About Our Lady of Lourdes Mission · Cochranton, Pennsylvania
Our Lady of Lourdes is a Catholic mission church in Cochranton, Pennsylvania, serving the borough and surrounding rural area of northern Crawford County. It is a mission of St. Hippolyte Parish in Guys Mills, and the two worship sites share one pastor, staff, and faith-formation program under the Diocese of Erie. Established in 1962 and rebuilt after the devastating May 31, 1985 tornado, the parish offers weekend Mass, weekly adoration and rosary, faith formation for children and adults, and an active Helping Hands care-and-concern network that supports parishioners through prayer, visits, meals, transportation, and bereavement support.
- Established
- 1962
- Patron
- Our Lady of Lourdes
- Rector
- Rev. Jeffrey J. Lucas
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie
Why belong here
Our Lady of Lourdes is a small but deeply interconnected Catholic mission in rural Cochranton where members know one another by name. Weekend Mass is offered in an intimate setting, weekly Adoration and Rosary deepen prayer life, and the Helping Hands network ensures that anyone in need — illness, bereavement, transportation, a meal, or just a card — is cared for by fellow parishioners. Active faith formation runs from preschool through Confirmation, and the parish joins St. Hippolyte for the long-running Frenchtown Ham or Chicken Dinner each July, a community tradition stretching back over a century.
Mass times at Our Lady of Lourdes Mission
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- By appointment (call the parish office at 814-789-2022)
Adoration times
- Friday 8:30 a.m. — Adoration following Communion Service at Our Lady of Lourdes, Cochranton
- Monday 8:30 a.m. — Adoration at St. Hippolyte, Guys Mills
About Our Lady of Lourdes Mission
Our Lady of Lourdes is the Catholic mission church serving Cochranton, Pennsylvania. It is paired with St. Hippolyte Church in nearby Guys Mills, and the two share one pastor, one staff, and one faith-formation program. The Cochranton site offers a Sunday Mass (subject to diocesan scheduling), a weekly Friday Communion Service followed by Adoration and Rosary, and remains a focal point for the small Catholic community of northern Crawford County.
- Mission church of St. Hippolyte Parish, Guys Mills
- Diocese of Erie
- Established 1962
- Address: 251 S. Franklin St., Cochranton, PA 16314
History
Founded in 1962, Our Lady of Lourdes grew under pastors who added a social hall and a stable Catholic presence in Cochranton. The parish's defining moment came on May 31, 1985, when a devastating tornado outbreak — still the worst tornado event in Pennsylvania history — destroyed the church building along with nearly 400 others across the region. The community rebuilt on the same South Franklin Street site, and the rebuilt church was rededicated in a service at which eight priests concelebrated. Long-time pastor Msgr. Richard Mayer shepherded the rebuilding, was named a Monsignor by Pope John Paul II in 1994, and retired in 2009. In August 2023, the Diocese of Erie consolidated regular Sunday Mass at St. Hippolyte, Guys Mills, while preserving Our Lady of Lourdes as a weekday and devotional worship site.
- Established 1962
- 1985 tornado destroyed the original building
- Rebuilt on the same site and rededicated
- 25th anniversary of rededication marked by eight priests concelebrating
- Msgr. Richard Mayer oversaw the rebuilding (named Monsignor 1994, retired 2009)
- August 2023: regular Sunday Mass consolidated at St. Hippolyte
Clergy and Staff
Our Lady of Lourdes shares its pastoral team with St. Hippolyte Parish. The pastor and parochial vicar serve both worship sites, supported by a small lay staff handling administration, faith formation, and music.
- Pastor: Rev. Jeffrey J. Lucas
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Kyle Seyler
- Administrative Assistant: Mrs. Desiree Wagner
- Faith Formation Coordinator: Mrs. Joyce Tarr (814-671-1009)
- Director of Music Ministries: Ms. Darcie Schoenfeldt(-White)
Sacraments
The parish prepares parishioners for the sacraments of initiation, marriage, and anointing. Baptisms require a Pre-Baptism Program, First Reconciliation and First Eucharist require a parent/student retreat, and Confirmation requires candidate/sponsor meetings, service projects, and a retreat. Couples must contact the pastor at least six months before a proposed wedding, with at least one party registered and active for a year. The Anointing of the Sick is arranged by calling the parish office.
- Baptism — Pre-Baptism Program required
- First Reconciliation & First Eucharist — retreat for parents and students
- Confirmation — meetings, service projects, retreat
- Marriage — six months' notice; one party active/registered for one year
- Anointing of the Sick — call the parish office
Faith Formation
Faith Formation for Preschool through Grade 8 meets on Sunday mornings from 9:15 to 10:45 a.m. at St. Hippolyte in Guys Mills, September through May. The Confirmation class (Grade 9) meets Sunday afternoons from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. Adult faith formation includes the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) for those exploring Catholicism or returning to the faith, plus Marriage Preparation through Pre-Cana or Engaged Encounter.
- Elementary & Adolescent Faith Formation (PreK–Grade 8), Sundays 9:15–10:45 a.m. at St. Hippolyte
- Confirmation Class (Grade 9), Sundays 12:00–1:30 p.m. at St. Hippolyte
- RCIA for adults — contact Joyce Tarr at 814-671-1009
- Marriage Preparation — Pre-Cana or Engaged Encounter plus pastoral instruction
- Baptismal Preparation Classes for parents
Helping Hands — Care and Concern Ministry
Helping Hands is the parish's signature outreach network, coordinating practical and pastoral support to parishioners in need. A team of coordinators matches volunteers with families facing illness, grief, transportation challenges, or simply the need for a friendly visit. The ministry embodies the small-parish ethos of Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Hippolyte: when someone is in need, the community shows up.
- Prayer Requests / Prayer Chain — Bob & Denise Schoenfeldt, Julia Hovis
- Visitation — cards, visits, and telephone calls
- Services to the Bereaved — Mass intentions, dinners, follow-up
- Emergency Home Care — meals, odd jobs, respite care
- Transportation — to church and errands
- Elizabeth Ministry
- Ministry of Welcome
Parish Life and Events
Beyond weekly liturgy and outreach, the parish sustains a community life that includes the long-running Frenchtown Ham or Chicken Dinner each July, weekly adoration and rosary gatherings, and parish social halls at both Cochranton and Guys Mills that host dinners, meetings, and fellowship. The parish publishes a weekly bulletin with announcements, prayer intentions, and ministry contacts.
- Annual Frenchtown Ham or Chicken Dinner — last Sunday in July (130th year in 2026)
- Our Lady of Lourdes Social Hall: 814-425-7550
- St. Hippolyte Social Hall: 814-789-4533
- Weekly parish bulletin with ministry contacts and prayer intentions
Contact and Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the shared parish office by phone, fax, or email during business hours, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The physical mailing address is the St. Hippolyte Parish office in Guys Mills; the Cochranton worship site uses its South Franklin Street address for GPS only.
- Phone: 814-789-2022
- Fax: 814-789-2025
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: sainthippolytechurch.com
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
- Mailing: St. Hippolyte Parish, 25997 State Highway 27, Guys Mills, PA 16327
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Msgr. Richard Mayer
Oversaw development of the social hall (later destroyed by the 1985 tornado) and led the parish's rebuilding after the storm; named Chaplain of His Holiness with the title of Monsignor by Pope John Paul II in 1994; retired 2009.