About Our Lady of the Lakes (Our Lady of the Lakes Parish) · Oquossoc, Maine
Our Lady of the Lakes Parish is a Catholic community of four seasonal mission churches serving the Rangeley Lakes Region of western Maine, anchored by its historic chapel in the village of Oquossoc. The parish belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland and, like most Lakes-region congregations, opens its churches seasonally during the summer-resort months and has an additional winter Mass schedule at its churches in Rangeley and Stratton. Worship is in English, with Masses celebrated at Our Lady of the Lakes Church (Oquossoc), St. Luke Church (Rangeley), St. John Church (Stratton), and Bell Chapel (Carrabassett Valley). The parish is currently administered by Fr. Brittoraj Amalogam, HGN, a member of the Heralds of Good News.
- Established
- 1908
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Lakes
- Rector
- Rev. Brittoraj Amalogam, HGN (Parish Administrator)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland
Why belong here
Our Lady of the Lakes Parish welcomes you to one of the most beautiful spots in all of Maine, where lakes and mountains surround the daily witness of God's creation. As a popular resort destination, the parish frequently welcomes seasonal and vacation visitors from across the United States and abroad, making Mass here a quiet but genuine encounter with the worldwide Catholic community. The parish guides parents step-by-step through Baptism preparation, registers families for Religious Education from preschool through 12th grade, and is governed by an active Pastoral Council and Finance Council — clear signs of a small but engaged Catholic family.
Mass times at Our Lady of the Lakes (Our Lady of the Lakes Parish)
Weekly Mass schedule
History of Our Lady of the Lakes Parish
Our Lady of the Lakes Church was built primarily through the efforts of Cornelia 'Fly Rod' Crosby, an outdoor enthusiast who became known as the woman who marketed Maine because of her syndicated newspaper columns promoting the state. Crosby was a convert to Catholicism; frustrated by the absence of a Catholic church in the Rangeley Lakes Region, she approached the Bishop of Portland. On July 23, 1906, Bishop William J. O'Connell wrote back giving her permission to build a chapel. Using land donated by the Portland and Rumford Railroad, and funds she raised, she oversaw the construction. The first Mass was celebrated there on August 30, 1908. Originally the chapel was served by the pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Farmington. In January 1927 it received its first resident pastor, Father N.J. Boucher, who renovated the front of the church and added a rectory. In 1972-1973 the chapel was expanded to meet the needs of a growing year-round population and the increase in visitors: a rear addition housed the sanctuary, baptistery, and chancel, and wings added a sacristy, confessional, and meeting room. In 2022 the exterior was restored — foundation repairs, new stain and paint, and stairs redesigned to match the originals — ahead of the church's seasonal reopening on May 29.
- 1906 — Bishop O'Connell gives Cornelia Crosby written permission to build a chapel.
- 1908 — First Mass celebrated August 30, on land donated by the Portland and Rumford Railroad.
- 1927 — Father N.J. Boucher becomes the parish's first resident pastor.
- 1972-1973 — Sanctuary expanded; sacristy, confessional, and meeting room added.
- 2022 — Exterior restoration completed; chapel reopens for the season May 29.
Our Four Churches & Seasonal Schedule
Our Lady of the Lakes Parish is a multi-chapel parish that follows a seasonal rhythm tied to the Lakes-region resort calendar. Our Lady of the Lakes Church in Oquossoc and Bell Chapel in Carrabassett Valley worship June through October. St. Luke Church in Rangeley worships year-round (with a reduced November-through-May schedule), and St. John Church in Stratton continues a winter/weekend Mass schedule as well. Mass on the Sunday at St. Luke in Rangeley at 9:30 AM is livestreamed.
- Our Lady of the Lakes Church — 39 Rangeley Avenue, Oquossoc, ME 04964 (Sunday 7:00 & 7:30 AM, Friday 7:30 & 8:00 AM — June–October).
- St. Luke Church — 19 Lake Street, Rangeley, ME 04970 (Sunday 8:00 AM Nov–May, Sunday 9:30 AM livestream, Thursday 9:00 AM, Friday 8:00 AM Nov–May).
- St. John Church — 76 Main Street, Stratton, ME 04982 (Saturday 6:00 PM, Wednesday 6:00 PM).
- Bell Chapel — 85 Access Road, Carrabassett Valley (Saturday 4:30 PM, December–March).
Our Lady of the Lakes Church (Oquossoc)
The parish's namesake chapel sits at 39 Rangeley Avenue in the village of Oquossoc. Built in 1908 through the efforts of Cornelia Crosby, it is the spiritual heart of the parish and a popular venue for weddings and other ceremonies during the summer season. The 2022 exterior restoration returned the entry stairs to their original 1908 appearance.
- Address: 39 Rangeley Avenue, Oquossoc, ME 04964.
- In season June–October: Sunday 7:00 AM (before/after Mass) and 7:30 AM Mass; Friday 7:30 AM (and First Fridays) and 8:00 AM Mass.
St. Luke Church (Rangeley)
St. Luke was created in 1914 when Father Thomas McLaughlin, then pastor of St. Joseph in Farmington, purchased property in Rangeley and converted a large barn into a chapel — the first Mass there was celebrated on July 19, 1914. Bishop Louis Walsh formally blessed the chapel on September 3, 1922, describing it as 'a very neat and well-equipped chapel, having a beautiful altar, statues, Stations of the Cross, and all of the other requirements, all being gifts from Catholic summer visitors.' St. Luke now serves as the year-round Mass center for the parish.
