About Our Lady of Perpetual Help · Camden, South Carolina
Our Lady of Perpetual Help is a Catholic parish in the historic town of Camden, South Carolina, situated in the Columbia Deanery of the Diocese of Charleston. Founded in 1914 and dedicated on May 24 of that year, the parish grew from just 20 original members to roughly 450 households today, and is known for its distinctive Spanish-motif campus with red-tiled roofs that stands out in the neighborhood. The parish celebrates Mass in both English and Spanish, runs a faith formation program and Holy Family School on Pine Street, and supports youth ministry, OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), and the VERBUM Family Ministry for homeschooling families and pre-school children.
- Established
- 1914
- Patron
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help
- Rector
- Rev. Orlando Serrano Ardila (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston (Deanery: Columbia)
Why belong here
Our Lady of Perpetual Help is a warm, bilingual Catholic community where English- and Spanish-speaking parishioners worship together every Sunday. It offers the full rhythm of Catholic life — weekday and Sunday Mass, regular confession, First Friday and First Tuesday Eucharistic Adoration, OCIA for adults seeking initiation, Sunday School for grades 1–12, and a thriving youth ministry that meets Sunday evenings for grades 6–12. For families with little ones or those who homeschool, the VERBUM Family Ministry gathers on First Fridays for Mass, adoration, hymns, and feast-day celebrations, while Holy Family School and a robust Faith Formation program (Ashley Price, Director; Kate Peake, Youth Minister & Assistant Director) anchor catechesis on the Pine Street campus. The parish mission statement sums it up: to lead Christian lives through community building, Christian formation, evangelization, prayer & worship, social outreach, and stewardship.
Mass times at Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:45 PM – 4:30 PM
- Sunday 11:10 AM – 11:45 AM
- Monday & Tuesday 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM
- Wednesday & Thursday 8:40 AM – 9:10 AM
- By appointment (per the Diocese of Charleston directory)
Adoration times
- First Tuesdays 12:30 PM – 6:00 PM (following 12:00 PM Mass)
- First Fridays 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM (following 12:00 PM Mass)
Parish History
The Catholic community in Camden existed as a mission long before 1914. A first attempt to build a church in 1884 failed when the unfinished building was sold at auction; a Sacred Heart Church was built in 1903 and used until 1914 (and still stands today as a synagogue). The present parish owes its existence to Miss Charlotte Thompson of Baltimore, who converted at St. Alfonso in Rome and returned to Camden to build a church at Lyttleton and Pine Streets, dedicated May 24, 1914.
- Diocese of Charleston founded in 1820; originally covered SC, NC, and GA
- Miss Charlotte Thompson purchased land June 18, 1909 — baptized at St. Alfonso in Rome
- Church dedicated May 24, 1914 with 20 members
- Original rectory (now parish office) and St. Mary's Hall dedicated by Bishop Paul J. Hallinan on August 20, 1961
- Garden enclosed and landscaped in 1962
- Church enlarged 1967–1968 under Rev. Donald Hamburger; blessed by Bishop Ernest L. Unterkœfler October 27, 1968
- Altar and floor renovated December 2005; icon altar moved to Tabernacle, original communion rail repurposed as altar of sacrifice
- Approximately 450 households today — described as one of the most picturesque parish campuses in South Carolina
Mass & Worship Schedule
OLPH offers a bilingual schedule of Masses, with weekday noontime and morning options and two Sunday Masses — one in English and one in Spanish. Confession is available six days a week, and Eucharistic Adoration is held on First Tuesdays (a longer 5½-hour block) and First Fridays following the noon Mass.
- Sunday 9:30 AM (English) and 12:00 PM (Spanish)
- Saturday Vigil 5:00 PM
- Weekday Mass: Mon, Tue, First Fri 12:00 PM; Wed & Thu 8:00 AM
- Holy Days — call the parish office for times
Clergy & Parish Staff
The parish is led by its pastor/administrator, supported by two deacons, and staffed by lay ministers for faith formation, youth ministry, music, and parish operations. The parish office is bilingual (Spanish-speaking staff).
- Pastor/Administrator: Rev. Orlando Serrano Ardila (ext. 12) — incardinated into the Diocese of Charleston April 15, 2025; previously administrator of several parishes in Colombia
- Deacon Stephen Goodman
- Deacon Dave Bull
- Director of Holy Family School and Faith Formation: Ashley Price (Hablo Español) — Religious Education Office, Pine St., 803-432-8808
- Youth Minister & Assistant Preschool Director: Kate Peake
- Minister of Music: Zoltan Varga
- Office Manager / Tribunal Case Assistant: Nancy Romaniello (ext. 11, bilingual Spanish)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Sunday School serves students in grades 1 through 12 on Sunday mornings from 10:45 to 11:45 AM. Registration opens in mid-July and classes begin in late August. The Religious Education office is on Pine Street and is directed by Ashley Price, with Kate Peake serving as Assistant Director.
- Sunday School: grades 1–12, Sunday mornings 10:45 – 11:45 AM
- Registration opens in mid-July; classes begin in late August
- Contact Ashley Price in the Religious Education Office (Pine St., 803-432-8808)
Youth Ministry
The OLPH Youth Ministry aims to help middle- and high-schoolers draw closer to Christ through faith formation, fellowship, and fun. Youth Group meets most Sundays from 5:00 to 6:30 PM and includes guest speakers, apologetics, service projects, Bible study, food, and games. All students in grades 6–12 are invited.
- Open to grades 6–12
- Meets most Sundays 5:00 – 6:30 PM
- Includes guest speakers, apologetics, service projects, Bible study, food, and games
- Led by Kate Peake, Youth Minister
VERBUM Family Ministry
VERBUM is a parish ministry aimed at families that homeschool or have pre-school-aged children. The group meets monthly on the First Friday of the month from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, learning hymns, celebrating the feast days on the Liturgical calendar, and attending the noon Mass. All are welcome and no registration is required. The acronym VERBUM highlights the program's themes of Mass, Education, Belief, Reverence, Understanding, and Virtue.
- Meets First Fridays, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
- Open to homeschooling families and families with pre-school children
- Includes hymns, feast-day activities, and noon Mass
- Contact: Sarah Ronan
- Program pillars (VERBUM): Mass, Education, Belief, Reverence, Understanding, Virtue
OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation of Adults
OCIA (the post-Vatican II successor to RCIA) meets on Sunday evenings at 5:00 PM in St. Mary's Hall. The sessions are open to anyone interested in joining the Catholic Church, as well as to already-Catholic adults who want to deepen their understanding of the faith.
- Sundays at 5:00 PM in St. Mary's Hall
- For inquirers, catechumens, candidates, and Catholics seeking deeper formation
Visit, Register & Contact
Parishioners and visitors are encouraged to register with the parish in order to receive sacraments and participate fully in parish life. The parish office is open Monday through Thursday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
- Address: 1709 Lyttleton Street, Camden, SC 29020
- Phone: 803-432-6131
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Monday – Thursday, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Faith Formation / Religious Education Office: Pine Street, 803-432-8808
Pilgrimages & Parish Life
OLPH supports pilgrimages as a form of parish formation — the parish's website promotes an Israel Pilgrimage accompanied by Fr. Orlando Serrano and Deacon Stephen Goodman, with daily Mass, spiritual reflections, and opportunities for prayer and fellowship.
- Israel Pilgrimage led by Fr. Orlando Serrano and Dcn. Stephen Goodman
- Daily Mass, spiritual reflections, prayer, and fellowship during pilgrimage travel
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Donald Hamburger
Oversaw the 1967–1968 enlargement of the church; Mass was celebrated in St. Mary's Hall during construction.