About Our Lady of the Lake · Chapin, South Carolina
Our Lady of the Lake is a Roman Catholic parish in Chapin, South Carolina, established in 1978 and serving the Lake Murray region of the Diocese of Charleston. The parish worships at 195 Amicks Ferry Road and offers a notably traditional liturgical schedule, including an Extraordinary Form (Traditional Latin) Mass every Sunday at 1:00 p.m. celebrated by retired diocesan priest Fr. Robert Morey, a First Saturday Ad Orientem Mass, an Adoration Chapel available 24 hours a day 363 days a year, and a weekly 5:00 p.m. Life Teen Mass during the school year. Its mission statement describes it as a welcoming Catholic community making God visible through the sacraments, faith formation, and service.
- Established
- 1978
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Lake (Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Dennis B. Willey
- Diocese
- Diocese of Charleston
Why belong here
Our Lady of the Lake is a welcoming Catholic community that pairs a vigorous sacramental life — daily Mass, multiple Sunday Masses including a Traditional Latin Mass, nearly year-round Adoration, and steady Confession times — with deep formation programs for every age, from 4K through high school, plus EDGE and Life Teen youth groups. The parish reaches outward through its Respect Life ministry, its partnership with the local We Care emergency aid cooperative, and support of The Good Samaritan Clinic, making it a place where parishioners can know, love, and serve the Lord together.
Mass times at Our Lady of the Lake
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
- First Fridays 10:00 – 11:30 AM
- First Saturdays 10:00 – 11:30 AM (followed by 12 Noon Ad Orientem Mass)
- By appointment — text Fr. Dennis at 843.834.5447
Adoration times
- Adoration Chapel open 24 hours a day, 363 days a year (perpetual adoration is the parish's ongoing goal; sign up via Adoration Pro)
- First Friday Adoration in Chapel 1:00 – 7:00 PM, with Benediction at 7:00 PM
- First Saturday Adoration in Nave 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon
Parish Identity & Mission
Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church describes itself as 'a welcoming Catholic community, making God visible through the sacraments, faith-formation and service.' Its vision is to 'Know, Love and Serve the Lord,' and its published values are Faith, Worship, and Love. The parish is part of the Diocese of Charleston and was founded in 1978 to serve the Lake Murray area of South Carolina.
- Parish Mission: welcoming Catholic community, making God visible through the sacraments, faith-formation and service
- Parish Vision: Know, Love and Serve the Lord
- Parish Values: Faith, Worship, Love
- Diocese: Diocese of Charleston
- Founded: 1978
Faith Formation for Children (4K–5th Grade)
Religious Education is offered for children from 4K through 5th Grade, directed by Cassy M. Vernau, DRE (803-477-5132). Classes meet Sunday mornings from 9:15 to 10:15 AM, and the Children's Mass is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month at 10:30 AM. First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion are traditionally received in the 2nd-grade year and require at least one prior year of active enrollment; catch-up classes are available for 3rd grade and above. Registration is ongoing and requires a baptismal certificate.
- Cassy M. Vernau, DRE — 803-477-5132 — [email protected]
- Stella Terrana Kasten, Administrative Assistant to the DRE — [email protected]
- Class time: Sundays 9:15–10:15 AM
- Children's Mass: first Sunday of the month at 10:30 AM
- First Reconciliation & First Communion traditionally in 2nd grade
Youth Ministry (Grades 6–12)
The parish runs two parallel youth programs: EDGE for middle-school students (Grades 6–7), meeting Sunday mornings 9:15–10:15 in St. Andrew Hall, and Life Teen for high-school students (Grades 8–12), meeting Sunday evenings 6:15–8:00 in the Family Life Center after the 5:00 PM Life Teen Mass. Both are led by Megan Shealy, Director of Youth Ministry (803-814-5735). The parish also sends youth to the Steubenville Youth Conference (June 18–21, 2026), the Diocesan Youth Conference (DYC, March 14, 2027), and summer retreats at Camp Kinard / Christian Leadership Institute. Confirmation is typically celebrated in February.
- EDGE (Grades 6–7): Sundays 9:15–10:15 AM, St. Andrew Hall
- Life Teen (Grades 8–12): Sundays 6:15–8:00 PM, Family Life Center
- Life Teen Mass: Sundays 5:00 PM (school year only)
- Megan Shealy, Director of Youth Ministry — [email protected] — 803-814-5735
- Confirmation typically in February; contact DRE for requirements
Respect Life Ministry
Led by Deacon Greg Weigold, the Respect Life Ministry exists to build a culture of life through prayer, advocacy, and concrete support for women, the unborn, and the vulnerable. Activities include Walking With Moms in Need, monthly fellowship gatherings, prayer walks for foster children, scheduled prayer vigils at Planned Parenthood, 40 Days for Life campaigns, the Life Chain, Rosary For Life pamphlets, and connections to post-abortive healing via Rachel's Vineyard. The ministry maintains a Tuesday and Friday Rosary for Life and a Zoomed Prolife Stations of the Cross.
