About Our Lady of Mercy · Lowell, Ohio
Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic parish located at 5001 Lowell Hill Road in Lowell, Ohio, in Washington County along the Muskingum River. Founded in 1919 to serve a rural stretch of southeastern Ohio, it is one of the historic parishes of the Diocese of Steubenville and is currently clustered with St. John the Baptist in Churchtown under the pastoral care of Fr. David Gaydosik. The parish offers weekend and weekday Masses in English, weekly confessions on Saturday afternoons, and a tight-knit calendar of parish ministries including RCIA, the Parish School of Religion, the Holy Name Society, the Catholic Women's Club, and the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
- Established
- 1919
- Patron
- Our Lady of Mercy
- Rector
- Fr. David Gaydosik
- Diocese
- Diocese of Steubenville
Why belong here
Our Lady of Mercy offers a faithful, family-sized Catholic community in the Lowell / Waterford area of Washington County, with weekend and weekday Mass celebrated in a dignified 1954 brick church. Parishioners can grow in their faith through RCIA, the Parish School of Religion, and lively lay groups such as the Holy Name Society, the Catholic Women's Club, and the St. Vincent de Paul Society, while serving at Mass as lectors, servers, or extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion.
Mass times at Our Lady of Mercy
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00–3:45 pm
- By appointment
Church History
Our Lady of Mercy was established in 1919 by Bishop James Hartley of the Diocese of Columbus, with Fr. Clement Crock as founding pastor. The parish was formed to serve the parishioners of the older Ave Maria ("Rainbow" or "Waterford") parish, which had been established in 1866 by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati about five miles from the Muskingum River at Lowell and was closed in October 1919 as too remote from the river and railroad. The first Mass at Our Lady of Mercy was celebrated on December 8, 1919, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. A church hall was built in 1929, and in 1954 the original wooden church was replaced by the present brick church — one of the first projects overseen by Bishop John King Mussio of the newly established Diocese of Steubenville. The hall was rebuilt in brick in 1987.
Cluster Parishes & Pastoral Leadership
From 1987 to 2019 Our Lady of Mercy was clustered with St. Henry's in Harrietsville. Today it is clustered with St. John the Baptist in Churchtown, and Fr. David Gaydosik — a native of St. Michael's parish in Carlisle — serves as pastor of both parishes. Two retired priests, Fr. Dale Tornes and Fr. Walter Heinz, assist at the parish alongside parish secretary Kristin Offenberger.
Sacraments
Our Lady of Mercy prepares parishioners for all seven sacraments. Baptisms are scheduled through the Rectory with at least two weeks' notice; First Communion and Confirmation preparation is offered through the Parish School of Religion or RCIA for those not in a Catholic parochial school. Couples wishing to marry at OLM are asked to contact Fr. Gaydosik at least six months in advance. The Anointing of the Sick is available by contacting the parish office, or Fr. Gaydosik directly in an emergency.
- Baptism
- First Communion
- Confirmation
- Matrimony (6 months' notice required)
- Anointing of the Sick
- Confession — Saturday 3–3:45 pm or by appointment
- Sponsors must be at least 16, confirmed Catholics in good standing; non-parishioners need a letter from their pastor
Faith Formation & RCIA
Faith formation at Our Lady of Mercy is centered on the Parish School of Religion (PSR), which prepares public-school children for First Communion and Confirmation, and the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) for adults preparing to enter the Church. Both are coordinated through Fr. David Gaydosik.
- Parish School of Religion (PSR)
- Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) — contact Fr. Gaydosik for more information
Parish Ministries & Organizations
Our Lady of Mercy maintains a busy calendar of lay-led groups that support the spiritual and social life of the parish, support those in need, and maintain the parish grounds and facilities. Two members of the Parish Council — Brian Brooker and Mike Stehly — and the active Holy Name Society and Catholic Women's Club coordinate much of this work.
- Parish Council — consultative body to the pastor; meets quarterly or as needed
- Holy Name Society (Men's Club) — sponsors the Lenten Fish Fries and parish service projects
- Catholic Women's Club — meets 6:00 pm first Tuesday, September–May; sponsors parish events and provides funeral meals
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — outreach to those in need
- Liturgical Ministers — Mass Servers, Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (including homebound ministry)
Liturgical Ministries
Lay faithful assist at the altar and in the sanctuary at every Mass. Servers must have made their First Communion; lectors proclaim the readings and lead the general intercessions; extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion distribute Communion at weekend Masses and bring it to the homebound. Anyone interested is invited to contact the parish office.
- Mass Servers — assist the priest at the altar; must have received First Communion
- Lectors — proclaim the readings and lead the general intercessions
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion — distribute Communion and serve the homebound
Parish Council
The Parish Council serves as a consultative body to the pastor, offering feedback on issues facing the parish. Meetings are held quarterly or as needed and are announced in the bulletin; parishioner feedback is always welcome, including by note in the collection basket.
- Alex Bauerbach
- Brian Brooker
- Dr. Stephen Huffman
- Evan Schaad
- Mike Stehly
- Richard Tornes
Visit & Contact
Our Lady of Mercy welcomes visitors and new parishioners. The parish office can be reached by phone or email, and weekend Mass, weekday Mass, and Saturday confessions provide regular opportunities to worship. The church is located on Lowell Hill Road in the small town of Lowell, Ohio, on the Muskingum River in Washington County.
- Address: 5001 Lowell Hill Road, Lowell, OH 45744
- Phone: (740) 896-2207
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.olmlowell.com/
- Pastor: Fr. David Gaydosik
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Clement Crock1919 (founding)
Founding pastor; was simultaneously pastor of Ave Maria and St. John the Baptist in Churchtown when Our Lady of Mercy was established.