About Our Lady of the Lake · Lake Oswego, Oregon
Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church is an active, Christ-centered parish in Lake Oswego, Oregon, in the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon. Its mission — 'Love God. Love Others. Make Disciples of Jesus Christ.' — is lived out through strong hospitality, vibrant liturgy, robust faith formation, and far-reaching outreach. The parish operates an associated Catholic school (PreK–8), maintains the historic Sacred Heart Cemetery on Stafford Road, and during 2025–2026 is undergoing a major capital renovation of its church, parish center, and campus.
- Established
- 1890
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Lake (the Blessed Virgin Mary, honored under this title since 1951; the parish's original patron was the Sacred Heart of Jesus)
- Rector
- Fr. John Kerns
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
Why belong here
Our Lady of the Lake is a welcoming, mid-sized parish in the heart of Lake Oswego where families can plug into the full life of a Catholic community: weekend and daily Mass (with an ASL-interpreted Sunday Mass, a nursery, and Children's Liturgy of the Word), robust faith formation from toddler through high school, an active Confirmation program, a parish school (PreK–8), and dozens of ministries for every age and stage. Parishioners serve through Mercy Teams (which has delivered nearly 600,000 meals to people experiencing homelessness over nine years), St. Vincent de Paul, Knights of Columbus, Respect Life, music and liturgy teams, and outreach to local agencies such as Blanchet House and the Lake Oswego Transitional Shelter. With the historic Sacred Heart Cemetery on Stafford Road and a major 2025–2026 campus renovation in progress, OLL is a parish rooted in 135 years of Catholic life in Lake Oswego and clearly building for the next generation.
Mass times at Our Lady of the Lake
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 9:15 AM – 10:30 AM in the OLL Gym (during construction)
- Also available by appointment
Adoration times
- First Fridays, 9:15 AM to 12:00 PM at Christ Church Episcopal (temporary location during construction)
- A new adoration chapel is being added as part of the 2025–2026 'Building Our Future' renovation
Parish Identity & Mission
Our Lady of the Lake is an active, Christ-centered Catholic parish in Lake Oswego, Oregon, rooted in the vision 'Love God. Love Others. Make Disciples of Jesus Christ.' The parish describes itself as a warm, open community where families feel at home, with a strong focus on hospitality, liturgy, faith formation, and outreach. As Roman Catholics, the parish seeks to honor its faith tradition by authentically and creatively presenting it in the Lake Oswego community — especially to Catholics who have become disconnected from the Church. Visitors are invited to register and to plug into one of the parish's many ministries.
- Mission: Love God. Love Others. Make Disciples of Jesus Christ.
- Vision: authentically Catholic, warm, open, relationship-centered
- Parish tagline: an active, Christ-centered community in Lake Oswego
Our History (1890 – Present)
The parish formally began October 12, 1890, as Sacred Heart Catholic Church at First and E Streets — a small wooden church seating 50 people that still stands today. Sacred Heart School opened in 1938, and the parish acquired its present A Avenue property. The school was the first to move (1942), and on Mother's Day 1951 the parish was renamed Our Lady of the Lake to honor the Blessed Mother and its lakeside setting. Archbishop Edward Daniel Howard dedicated the present church on June 24, 1956. A convent for the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary followed in 1963; the last religious sister on faculty retired in 1994. A multi-phase Master Plan converted the convent to a Parish Center (1986), updated the church to Vatican II norms, and built a courtyard between church and school.
