About Our Lady of the Lake · Big Lake, Alaska
Our Lady of the Lake is a small but active Catholic parish in Big Lake, Alaska, a recreational community north of Wasilla on the Parks Highway. Founded as a mission in 1966 and elevated to an independent parish in 2007 by Archbishop Roger Schwietz, the parish is today part of the Mat-Su Catholic Community served from the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau. With roughly 93–95 registered families — many of them retirees — it offers weekend and weekday Masses, an active Legion of Mary and St. Vincent de Paul Society, a Vacation Bible School, and the warm, family-style worship that longtime pastoral associate Carol Hepler describes as 'very vibrant and people sing a lot.'
- Established
- 1966
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Lake (the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Father Joseph McGilloway
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau (formerly Archdiocese of Anchorage; parish is administered as part of the Mat-Su Catholic Community)
Why belong here
Our Lady of the Lake is the kind of parish where, as pastoral associate Carol Hepler says, 'Masses have a definite family feel' and people stay after Mass for coffee and donuts. It is small enough to know your neighbors — about 93 registered families, many of them retirees — but unusually active, with a Legion of Mary, St. Vincent de Paul Society, an Emergency Food Pantry that partners with the Big Lake Community Food Bank, a Vacation Bible School, and a strong tradition of helping the wider Big Lake community through wildfires and hardship. Located near one of Alaska's premier recreational lakes, it warmly welcomes summer visitors who come up to enjoy the cabins that dot the shoreline.
Mass times at Our Lady of the Lake
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 5:30 PM – 6:00 PM (Big Lake, immediately preceding the 6:00 PM Vigil Mass)
Parish History
Our Lady of the Lake was founded as a Catholic mission in Big Lake, Alaska in 1966 — the same year the Archdiocese of Anchorage was created and Archbishop Joseph Ryan was installed as its first archbishop. Its first church burned to the ground just two weeks after dedication, and for almost thirteen years the community worshipped at Big Lake Elementary School. The present church was dedicated in June 1979 with Archbishop Francis Hurley conducting the first confirmations, and a small two-priest rectory was added in 1981. The parish remained a mission under St. Bernard's in Talkeetna until 2007, when Archbishop Roger Schwietz formally erected it as an independent parish.
- 1966 — First church dedicated; burns down two weeks later
- 1966–1979 — Worship held at Big Lake Elementary School (3 rooms)
- 1979 — Current church dedicated; Archbishop Francis Hurley confirms first class
- 1981 — Two-priest rectory built
- 1996 — Major relief center during the Miller Reach Fire
- 2007 — Elevated to independent parish by Archbishop Roger Schwietz
- 2007 — Our Lady of the Valley elementary school created (shared with Palmer and Wasilla parishes)
- Anniversary celebration held annually on the Sunday closest to August 15
Faith Community & Worship
For a small parish, Our Lady of the Lake is unusually active. Roughly 93–95 registered families (many retired) form a tight community whose Masses, in the words of pastoral associate Carol Hepler, 'have a definite family feel' — people sing, and they stay for coffee and donuts after Sunday Mass. Attendance swells in summer when recreational-cabin owners return to Big Lake. The parish is led by Father Joseph McGilloway (pastor) with a parochial vicar and three deacons serving the wider five-location pastorate.
- Saturday Vigil Mass — 6:00 PM, English
- Sunday Mass — 11:00 AM, English
- Tuesday — 2:30 PM Mass
- Thursday — 11:00 AM Mass
- Saturday Confessions — 5:30 PM to 6:00 PM (before Vigil Mass)
- Communion Services on weekends when a priest is unavailable
- Live-streamed Mass available from Sacred Heart, Wasilla
Clergy & Staff
Father Joseph McGilloway, a native of Derry, Ireland and former Benedictine monk (Glenstal Abbey, County Limerick; Kylemore Abbey, County Galway), has been pastor since 2016. He also serves as pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Wasilla and as canonical pastor of three Mat-Su missions: St. Bernard in Talkeetna, St. Philip Benizi in Trapper Creek, and St. Christopher in Willow. He resides at Sacred Heart with his parochial vicar, and the Big Lake rectory is used by occasional visiting priests. Father Madison Hayes joined as parochial vicar on September 11, 2023, as his first pastoral assignment, after being appointed by Archbishop Andrew Bellisario, C.M. on August 4. Three deacons support sacramental and pastoral needs across the five locations. Carol Hepler serves as pastoral associate and plays piano for Mass.