- Contact: Deacon Greg — [email protected]; Maureen — 803-932-6032
- [email protected]
- Tuesday Rosary for Life: 8:15 AM and 9:30 AM (Zoom available)
- Friday Rosary for Life (bilingual handouts)
- Spring of Love foster/adopt discernment apostolate
- 40 Days for Life campaigns and Life Chain events
Outreach & Parish Neighbors
Outreach at Our Lady of the Lake is built around Parish Neighbors — small geographic groups of parishioners who look out for one another through meal trains, rides to church, phone trees, and shared service projects — and partnerships with local aid organizations such as We Care (founded in 1986, a cooperative ministry serving families in Chapin, Little Mountain, White Rock, and Prosperity) and the Prayer Line, which prays daily for parishioners in crisis. The parish also helps support The Good Samaritan Clinic, which provides free basic medical services to those in need.
- Parish Neighbors — contact Kitty Kelly Wilson: 803-979-1833 — [email protected]
- We Care emergency aid — contact Gary Schmedding — [email protected]
- Prayer Line — contact Linda Mill
- New members receive a welcome packet and 'New Parishioner Form'
- The Good Samaritan Clinic (free basic medical services)
Devotions & Prayer Life
Beyond the Mass schedule, the parish sustains a rich devotional life: perpetual (24/7) Adoration in the Chapel, Stations of the Cross on Fridays during Lent at 7:00 PM, a Tuesday and Friday Rosary for Life (with bilingual handouts), and Prolife Stations, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and Sorrowful Mysteries Rosary via Zoom.
- Stations of the Cross — Fridays 7:00 PM in Lent
- Tuesday Rosary for Life — 8:15 AM & 9:30 AM (Zoom at 9:30 AM)
- Friday Rosary for Life — bilingual
- Prolife Stations of the Cross / Divine Mercy Chaplet via Zoom
Live Stream & Online Giving
The Sunday 10:30 AM Mass is livestreamed on the parish's Facebook page and via BoxCast, with the recording remaining viewable for 24 hours. The parish also offers online giving through a dedicated portal accessible from the website.
- Livestream: Sunday 10:30 AM
- https://www.facebook.com/Our-Lady-of-the-Lake-Chapin-SC-1736799036531766/
- https://boxcast.tv/channel/qk9kawq789vxrj6vunwv
- Online Giving via parish website
Parish Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Dennis B. Willey and supported by Deacons Greg Weigold, Tim Hood-Pittenger (on medical leave), and John Stetar (Retired). Lay staff include Megan Shealy (Director of Youth Ministry), Cassy M. Vernau (Director of Religious Education / DRE), Stella Terrana Kasten (Administrative Assistant to the DRE and Parish Office), Patricia D. Moore (Parish Life Administrator), J. Blade Boulware (Director of Music), Cindy G. Belter (Bookkeeper), and a Facilities Manager. The Parish Pastoral Council includes Dr. Adam Hairr, Tom Hrica, Jamie Lutes, Mike Motta, Gerald Perritt, Carla Sharpley, Margie Simkins, Ellen Tyler, and Mike Weinzapfel.
- Pastor: Rev. Dennis B. Willey — [email protected]
- Deacon Greg Weigold — [email protected]
- Director of Youth Ministry: Megan Shealy — [email protected] — 803-814-5735
- DRE: Cassy M. Vernau — [email protected] — 803-477-5132
- Parish Life Administrator: Patricia D. Moore — [email protected]
- Director of Music: J. Blade Boulware — [email protected]
- Bookkeeper: Cindy G. Belter — [email protected]
- Receptionist: [email protected]
- Parish Pastoral Council: Dr. Adam Hairr, Tom Hrica, Jamie Lutes, Mike Motta, Gerald Perritt, Carla Sharpley, Margie Simkins, Ellen Tyler, Mike Weinzapfel
Contact, Maps & Directions
The parish is located at 195 Amicks Ferry Road, Chapin, SC 29036 (this physical address is also the mailing address). The main office number is 803-345-3962. Driving directions are the same from both Columbia and Spartanburg: take Exit 91 off I-26, then continue onto Columbia Avenue / Amicks Ferry Road (State Rd S-32-51); 195 Amicks Ferry Road is on the left.
- Address: 195 Amicks Ferry Road, Chapin, SC 29036
- Phone: 803-345-3962
- Email: [email protected]
- Parish Office hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- From Columbia or Spartanburg: I-26 Exit 91 → Columbia Ave → Amicks Ferry Rd (S-32-51) → destination on left