- 1890 — Sacred Heart Catholic Church dedicated at First and E Streets
- 1938 — Sacred Heart School opens (3 teachers)
- 1942 — School moves to present A Avenue site (6 classrooms); gym serves briefly as church
- 1951 (Mother's Day) — Parish renamed Our Lady of the Lake
- 1956 — Present church dedicated by Archbishop Edward Daniel Howard
- 1963 — Convent completed for the Sisters of the Holy Names
- 1986 — Former convent converted to Parish Center (Phase I of Master Plan)
- 1993 — Parish hall transformed into multi-purpose facility (Phase II)
- 1996 — Formal courtyard, accessibility upgrades, fire system (Phase III)
- 2009 — Fr. Joseph McMahon launches 'Building in Faith' campaign
- 2012 — New parish center and school dedicated by Archbishop John Vlazny; Fr. John Kerns arrives
- 2022 — Parish Center renovation: pre-K program, middle school classrooms, science lab expansion
- 2024 — 'Building Our Future: A Sacred Presence' campaign launches (~$10M)
- June 2025 – Winter 2026 — Major campus renovation; Masses relocate to OLL Gym and Christ Church Episcopal
Clergy & Staff
Our Lady of the Lake is served by a pastor, parochial vicar, and deacon, alongside a deep bench of parish and school staff. Pastoral leadership is complemented by lay directors in faith formation, youth ministry, music and liturgy, and parish administration.
- Fr. John Kerns — Pastor (since 2012)
- Fr. Anthony Hoangphan — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Kevin Welch
- Tom Tomaszek — Pastoral Associate
- Laura Patton — Director of Adult Faith Formation
- Luke Brooks — Director of Youth Ministry
- Karl Hein — Choral Director
- Agnes Zueger — Coordinator of Music and Liturgy
- Melissa Hanifan — Coordinator of Children & Family Faith Formation
- Georgie Bullock — Family Faith Events Coordinator
- Mary Brunette — Office Manager
- Kristen Young — Business Manager
- Georgeann Boras, Ann Barba, Lynda Olsen, Kimi Tomaszek, Emma Burke, Chris Karis — Administrative Staff
- Dylan Parrish — Maintenance Manager
- Matt Gregor — School Principal Pro-Tem
- Laura Patton — School Principal Pro-Tem (also listed on school side)
Faith Formation for Children & Families
The Child & Family Faith Formation team at OLL aims to grow the faith of children — infants through 6th grade — and their families, with programs designed to help children make Jesus the center of their lives. Programming meets children at every stage from nursery through First Sacraments.
- Life Kids — in-person faith formation for ages 3½ (potty-trained) through 5th grade; Sundays 10:15–11:00 AM, September–May; uses Ascension Press 'God's Plan in Scripture'
- Children's Liturgy of the Word — during 9 AM and 11:15 AM Sunday Masses; ages 4–9
- The Gratitude Project — monthly service-and-reflections program for 3rd–5th graders and families
- Nursery — Sundays 8:45 AM–12:15 PM for ages 6 months to 3 years
- Vacation Bible School — annual
- Family-friendly events throughout the year
Youth Ministry & Confirmation
Youth Ministry at OLL serves middle school and high school teens through Sunday gatherings, Confirmation preparation, evening social events, and the annual Higher Calling Ropes Camp. The 2025–26 Confirmation year launches the new archdiocesan pilot 'Spirit & Fire' program, of which OLL is a pilot parish.
- Sunday Morning Youth Group — grades 6–12; Sundays 10:15–11:05 AM (between Masses); Bible overview series and Theology of the Body
- EDGE Middle School program
- Life Teen High School program
- Confirmation — grades 7+; new 'Spirit & Fire' pilot with the Archdiocese of Portland; sessions about two Sundays/month, 6:30–8:00 PM, September–April
- Adult Confirmation seekers — contact Laura Patton
- Higher Calling Ropes Camp — weeklong Catholic summer camp (grades 6–12 entering through graduated seniors), every August, in collaboration with other parish youth ministries in the archdiocese
Adult Faith Formation
Adult Faith Formation helps parishioners continue growing in their relationship with Christ and the Church through study, formation, and small-group fellowship, with opportunities to volunteer as mentors and discussion facilitators for the youth programs.
