About Our Lady of Lourdes · Miami, Florida
Our Lady of Lourdes is a Roman Catholic parish in the Kendall (West Kendall) section of Miami, Florida, founded in 1985 and now serving more than 5,000 registered families drawn from over thirty-nine countries. It belongs to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Miami and worships in a Mediterranean-style church dedicated in 2002 that seats 1,200, with a Lourdes-inspired grotto, lagoon and waterfall on the parish grounds. The parish celebrates Mass in English, Spanish, French and Latin, runs a PreK3–8 parish school, and is the home of the Hospitalité de Miami, the Archdiocese's annual pilgrimage ministry to Lourdes, France.
- Established
- 1985
- Patron
- Our Lady of Lourdes (the Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title given at Lourdes, France)
- Rector
- Msgr. Kenneth Schwanger
- Diocese
- Metropolitan Archdiocese of Miami
Why belong here
Our Lady of Lourdes is one of the largest and most culturally diverse parishes in the Archdiocese of Miami, drawing more than 5,000 families from over thirty-nine countries and filling nine weekend Masses each week (English, Spanish, French and Latin). Its spiritual life stretches from daily and weekly Mass to distinctive devotions like the monthly French Mass and Latin Mass, ongoing men's and women's Emmaus retreats, a perpetual Lourdes ministry (Hospitalité de Miami) that leads the annual Archdiocesan pilgrimage to France, and a thriving St. Vincent de Paul conference and food pantry. A PreK3–8 parish school, a youth and young-adult ministry, Christian Formation/Sacraments prep, and an annual parish carnival round out a community that worships in a Mediterranean-style church beside a Lourdes grotto and lagoon.
Mass times at Our Lady of Lourdes
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday–Friday: 7:00 AM to 7:45 AM (Chapel)
- Monday–Friday: 6:00 PM to 6:45 PM (Chapel)
- Saturday: 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM (Chapel, ending 3:45 PM per schedule note; an hour before any weekday daily Mass as well)
- No Confessions on Holy Days
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Parish — Overview
Our Lady of Lourdes is a Catholic parish in the West Kendall area of Miami, Florida, in the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Miami. Founded in 1985 to serve one of the fastest-growing parts of South Florida, the parish now counts more than 5,000 registered families from over thirty-nine countries and hosts nine weekend Masses that together draw roughly 15,000 worshipers. The parish's Mediterranean-style church, dedicated in 2002, seats 1,200 and is surrounded by a Lourdes-inspired grotto, lagoon and waterfall that give the campus the feel of a small Marian shrine.
- Type: Catholic parish
- Location: 11291 SW 142nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33186
- Founded: 1985
- Diocese: Metropolitan Archdiocese of Miami
- Pastor: Msgr. Kenneth Schwanger
History
The community was founded in 1985 for the fast-growing West Kendall area; the first Mass was celebrated in the gymnasium at Boystown, on the property next door to where the parish stands today. Archbishop Edward A. McCarthy dedicated the parish's first permanent (temporary) church on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes in 1990. Hurricane Andrew in 1992 caused extensive damage to the parish and parishioners' homes, but the community rebuilt. The parish school (PreK3–8) opened in the fall of 1997, and a new Mediterranean-style church seating 1,200 was dedicated in 2002. A small group of parishioners first joined the North American Lourdes Volunteers on pilgrimage in 2012; the Hospitalité de Miami was formally founded by Archbishop Thomas Wenski in 2016 and was welcomed into the Hospitalité Notre Dame de Lourdes family by Bishop Nicolas Brouwet of Tarbes et Lourdes in 2017. Archbishop Wenski himself joined the pilgrimage in 2019.
