About Our Lady of Lourdes · Decatur, Illinois
Our Lady of Lourdes is a Catholic parish on the north side of Decatur, Illinois, in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. The parish was founded in 1957 and opened its parish school in 1960, originally staffed entirely by Dominican Sisters and now serving preschool through 8th grade. Worship is offered in both English and Spanish, with a Sunday Spanish Mass at 11:30 a.m. The parish complex — church, school, and Enrichment Center — sits in a quiet residential neighborhood and is closely twinned with neighboring St. Thomas the Apostle parish, sharing pastoral leadership and outreach.
- Established
- 1957
- Patron
- Our Lady of Lourdes (Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Lourdes)
- Rector
- Rev. Christopher Trummer
- Diocese
- Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
Why belong here
Our Lady of Lourdes is a place to worship, learn, serve, and gather — a bilingual parish where English and Spanish-speaking families celebrate side by side, where children attend an on-site Catholic preschool-through-8th-grade school, and where adults can join a Liturgy Committee, choir, ushers, or Eucharistic Minister rotation. Beyond Sunday Mass, parishioners feed the hungry at the Good Samaritan Inn, visit the sick and homebound, support a sister parish in Guatemala, and walk beside grieving families through a Living With Loss support group. The parish school complex, the weekly newsletter, and a warm Welcoming Committee make it easy for newcomers to plug into the life of the church.
Mass times at Our Lady of Lourdes
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
- Saturday: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Adoration times
- Thursday: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. (Eucharistic Adoration)
Parish Overview and Mission
Our Lady of Lourdes Parish describes itself as 'a Catholic Community whom God has called together through Baptism.' Its mission statement invites everyone to worship through Liturgical Celebrations, learn the teachings of Jesus, serve God's people inside and outside the parish in a spirit of stewardship, and gather to celebrate Christ's two great commandments of love. The parish grounds the description in 1 Peter 4:10: 'Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.'
History
Our Lady of Lourdes Parish was established in 1957 by the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. The parish school opened in 1960, staffed entirely by Dominican Sisters, and continues today as a preschool-through-8th-grade Catholic school serving more than 200 students. The parish functions as part of a pastoral unit with St. Thomas the Apostle Church; longtime pastor Fr. Richard W. Weltin retired in July 2020 and was named Pastor Emeritus of both parishes. Over the years the parish has grown into a bilingual community with an active Hispanic Ministry and a weekly Spanish Mass.
- Established 1957
- School opened 1960
- Pastoral unit with St. Thomas the Apostle
- Fr. Richard W. Weltin named Pastor Emeritus, July 2020
Clergy and Parish Staff
The parish is currently led by Pastor Rev. Christopher Trummer, with Parochial Vicars Rev. Charles Delano and Rev. Wayne Stock, and a Parochial Administrator (Rev. Jason P. Stone) listed on the parish staff page. Rev. Richard W. Weltin serves as Pastor Emeritus. Lay and religious staff include Director of Operations Justin Reed, Pastoral Care Coordinator and Pastoral Associate Sr. JoAn Schullian, O.S.F., Hispanic Ministry Coordinator Sr. Maria Lina Ramos, MAG, and parish secretaries Mary Ann Fawcett and Jami Snow. The school principal is Mrs. Jennifer Brummer.
- Pastor: Rev. Christopher Trummer
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Charles Delano
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Wayne Stock
- Parochial Administrator: Rev. Jason P. Stone
- Pastor Emeritus: Rev. Richard W. Weltin
- Sr. JoAn Schullian, O.S.F., Pastoral Care Coordinator
- Sr. Maria Lina Ramos, MAG, Hispanic Ministry
- Justin Reed, Director of Operations
- Mary Ann Fawcett & Jami Snow, Parish Secretaries
Contact and Office Hours
The parish office is at 3850 Lourdes Drive, Decatur, IL 62526, and is staffed Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed on weekends). The main phone line is 1-217-877-4404 and the parish communications email is [email protected]. Visitors and newcomers can also subscribe to the weekly parish newsletter online.
- Address: 3850 Lourdes Drive, Decatur, IL 62526
- Phone: 1-217-877-4404
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Liturgical Ministries
Liturgy is described as 'the Central Focus of our Parish Faith Community.' The parish recruits and trains adults and students in 4th grade and up to serve at weekday, weekend, and funeral liturgies. Scheduling across these ministries is handled through Ministry Scheduler Pro, available via web portal and mobile app.