- Ongoing adult formation opportunities and Bible studies
- Volunteer pathways: Confirmation mentors, Life Kids catechists, Children's Liturgy of the Word leaders
- Men's Groups, Women's Groups, Mom's Group
- Recovery Groups
- Contact: Laura Patton, Director of Adult Faith Formation
Sacraments
Our Lady of the Lake prepares parishioners of all ages for the sacraments of initiation and the other rites of Catholic life, in coordination with family life and parish schedules.
- Baptism — preparation required; contact the parish office
- First Reconciliation & First Communion — for children 2nd grade+ who are baptized; 'Renewed and Received' curriculum; First Reconciliation in November, First Communion in May
- Confirmation — youth in 7th grade+; new 'Spirit & Fire' program 2025–26; adult Confirmation available
- Marriage — coordinated through the parish; ceremonies during renovation at Christ Church Episcopal
- Funerals — coordinated through Lynda Olsen; Sacred Heart Cemetery available; livestream available
- Anointing of the Sick — available by contacting the parish
Liturgy & Music
Liturgical life at OLL is supported by a team of musicians, cantors, altar servers, and ushers who help create a prayerful, welcoming environment. The parish offers a C horal Director, a Coordinator of Music and Liturgy, and a Children's Liturgy of the Word program during Masses.
- Choir / Choral Director: Karl Hein
- Coordinator of Music and Liturgy: Agnes Zueger
- Altar Servers, Ushers, Music Ministry, Choirs
- Children's Liturgy of the Word during 9 AM and 11:15 AM Sunday Masses
- Hearing assistance devices (with caveats during construction in the gym)
- Masses livestreamed via the parish website
- Future: designated music space in the East transept (2025–26 renovation)
Our Lady of the Lake Catholic School (PreK–8)
Our Lady of the Lake Catholic School has been inspiring students to reach their full potential for more than 70 years. A parish school committed to academic excellence rooted in the Catholic faith for all learners, it is accredited by the Western Catholic Educational Association (WCEA) and its 2012 building earned Silver LEED certification. The 2022 Parish Center renovation added the inaugural pre-kindergarten program, expanded middle-school classrooms, and enlarged the science lab.
- Address: 650 A Avenue, Lake Oswego, OR 97034
- Phone: 503-636-2121
- Website: https://oll.school
- Grades: PreK–8
- Accredited by the Western Catholic Educational Association (WCEA)
- School leaders include Principal Corrine Buich and Vice Principal Matt Gregor
- Admissions via FACTS SIS/Renweb; non-refundable $300 application fee
- Specialists in math, science, art, technology, library, PE, language arts, writing lab, religion, music, social studies, health, and Spanish
- All faculty/staff complete catechetical training required by the Archdiocese of Portland
- Student hours: M/W/Th/F 8:10 AM–3:10 PM; Tue 8:10 AM–2:10 PM
Outreach & Social Justice — 'Serve Others'
Service to those in need — in Lake Oswego, the Portland metro, and beyond — is a defining mark of Our Lady of the Lake. Through Mercy Teams, St. Vincent de Paul, the Knights of Columbus, and the parish's Outreach Fund, parishioners feed the hungry, clothe the unsheltered, advocate for life, and fund local charities that align with Catholic Social Teaching.
- Mercy Teams — Meals of Mercy weekly + Street Ministry 4th Saturday at 7:15 AM; nearly 600,000 meals served over 9 years
- St. Vincent de Paul — meets 1st Tuesday, 4:00–5:00 PM, Parish Center; food collections and person-to-person service
- Knights of Columbus — monthly breakfasts, fundraising dinners, Christmas Mass assistance, parish service
- Respect Life Ministry — advocacy on abortion, assisted suicide, euthanasia, trafficking, capital punishment, conscience rights
- OLL Outreach Fund — 3% of general collection supporting local charities (Blanchet House, St. Andrew Nativity School, Fr. Heart Ministry, Deaf Community Ministry, St. Andre Bessette, Lake Oswego Transitional Shelter, etc.)