- 1985: Parish founded; first Mass in Boystown gymnasium
- 1990: Temporary church dedicated by Archbishop Edward A. McCarthy on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes
- 1992: Hurricane Andrew damage; community rebuilds
- 1997: Our Lady of Lourdes School opens (PreK3–4, later expanded through 8th grade)
- 2002: New 1,200-seat Mediterranean-style church dedicated
- 2012: First small group joins North American Lourdes Volunteers pilgrimage to France
- 2016: Hospitalité de Miami founded by Archbishop Thomas Wenski
- 2017: Hospitalité de Miami admitted to the Hospitalité Notre Dame de Lourdes family
- 2019: Archbishop Wenski travels on the pilgrimage
Patron and Marian Identity
The parish is named for Our Lady of Lourdes, after the apparition site in southwestern France where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. Six million pilgrims visit Lourdes, France, each year. The parish marks the Solemnity of Our Lady of Lourdes on February 11, the anniversary of the first apparition, and it carries this identity out in its physical campus — a grotto, lagoon and small waterfall beside the main church — and in its ministries.
- Patron: Our Lady of Lourdes
- Feast day: February 11
- Miraculous spring of Lourdes honored on campus with a grotto, lagoon and waterfall
- Live webcam trained on the grotto
Parish Campus and Architecture
The current main church is a Mediterranean-style building that was dedicated in 2002 and seats up to 1,200 worshipers. The wider campus, located at 11291 SW 142nd Avenue in West Kendall, is laid out like a small Lourdes shrine: a grotto, lagoon and small waterfall sit beside the church, with a live webcam observing the shrine. The campus also houses the parish school (PreK3 through 8th grade), the Parish Hall (used for Emmaus meetings and parish events), and offices for Christian Formation, Youth and Young Adults, St. Vincent de Paul, the Food Pantry, the Holy Boutique, Accounting and Pilgrimage/Hospitalité ministry.
- Mediterranean-style main church, seats 1,200, dedicated 2002
- Grotto, lagoon and waterfall beside the church
- Parish Hall hosts English Emmaus meetings for men and women
- Parish school on site (PreK3–8)
Clergy and Pastoral Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Msgr. Kenneth Schwanger, who oversees both the parish and its active ministry to Lourdes, France. He is assisted by two Parochial Vicars, Fr. Fredy A. Yara and Fr. Eduardo Logiste. Five deacons — Dcn. Erick J. Cinco, Dcn. Isidoro Villa, Dcn. Jorge Matamala (also Mission Coordinator), Dcn. Michael Plummer and Dcn. Ricardo J. Rauseo — support liturgical life, funerals, and the Hospitalité de Miami pilgrimage ministry. Coordinators include Maryann Camps Gato (Christian Formation), Daniel Elie (Youth and Young Adults Ministry), Fanny Garcia-Dubus (Virtus & Background Checks / Administrative Assistance), Dr. Lori Werner (Music Director), Maria Jarquin (Registrations), Anthony Vazquez (Front Desk/Receptionist), Doris Hernandez and Sandra Arciniega (Accounting), Pilar Rojas (Ministry Receptionist), Carmen VanScoy (Holy Boutique Manager), and Alexandra Rodriguez (HdM Clothing Liaison / Office Assistant).
- Pastor: Msgr. Kenneth Schwanger ([email protected], ext. 100)
- Parochial Vicar: Fr. Fredy A. Yara ([email protected], ext. 102)
- Parochial Vicar: Fr. Eduardo Logiste ([email protected], ext. 101)
- Deacons: Dcn. Erick J. Cinco, Dcn. Isidoro Villa, Dcn. Jorge Matamala, Dcn. Michael Plummer, Dcn. Ricardo J. Rauseo
Mass and Sacraments Schedule
Our Lady of Lourdes celebrates Mass in English, Spanish, French and Latin, with daily Mass Monday through Saturday at 8:00 AM (English), a Spanish weeknight Mass Monday through Friday at 7:00 PM, a vigil Mass on Saturday at 5:00 PM (English) and 6:30 PM (Spanish), and seven Sunday Masses alternating English and Spanish from 7:15 AM to 6:30 PM. Confessions are heard Monday through Friday from 7:00 to 7:45 AM and from 6:00 to 6:45 PM in the Chapel, and on Saturdays from 3:00 to 4:00 PM in the Chapel; no confessions are heard on Holy Days. Holy Days feature a bilingual Vigil Mass at 7:00 PM and four daytime Masses (English, Bilingual, English, Spanish).