- Address: 19 Lake Street, Rangeley, ME 04970.
- Schedule: Sunday 9:30 AM English (livestreamed), Sunday 8:00 AM (Nov–May), Thursday 9:00 AM, Friday 8:00 AM (Nov–May).
St. John Church (Stratton)
St. John was built in 1928, with the first Mass celebrated by Father Julius Boucher that summer. Many of the founding parishioners were Catholic employees of the New York banking firm J.P. Morgan & Company, who summered at the firm's Spring Lake Camps in Stratton and had previously driven to Rangeley for Mass before contributing to the new chapel.
- Address: 76 Main Street, Stratton, ME 04982.
- Schedule: Saturday 6:00 PM English; Wednesday 6:00 PM English.
Bell Chapel (Carrabassett Valley)
Bell Chapel, located at 85 Access Road in Carrabassett Valley, is the parish's winter-season chapel, hosting Saturday Mass at 4:30 PM from December through March to serve the resort community when the Oquossoc chapel is closed.
- Address: 85 Access Road, Carrabassett Valley.
- Schedule: Saturday 4:30 PM English, December–March.
Pastor & Parish Staff
The parish is administered by Fr. Brittoraj Amalogam, HGN, a member of the Heralds of Good News (Divine Mercy Province). Fr. Britto was born on May 25, 1986, in Mazhavankorunai, Tamil Nadu, India, and was ordained a priest on May 10, 2014, by the Most Rev. Sounder Rajan, Bishop of Vellore. He previously served at the Shrine of St. Devasahayam, as Administrator and Preacher at Good News Retreat Center, and as parish priest of Our Lady of Purification Church in the Diocese of Coimbatore before joining the Diocese of Portland.
- Rev. Brittoraj Amalogam, HGN — Parish Administrator
- Mrs. Jeannine DeRosby — Bookkeeper (ex-officio, Finance Council)
Parish Councils
Two canonical councils assist the pastor in the life and governance of the parish. The Finance Council is responsible for assisting the pastor with parish financial planning and administration, with the specific mandate to assist in the administration of temporal goods — a canonically mandated body essential to parish life. Members are volunteers appointed by the pastor and should have a background in finance or business.
- Finance Council members: Rick Dodge (Chairperson), Cheryl Dobson (Co-Chair), Lynn Schnorr (Secretary), Carol Batchelder, Marie Beauregard, Leo Cerminara; ex-officio: Fr. Brittoraj Amalogam and Mrs. Jeannine DeRosby.
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish offers Religious Education for students from preschool through 12th grade, with online registration available through the parish website. Parents are encouraged to enroll children each year so the parish can accompany them through every stage of faith formation.
- Preschool through 12th grade enrollment via online registration form.
- Parish Registration form (a required first step for many sacramental programs).
Sacraments: Baptism
Parents wishing to baptize a child at Our Lady of the Lakes walk through a clear, step-by-step process: parish registration, the Baptism Request Form, a meeting with the pastor, an online baptism-preparation class (required for parents and godparents), and the Godparent Eligibility Form. A baptism is typically scheduled on Saturday mornings, contingent on the pastor's availability. The online class qualifies parents for future baptisms of subsequent children as long as they attend Mass regularly.
- Step 1: Parish Registration.
- Step 2: Baptism Request Form.
- Step 3: Meeting with the Pastor.
- Step 4: Online baptism-preparation class for parents and godparents.
- Step 5: Godparent Eligibility Form per godparent.
- Step 6: Request a date — typically Saturday mornings, pending the pastor's schedule.
Sacraments: Mass Intentions
Parishioners and friends may request Mass Intentions online through a dedicated form. The requested donation is $10.30 per Mass (the parish's own FAQ notes that this is not a round $10). After submission and payment, an email confirmation is sent and requested dates are assigned as available; if a chosen date is unavailable, the next open date in line with the other parameters will be assigned.
- Available preferred Mass times include St. John Wednesday 6 PM and Saturday 6 PM; St. Luke Thursday 9 AM, Friday 9 AM (in season), Saturday 4 PM (in season), Sunday 8 AM (in season), and Sunday 9:30 AM livestreamed; Our Lady Friday 9 AM and Sunday 7:30 AM (in season); Bell Chapel Saturday 4:30 PM (in season).
- Requested donation: $10.30 per intention.
Getting Involved & Staying Connected
The parish encourages newcomers and visitors to register as parishioners, sign up for the parish Email List, and add their phone number to the Recorded Message Call List to receive text-message updates when the schedule changes. The parish also invites adults with finance or business backgrounds to consider volunteering for the Finance Council. The pastor invites all newcomers to introduce themselves and their families after Mass.
- Register as a parishioner (online form).
- Join the parish Email List.
- Add your phone number to the Recorded Call List for schedule updates.
- Consider volunteering for the Finance Council (contact the pastor).
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father N.J. BoucherJanuary 1927 –
First resident pastor; renovated the front of the church and added the rectory.
- Father Thomas McLaughlin1914 –
Pastored from St. Joseph in Farmington; purchased property in Rangeley and converted a barn into the chapel that became St. Luke.
- Father Julius BoucherSummer 1928 –
Celebrated the first Mass at St. John Church in Stratton.
- Rev. Anthony Kuzia
Pastor who oversaw the 2022 restoration of Our Lady of the Lakes Church, per 2022 Sun Journal article.
- Rev. Brittoraj Amalogam, HGN
Current parish administrator; ordained a priest on May 10, 2014, in the Diocese of Vellore, India; joined the Diocese of Portland after serving in India.