- Sunday Hospitality
- Funeral Luncheon Ministry
- Supported local agencies include Blanchet House, St. Andrew Nativity School, Fr. Heart Ministry, Deaf Community Ministry, St. Andre Bessette, and the Lake Oswego Transitional Shelter
Sacred Heart Cemetery
Our Lady of the Lake Parish is blessed with its own consecrated burial ground, Sacred Heart Cemetery, located about three miles south of town on Stafford Road (17201 Stafford Road) on land donated by Mr. Prosser in the late 1800s. Many early Lake Oswego settlers are buried there, including George Rogers and family members. The cemetery offers both ground burial spaces and columbarium niches for ashes, and pre-planning is welcomed. The 2024 'Building Our Future' campaign includes a major cemetery expansion.
- Also known as Our Lady of the Lake Cemetery
- Address: 17201 Stafford Road, Lake Oswego, Oregon
- Land donated by Mr. Prosser in the late 1800s
- Available: ground burials and columbarium niches
- Cemetery Director: Kimi Tomaszek (503-754-8196)
- Planned improvements: zoning as cemetery in Lake Oswego, road extension to develop the back portion, sprinklers, drainage, lighting, utilities, a fetal and infant burial area with memorial, movable canopy covers, meditation areas, and purchase of adjacent land
Building Our Future: A Sacred Presence (2024–2026)
Launched in 2024, 'Building Our Future: A Sacred Presence' is the parish's current capital campaign — planning to raise approximately $10M to fund the next phase of the Master Plan. Major construction and renovation began in June 2025 and is expected to last about 13 months, through winter 2026, during which weekend Masses are celebrated in the OLL School Gymnasium and weekday Masses at Christ Church Episcopal.
- Refreshed Sanctuary — more accessible altar; East transept with seating and dedicated music space
- New Adoration Chapel
- Updated technology — audiovisual and sound upgrades throughout
- Updated facilities — new kitchen and downstairs space for social events
- Updated Sacred Heart Cemetery — expansion, zoning, drainage, meditation areas, fetal/infant burial area
- Cost estimate: ~$10M
- Construction window: June 2025 – Winter 2026 (~13 months)
- Ecumenical partnership with Christ Church Episcopal for daily Masses, funerals, and weddings during construction
Visit, Register & Get Involved
Visitors and newcomers are warmly welcomed. The parish invites people to register as parishioners and to explore the many ministries, faith formation programs, and service opportunities. The parish office is open Monday–Friday 9:00 AM–4:30 PM; the school office Monday–Friday 8:00 AM–4:00 PM.
- Parish Office: 503-636-7687 — [email protected]
- School Office: 503-636-2121
- Office Hours: Mon–Fri 9:00 AM–4:30 PM
- Mail/Office: 650 A Avenue, Lake Oswego, OR 97034
- Church: 790 A Avenue, Lake Oswego, OR 97034
- Register as a parishioner through the parish website
- Subscribe to weekly parish emails
- Official Facebook: facebook.com/OLLCatholicChurch
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Charles O'Reillypre-1890
Organized the early Catholic community at Sacred Heart Parish before its 1890 dedication.
- Fr. Joseph Vanderbeck (Joseph E. Vanderbeck)1969–1979
Listed in the parish's Pastoral and Clergy History; also credited on the school website with launching Sacred Heart School in 1938 (likely earlier role).
- Fr. Donald P. McHugh1979–1984
Pastor during the development of the late-1980s facilities Master Plan era.
- Fr. Paul Peri1984–1985
Interim Pastor.
- Fr. Ted Weber1985–1991
- Fr. Rock Sassano1991–1998
- Fr. Joseph S. McMahon1998–2012
Led the 'Building in Faith' campaign that built the new parish center and school, dedicated by Archbishop Vlazny in 2012.
- Fr. John Kerns2012–present
Current pastor; leading the 2024 'Building Our Future: A Sacred Presence' campaign and the 2025–2026 campus renovation.