- Daily Mass Mon–Sat 8:00 AM (English)
- Spanish weeknight Mass Mon–Fri 7:00 PM
- Saturday Vigil: 5:00 PM (English), 6:30 PM (Spanish)
- Seven Sunday Masses: 7:15, 10:15, 11:45 and 5:00 (English); 8:30, 1:30 and 6:30 (Spanish)
- Confessions Mon–Fri 7:00–7:45 AM and 6:00–6:45 PM, Sat 3:00–4:00 PM
Special Masses and Devotions
In addition to its regular schedule, the parish hosts three monthly 'special' Masses and one weekly devotion. A French Mass is offered on the first Saturday of every month at 9:30 AM in the Main Church; a Latin Mass is offered on the second Saturday of every month at 9:00 AM in the Main Church; and a Mass for the Blessed Mother is offered on the first Saturday at 8:00 AM. The Divine Mercy Chaplet is prayed in the Main Church on Sundays at 3:00 PM. Weekday and special Masses are broadcast live via the parish website.
- French Mass: First Saturday, 9:30 AM (Main Church)
- Latin Mass: Second Saturday, 9:00 AM (Main Church)
- Mass for the Blessed Mother: First Saturday, 8:00 AM (Main Church)
- Divine Mercy Chaplet: Sundays, 3:00 PM (Main Church)
- Weekday Masses livestreamed on the parish website
Christian Formation and Sacraments
The Christian Formation Office (ext. 107) coordinates preparation for the sacraments — Baptism, First Reconciliation and First Communion, Confirmation, and Marriage — as well as continuing faith formation for children, youth and adults. Maryann Camps Gato serves as the Christian Formation Coordinator ([email protected]). The parish routinely records more than 400 children in religious-education classes, a figure that helped motivate the founding of the parish school in 1997. Funerals are coordinated through the parish office (ext. 103).
- Christian Formation Coordinator: Maryann Camps Gato ([email protected], ext. 107)
- Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation and Marriage prep
- Funerals coordinator (ext. 103)
Parish Ministries
Our Lady of Lourdes offers an unusually broad slate of ministries for a parish its size. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul conference (ext. 110) provides direct aid — primarily for rent and utilities — to neighbors in need and runs the Angel Tree at Christmas; the parish Food Pantry (ext. 111) operates as a separate outreach. Emmaus retreats are offered separately in English for men (Mondays 7:00 PM in the Parish Hall) and women (Thursdays 7:30 PM in the Parish Hall), and these retreats have been a noted source of priestly vocations for the Archdiocese. The Youth and Young Adults Ministry (ext. 106) is led by Coordinator Daniel Elie, with Spiritual Companionship (ext. 114) available. The Holy Boutique (ext. 112) is an on-campus religious-goods store, and the annual parish carnival raises funds for parish activities. The Music Ministry is led by Music Director Dr. Lori Werner ([email protected]).
- St. Vincent de Paul Society (ext. 110; [email protected])
- OLOL Food Pantry (ext. 111)
- Men's Emmaus (English, Mondays 7:00 PM, Parish Hall)
- Women's Emmaus / Emaús para Mujeres (English, Thursdays 7:30 PM, Parish Hall)
- Youth and Young Adults Ministry (Daniel Elie, ext. 106)
- Spiritual Companionship (ext. 114)
- Holy Boutique (Carmen VanScoy, ext. 112)
- Music Ministry (Dr. Lori Werner, [email protected])
- Annual parish carnival
Hospitalité de Miami and the Lourdes Pilgrimage
The Hospitalité de Miami — the parish's signature ministry — was inspired in 2012, when a small group of Our Lady of Lourdes parishioners joined the North American Lourdes Volunteers on pilgrimage to Lourdes, France. The movement grew, and in 2016 Archbishop Thomas Wenski formally founded the Hospitalité de Miami; in 2017 Bishop Nicolas Brouwet of Tarbes et Lourdes welcomed the group as a member of the Hospitalité Notre Dame de Lourdes family. Archbishop Wenski himself went on the pilgrimage in 2019. Today the Hospitalité coordinates the annual Archdiocese of Miami pilgrimage to Lourdes and supports service at the Miami sanctuary — a video of which was chosen to lead off the worldwide Lourdes shrine video at the Lourdes, France site. The Miami group's coordinator in France is Josephine Lathan, herself a 'hospitalier' whose mother was miraculously cured of terminal cancer at Lourdes at age 49. The Hospitalité de Miami office is reached at ext. 242.