- Liturgy Committee
- Altar Servers
- Art & Environment
- Eucharistic Ministers
- Greeters
- Giftbearer Families
- Lectors
- Sacristan
- Ushers
Music Ministry
Our Lady of Lourdes is described as 'very richly blessed' with sung prayer. The music ministry includes the OLOL School Children's Choir, the Friday Mass with OLOL Band students, OLOL Chimers and Hand bells, a Folk Group on the 2nd and 4th Sundays at the 11:30 a.m. Mass, and an Ensemble on the 2nd and 4th Sundays at the 9:30 a.m. Mass. Cantors and accompanists support the other Masses.
- OLOL School Children's Choir
- Friday Mass with Band students
- Chimers and Handbells
- Folk Group (2nd & 4th Sundays, 11:30 a.m.)
- Ensemble (2nd & 4th Sundays, 9:30 a.m.)
- Cantors and accompanists at other Masses
Outreach and Parish Life
Beyond Sunday Mass, Our Lady of Lourdes offers many ways to 'reach out' inside the parish and into the wider Decatur community. Ministries include a Welcoming Committee (the pastor sends personal letters to new families), Bereavement Ministry with a Living With Loss Support Group that meets on the first Monday of each month, a Funerals Luncheons group, Visitation Circle for the sick and homebound, a Pro-Life Commission coordinating Respect Life Month and working with the New Life Pregnancy Center, and the Good Samaritan Inn soup kitchen where parishioners serve on the first Monday of each month from 9:00 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
- Welcoming Committee
- Bereavement Ministry / Living With Loss
- Funeral Luncheons
- Visitation Circle
- Pro-Life Commission
- Good Samaritan Inn soup kitchen (1st Monday)
- Sister Parish in Guatemala
- Rosary Makers
- Natural Family Planning
Hispanic Ministry
A dedicated Hispanic Ministry Coordinator (Sr. Maria Lina Ramos, MAG) oversees outreach to Spanish-speaking parishioners, anchored by the parish's weekly Sunday Spanish Mass at 11:30 a.m.
- Weekly Sunday Spanish Mass at 11:30 a.m.
- Hispanic Ministry Coordinator: Sr. Maria Lina Ramos, MAG
Our Lady of Lourdes School
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School has been the educational heart of the parish since 1960, when it opened under the direction of Dominican Sisters. Today it serves more than 200 students from preschool through grade 8 with a staff of 25, situated within the parish complex on Decatur's north side. The school is recognized and accredited by the Illinois State Board of Education and is a member of the National Catholic Education Association and the Illinois Elementary School Association. Admissions prioritize children of parish members; the school admits students of any race, color, nationality, or ethnic origin. The mission is to develop strong values in students and educate them spiritually, intellectually, culturally, and physically.
- Opened 1960, staffed by Dominican Sisters
- Preschool through Grade 8
- 200+ students, 25 staff
- Accredited by Illinois State Board of Education
- Member of NCEA and IESA
- Principal: Mrs. Jennifer Brummer
- Parochial Administrator (per school page): Rev. Jason Stone
Facilities and Campus
The parish complex on Lourdes Drive combines the church, school, and an Enrichment Center. The Enrichment Center hosts funeral luncheons and meetings, including the Living With Loss Support Group and Visitation Circle gatherings.
- Church
- School (preschool–8)
- Enrichment Center
- Quiet residential location on north side of Decatur
Getting Involved
Newcomers are encouraged to contact the parish office at 217-877-4404 to sign up for ministries, learn about becoming Catholic (RCIA-style formation), or arrange a visit. The parish uses Ministry Scheduler Pro so volunteers can submit availability, request substitutions, and view upcoming schedules through a web portal or mobile app.
- Call the parish office: 217-877-4404
- Subscribe to the weekly newsletter
- Use Ministry Scheduler Pro for liturgical ministry scheduling
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Richard W. Weltinlong-tenured pastor; retired July 2020
Named Pastor Emeritus of both Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Thomas the Apostle parishes upon retirement.
- Rev. Christopher Trummerappointed Pastor after 2020
Current Pastor per the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois pastoral directory.