Our Lady of Lourdes Church

Mass Times:
Daily Mass - 8:35AM
Vigil Mass - Saturdays 5PM (English)
Sunday Mass - 9AM (English) and 11:30AM (Spanish)

Faith Formation 10:00AM


History:
In 1916-17, the Savannah Sugar Refinery relocated to Port Wentworth, bringing experienced personnel from Louisiana. As so many of these people were Catholic, a mission of Saint Patrick Parish was established using the Sugar Refinery Hotel lobby for Mass, with Father Joseph D. Mitchell as pastor.

In 1939, the Sugar Refinery loaned the land for a permanent church. On January 1, 1940, the mission church was officially named Our Lady of Lourdes. It had almost seventy families. Bishop Gerald P. O'Hara laid the cornerstone on July 27, 1940, while Father Thomas I. Sheehan was pastor. Construction took place with a substantial donation from the Catholic Church Extension Society and was accelerated after a hurricane heavily damaged Saint Patrick Church in August 1940. Bishop O'Hara dedicated this church on October 6, 1940. One of Father's Sheehan's first projects was to obtain, at no expense to the parish, a school bus. He transported children to and from the Cathedral School, an affiliation that lasted for several decades.

In 1958, a team of men from the parish built a grotto, in honor of the centennial of Our Lady's appearance at Lourdes, France.

During the ensuing years, the Sisters of Mercy and then the Franciscans Sisters have helped with religious instruction.

Father Thomas J. Murphy is the present pastor. Father Luis Fonseca is the Parochial Vicar. Sister Georgette Cunniff is the Director of Religious Education
Mrs. Jeannine B. Dueño is the Hispanic Coordinator.