- Father Joseph McGilloway — Pastor (since 2016)
- Father Madison Hayes — Parochial Vicar (since Sept. 2023)
- Father Armand Dice — Parochial Vicar (earlier assignment under Fr. McGilloway)
- Father Mark Stronach, OSB — Parochial Vicar (2016; Mount Angel Abbey)
- Father Leo Walsh — referenced in parish history
- Three deacons serving the five-location pastorate
- Carol Hepler — Pastoral Associate and pianist
Parish Ministries & Outreach
Outreach has long been central to Our Lady of the Lake's identity. The parish was a major relief center during the catastrophic 1996 Miller Reach Fire and continues to assist families affected by sporadic wildfires in the Willow area. Today, the St. Vincent de Paul Society runs the parish's Emergency Food Pantry (partnering with the Big Lake Community Food Bank) and provides emergency financial assistance. A Legion of Mary praesidium is active, and a dedicated core of volunteers maintains hospitality, the facilities, and a tradition of coffee and donuts after Sunday Mass. The parish revived its annual Vacation Bible School, which draws families from around the lake — sometimes in motorhomes.
- Legion of Mary
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Emergency Food Pantry (partners with Big Lake Community Food Bank)
- Wildfire / disaster relief (active since the 1996 Miller Reach Fire)
- Hospitality (coffee & donuts after Sunday Mass)
- Annual Vacation Bible School
- Volunteer core for outreach, hospitality, and facilities
Our Lady of the Valley Catholic School
In 2007, Archbishop Roger Schwietz gave his blessing to the creation of Our Lady of the Valley, a Catholic elementary school that serves students from three Mat-Su parishes: St. Michael's in Palmer, Sacred Heart in Wasilla, and Our Lady of the Lake in Big Lake. The school is located on the Sacred Heart Parish campus in Wasilla, making it a regional Catholic school option for Big Lake families.
- Founded 2007 with Archbishop Schwietz's blessing
- Serves Our Lady of the Lake, St. Michael's (Palmer), and Sacred Heart (Wasilla)
- Located on Sacred Heart Parish campus in Wasilla
Sacraments
Because Our Lady of the Lake shares its priests and deacons across a five-location pastorate, sacraments are scheduled in coordination with Sacred Heart and the Mat-Su missions. Deacons regularly preside at Communion Services, Baptisms, Weddings, and Funerals when a priest is unavailable.
- Baptism
- Marriage / Weddings
- Funerals
- First Communion and Confirmation preparation
- Communion Services when a priest is not present
Devotions & Special Celebrations
Each year on the Sunday closest to August 15 — the date the parish was formally created in 2007 — the community gathers for an annual parish celebration with a potluck and games. The parish also maintains an active Legion of Mary praesidium, which meets regularly for prayer and apostolic works.
- Annual parish celebration — Sunday closest to August 15 (potluck and games)
- Legion of Mary meetings and apostolic works
Facilities & Location
The parish is located at 4275 Oscar Anderson Road in Big Lake, with a mailing address of PO Box 520769, Big Lake, AK 99652. The present church building (the third structure the community has used) was completed in 1979, with a small rectory added in 1981 to accommodate two priests. Today the rectory is used by occasional visiting priests, while the pastor and parochial vicar reside at Sacred Heart in Wasilla.
- Current church dedicated 1979
- Two-priest rectory built 1981; now used by visiting priests
- Office phone: (907) 892-6492
- Email: [email protected]
- Mailing: PO Box 520769, Big Lake, AK 99652
Getting Involved & Contact
Newcomers and visitors are warmly welcomed. Mass is celebrated at 6:00 PM on Saturday and 11:00 AM on Sunday in Big Lake; weekday Masses are offered Tuesday at 2:30 PM and Thursday at 11:00 AM. The parish office can be reached at (907) 892-6492 or [email protected], and updates are posted on the parish's Facebook page.
- Phone: (907) 892-6492
- Email: [email protected]
- Facebook: Our Lady of the Lake, Big Lake Alaska (@OLOLBiglakeak)
- Office is part of the Mat-Su Catholic Community cluster served from Wasilla
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Joseph McGilloway2016–present
Native of Derry, Ireland; former Benedictine monk of Glenstal Abbey and Kylemore Abbey; incardinated into the Archdiocese of Anchorage in 2016; resides at Sacred Heart in Wasilla; also pastor of Sacred Heart and canonical pastor of three Mat-Su missions.
- Father Armand Dice
Parochial vicar under Fr. McGilloway; was out of commission for part of one summer, during which some weekends saw Communion Services instead of Mass.
- Father Madison Hayes2023–present (parochial vicar)
First pastoral assignment; appointed by Archbishop Andrew Bellisario, C.M. on Aug. 4 and began serving the five-location pastorate on Sept. 11.
- Father Mark Stronach2016
Benedictine monk from Oregon's Mount Angel Abbey; assigned as parochial vicar under Fr. McGilloway in 2016.