About Our Lady of Lourdes · Hampton, Connecticut
Our Lady of Lourdes is a small Roman Catholic mission church at 41 Cedar Swamp Road in the rural town of Hampton, Connecticut. Founded in 1877 as a mission of Saint James Parish in Danielson, it now serves as a mission of the neighboring Our Lady of La Salette Parish in Brooklyn, CT, within the Diocese of Norwich. Sunday Mass is offered at 9:30 a.m., and the historic little church — set on a donated acre of land ringed by evergreen trees — continues to draw worshippers from Hampton, Brooklyn, Canterbury, Scotland, Chaplin, and Pomfret.
- Established
- 1877
- Patron
- Our Lady of Lourdes
- Rector
- Rev. Ben Vinjoe (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Norwich
Why belong here
Our Lady of Lourdes is a small, historic country Catholic mission where parishioners know one another and visitors are warmly welcomed. Sunday Mass at 9:30 a.m. is supported by a CCD/faith-formation program for grades 1 through Confirmation, Adult Faith Formation on Wednesday evenings, a parish Social Events Committee, a Knights of Columbus Council (Mystical Rose #49), and the 'La Salette Stitchers' outreach ministry that has donated more than 500 handmade items to local charities — a tight-knit, family-style community rooted on the same Cedar Swamp Road site since 1877.
Mass times at Our Lady of Lourdes
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sacramental Confession is heard at the yoked parish of Our Lady of La Salette on Saturday from 3:15 to 3:45 p.m., or by appointment (contact the rectory at 860-774-6275).
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration is held at Our Lady of La Salette on Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Parish History
Our Lady of Lourdes traces its roots to the ministry of Jesuits traveling from Worcester, Massachusetts to care for scattered Catholic families in rural eastern Connecticut. In 1850 Father Michael McCabe became the first resident priest of Saint James Parish in Danielson and was given pastoral jurisdiction over Baltic, Putnam, Hampton, and Willimantic. After his death in 1860, Father Tomas Preston led the search for land, and Governor Chancey Cleveland donated an acre on Cedar Swamp Road ringed by evergreen trees. The church was completed in early 1877 and its cornerstone was laid on November 15, 1877, by Bishop Galberry, fourth Bishop of Hartford. The mission served Catholics in Canterbury, Scotland, Brooklyn, Chaplin, and Pomfret, and was led as a mission of Saint James, Danielson until it was eventually linked with nearby Our Lady of La Salette in Brooklyn.
- Land and original-acre gift from Connecticut Governor Chancey Cleveland
- Cornerstone laid November 15, 1877 by Bishop Galberry
- Church completed early spring 1877
- Long stretches of the 19th and 20th centuries without a resident priest
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Our Lady of La Salette / Our Lady of Lourdes offers faith formation classes for children from first grade through Confirmation. Adult Faith Formation classes are also held on Wednesday evenings in the rectory basement. The parish welcomes inquiries and is actively seeking teachers and substitutes for its CCD program.
- Children's CCD: grades 1 through Confirmation
- Adult Faith Formation: Wednesday evenings, rectory basement
- Coordinator contact: Manon Meunier via the rectory (860) 774-6275
Parish Ministries & Outreach
The parish runs a wide array of lay-led groups despite its small size. Outreach work ranges from the La Salette Stitchers' hundreds of donated handmade items to Knights of Columbus service projects and an active Social Events Committee that welcomes newcomers.
- La Salette Stitchers — crafts donated to local charities (Matulaitis Nursing Home, Hole-in-the-Wall Gang Camp, Providence Women's and Children's Hospital, St. Francis of Assisi Food Pantry, Brooklyn Schools, and others); over 500 items donated to date
- Knights of Columbus Council #49 — Mystical Rose, meets first Wednesday, rectory basement; Grand Knight Stephen Curtis (860) 546-0513
- Social Events Committee — coffee socials, book and bake sale, parish picnic, raffles, wreath-making, blueberry pancake breakfast, cookie & raffle sale
- Furnace Fund / building maintenance — recruiting two volunteers, one monthly meeting, third Tuesday at 9:15 a.m.
- Interfaith Council representation — contact Barbara Laliberte (860) 774-4176
Stewardship & Special Events
The parish funds much of its life through regular fundraising events held at the church hall and through online giving. Looking forward, Father Ben Vinjoe is leading a pilgrimage in the footsteps of St. Paul to Greece and Turkey, August 24 – September 4, 2026, with visits to Athens, Corinth, Mykonos, Patmos, Heraklion, Santorini, Kalabaka, Veria, Thessaloniki, Kavala, Alexandroupolis, and Istanbul.
- Online giving available via the parish website
- 2026 St. Paul Pilgrimage to Greece and Turkey — $4,275 per person, double occupancy, $500 deposit due February 15 — contact Fr. Ben at 860-481-2880
Parish Staff & Contact
Parish administration and day-to-day contact information is published by the parish. The administrator-priest is also reachable by cell phone and email.
- Pastor/Administrator: Rev. Ben Vinjoe — cell 860-481-2880 — [email protected]
- Secretary: Joan M. Trifone — cell 860-680-2882 — [email protected]
- Rectory: (860) 774-6275
- Website: ourladylasaletteandlourdes.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Reverend John F. Murphy1880–1881
First priest formally assigned to the Hampton mission; lived at the Whitaker family boarding house in Hampton; naturalized as a U.S. citizen while there.
- Reverend Francis Crane1968–1971
First pastor listed in the parish's modern succession.
- Reverend William Crane1971–1976
- Reverend Edward F. Barry1976–1989
- Reverend Gerard Boulanger1989–1997
- Reverend Thomas G. Sickler1997–2000
- Reverend John J. O'Neill and Brother Robert Russell2000–2002
Co-served with a religious brother during this period.
- Reverend Raymond Vaillancourt2002–2004 (parish list shows 2004–2009)
Served alongside Rev. Daniel J. Scott in overlapping years.
- Reverend Daniel J. Scott2004–2009
- Reverend John J. O'Neill2009–2017
Second stint as pastor.
- Reverend Ben Vinjoe2017–Present
Current administrator; leads the yoked parish of Our Lady of La Salette, Brooklyn and the mission of Our Lady of Lourdes, Hampton.