- Founded formally in 2016 by Archbishop Thomas Wenski
- Welcomed into Hospitalité Notre Dame de Lourdes family in 2017 by Bishop Nicolas Brouwet
- Coordinator in France: Josephine Lathan
- Mission coordinators: Deacon Jorge Matamala (Miami); Ernesto Medina and Tim VanScoy (Hospitalité de Miami)
- Contact: ext. 242
Our Lady of Lourdes Parish School
Our Lady of Lourdes Parish School opened in the fall of 1997 with 240 students in pre-kindergarten 3 through fourth grade and gradually expanded to include eighth grade. It is a faith-based Catholic school serving the parish and the broader Kendall community; tuition assistance is available for active parish members. The school website (ololjaguars.org) carries the pastor's annual message and information about enrollment, capital improvements, and the parish Festival, whose proceeds support school operations.
- Opened fall 1997 with 240 students, PreK3 through grade 4
- Subsequently expanded through grade 8
- Website: ololjaguars.org
- Tuition assistance available for active parish members
Outreach: St. Vincent de Paul and Food Pantry
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul at Our Lady of Lourdes is a volunteer ministry that listens to and serves neighbors in need — most often helping with rent and utilities to keep roofs over heads and air conditioning running during Florida's hot summers. The SVDP conference runs the Angel Tree each Christmas (serving roughly 95 parish members each year with toys, bicycles and gift cards) and depends on the parish Poor Box — donation boxes at every entrance to the sanctuary — as its primary funding stream. The OLOL Food Pantry is a separate parish outreach. Both ministries are supported by the parish's 43+ active volunteers and serve households from inside and outside the parish boundaries.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — ext. 110; [email protected]
- Angel Tree (Christmas): toys, bicycles and gift cards distributed to ~95 parishioners each year
- Poor Box collection at every church entrance
- OLOL Food Pantry — ext. 111
Getting Involved
Newcomers and visitors can register with the parish through the Registrations office (Maria Jarquin, ext. 105, [email protected]). Volunteers are needed across every ministry — Emmaus retreat teams, St. Vincent de Paul home visits, Food Pantry distribution, Youth and Young Adults Ministry, Music Ministry and the annual Carnival. The parish also accepts online Mass intentions and donations via the parish website and through Faith Direct online giving.
- Registrations: Maria Jarquin, ext. 105, [email protected]
- Online giving via Faith Direct
- Online Mass intention requests
- Volunteer opportunities in Emmaus, SVDP, Food Pantry, Youth Ministry, Music, Carnival
Contact and Practical Information
The parish can be reached by phone at (305) 386-4121, with fax (305) 386-6881, and is located at 11291 SW 142nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33186. Common email addresses use the @ololourdes.org domain (for example [email protected] for the Pastor, [email protected] for Christian Formation, [email protected] for the Music Director, [email protected] for St. Vincent de Paul). The official website is ololourdes.org; the parish also publishes a weekly bulletin (PDF) available on the website and maintains social-media channels under the names 'OLOL Catholic Church Miami FL' (Facebook), '@ololourdes' (Instagram) and '@OLOLCatholicMiami' (Twitter/X).
- Address: 11291 SW 142nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33186
- Phone: (305) 386-4121
- Fax: (305) 386-6881
- Website: ololourdes.org
- Facebook: OLOL Catholic Church Miami FL
- Instagram: @ololourdes
- Twitter/X: @OLOLCatholicMiami