic Church
Designed by architect Emile Ulrich early in his career, the Our Lady of Lourdes church is a notable example of Victorian Gothic Revival architecture in Cleveland. Decades of pollution and harsh winters have damaged the masonry, and the parish is currently raising matching funds to restore the exterior. A $175,000 grant from the National Fund for Sacred Places is supporting the work.
- Style: Victorian Gothic Revival
- Materials: brick with stone trim
- Features: dramatic spire, large rose window, tripartite entrance, wall buttresses
- Architect: Emile Ulrich
- Restoration: matching grant from National Fund for Sacred Places
Mass and Worship Schedule
Our Lady of Lourdes offers a bilingual weekend Mass schedule with English and Spanish liturgies, and the parish gathers bilingually for major feasts such as Corpus Christi. Weekday devotions include a Spanish Mass with Holy Hour on Thursday evenings and the Santo Rosario in Spanish before Sunday Mass.
- Saturday Vigil Mass: 4:00 PM (English)
- Sunday Mass: 10:00 AM (English)
- Sunday Mass: 12:30 PM (Spanish)
- Thursday: 7:00 PM Misa y Hora Santa (Spanish)
- Rosary: Sunday 9:30 AM (English)
- Santo Rosario: Sunday 11:30 AM (Spanish)
Our Staff and Clergy
The parish is led by a small, dedicated staff headed by Father Joseph H. Callahan, a Spanish-speaking priest who has served Our Lady of Lourdes since 2009. He is assisted by a Notre Dame sister serving as pastoral minister and parish office staff.
- Rev. Joseph H. Callahan — Pastor (since 2009; 40th anniversary of ordination in 2026)
- Sr. Charlotte Hobelman, SND — Pastoral Minister
- Tammy Rehner — Office Assistant
Ministry and Outreach Programs
Despite being 'small in number as well as economic resources,' Our Lady of Lourdes runs a striking range of ministries that meet both spiritual and material needs in Slavic Village. A weekly food pantry is one of the parish's signature outreach efforts, with collection boxes in the church for non-perishables and Solidarity envelope donations. The Hispanic Ministry and its activities committee coordinate Spanish-language formation, a summer catechetical program, the annual International Food and Culture Festival, and bilingual parish celebrations. Other active groups include the Altar & Rosary Society and the lectors ministry, which is regularly recruiting new readers.
- Weekly Food Pantry
- Hispanic Ministry / Ministerio Hispano
- Altar & Rosary Society
- Lectors ministry
- Summer Catechetical Formation
- International Food and Culture Festival
- Emergency Aid and Advocacy
- Online Giving
Sacraments at Our Lady of Lourdes
The parish prepares families and couples for the sacraments through scheduled classes, with registration through the parish office or designated coordinators. Pre-Baptism classes are held at neighboring parishes in coordination with Our Lady of Lourdes.
- Baptism — pre-Baptism class required
- Marriage — pre-marriage classes required (contact Rigoberto Rodríguez)
- Sunday Mass in English and Spanish
Community, Devotions and Annual Events
Our Lady of Lourdes keeps a lively parish calendar with bilingual devotions and community gatherings throughout the year. The parish joins the Global Rosary Relay for the Sanctification of Priests each year on the Feast of the Sacred Heart, hosts a parish picnic in August, and runs a Flea Market and Money Raffle as a fundraiser.
- Corpus Christi procession with Benediction
- Global Rosary Relay for the Sanctification of Priests
- Parish Picnic (Saturday in August)
- Flea Market and Money Raffle (Sunday in August)
- Annual International Food and Culture Festival
- Father Callahan's 40th Anniversary of Ordination celebration (June 14, 2026)
Protecting God's Children and Diocesan Reporting
The parish participates in the Diocese of Cleveland's 'Protecting God's Children' program, an ongoing effort to instruct and inform parishioners about the protection of children. The bulletin publishes the diocesan reporting contact information for any past or present concerns.
- Diocesan Response Service Office: 216-334-2999
- Email: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Stefan (Stephen) Furdek1883–1915
Slovak-born first pastor; ordained for Diocese of Cleveland 1882; founded parish in May 1883; helped found the First Catholic Slovak Union in 1890.
- Rev. Thomas (Tom) Mahoney
Senior priest-retired; previously served as parish administrator of Our Lady of Lourdes; concelebrated the 140th anniversary Mass in 2023.
- Rev. Joseph H. Callahan2009–present
Current pastor; fluent in Spanish; ordained 1986 (40th anniversary of ordination celebrated June 14, 2026); previously served at the diocesan mission in El Salvador.