Dear Friends,

A hundred thanks to Mike and Tony Natarian who are the father and son team responsible for designing and building the new chairs and table we have in our sanctuary. The wood is pin oak which comes from a tree on our property. Thank you also to all who engaged in the preservation and preparation of the wood for this project. I offer a particular note of gratitude to the Gerten family who allowed the wood to be stored in their barn as it cured. Terry Natarian, who is Mike’s wife, wrote a beautiful poem about the whole process. The crosses she refers to in the end are a further gift from Mike. He used some of the left-over wood to make handheld crosses for staff and others who participated in this project. How blessed we are to have these beautiful and unique chairs and tables to adorn our sanctuary for years to come. 

Fr. Kevin Kavanagh

A Tree, a Chair, and a Cross

By Terry Natarian

Once a large oak tree stood on this very spot,

Until Our Lady of Lourdes needed to expand their plot.

The tree was cut down and left there to lay,

“they said” use the wood in some other way.

The need for a chair for Father to sit,

Was made known by a bishop who had a great wit.

Let’s use the wood from the cut oak tree

To build one, two, three chairs for the altar in need.

Great idea, but no one would dare

To take on this project that required such care.

Years passed by, the idea passed too

Until it was heard by a man “someone knew”.

Together that man and his son sketched a vision

Father approved, and blessed the chair mission.

Come to Our Lady of Lourdes and you’ll see

On the altar that property tree.

The tree now a chair was not finished yet

From the scraps were made crosses in your hand to set.

When your day needs some comfort

And you feel at a loss

Thank God for a Tree, a Chair and a Cross.

PARISH CALENDAR

For a printable PDF version of OLOL's February calendar, click HERE.

FIRST FRIDAY EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

St. Padre Pio said "A Holy Hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament is worth more than a thousand years of human glory.” Come bask in the quiet presence of our Lord, as our First Friday devotion of Exposition continues all day Friday, February 2nd, beginning with 8:00 a.m. Mass and concluding with Benediction at 8:00 p.m. Church is open and you can come for any length of time, but at least two adorers must be present at all times the Eucharist is exposed. That's why we ask for prayer warriors to commit to a Holy Hour. Please click the link HERE and sign up for your time. 

I COME TO ADORATION/EXPOSITION BECAUSE...

"This is the one real time I can focus all my attention, love, praise, and adoration towards my Jesus Christ. I'm drawn so much closer to Him during this one, very short hour that I am alone with Him. This time with Jesus and the Saints is the best start for each month for me." - M.M.

"To be in the presence of the Eucharist." - M.L.

DISPOSE OF OLD PALMS

We will be collecting old, blessed palms to burn for Ash Wednesday. You may bring your old palm branches and place them in the box in the vestibule through Sunday, February 11th. Please make sure there are no ribbons, rubber bands or plastic bags.

MASS INTENTIONS

OLOL is blessed with an abundance of Mass intentions. Due to the high demand and the growth of our parish, effective immediately, we are implementing new rules that limit intentions. Each family registered to OLOL will be permitted three (3) Mass Intentions per year. Also, only one (1) Mass per month may be said for a single person. Stipend for each Mass is $10.00 and should be paid at time of request.

We thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we work to accommodate everyone's intentions. As always, please contact the office with questions.

MONDAY NIGHT LENTEN BOOK STUDY

WITH DEACON DAVE

How many of us have a loved one who no longer practices the faith? A child, a spouse, a friend who has fallen away from the Catholic Church? Do your conversations about religion fall on deaf ears, or worse, cause friction within your family? Do you worry about their soul?   

Join us on Mondays in Lent and we'll read and reflect on Brandon Vogt's new book "RETURN: How to Draw Your Child Back to Church." Through the six-week course, we'll learn practical ways to engage and not alienate our loved ones.   

"If your son or daughter has left the faith, I encourage you not to give up hope and to learn from the advice in this book," says Bishop Robert Barron. "Return will serve as an essential resource for the Church’s evangelization efforts and a true game-changer for desperate parents everywhere."

Click HERE to watch a video preview of RETURN.

The Book Study will take place from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. each Monday of Lent in the PLC, beginning February 19th. Cost of the book is $15 and you can pay when you arrive. Please register by e-mailing Deacon Dave at dbezusko@columbuscatholic.org or by text at (937) 209-9258.  

ADULT FAITH FORMATION

Join us each Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. in the PLC to learn more about an aspect of our Catholic faith. February topics include:

February 6th - Marian Devotions, led by Theresa Stammen and Heather Colyer

February 13th - Sin vs. Virtue, led by Ernie Jones

February 20th - Morality and Life Issues, led by Michael Bezusko

February 27th - About the Sacrament of Reconciliation, led by Father Kavanagh

If you or someone you know is interested in becoming Catholic, please reach out to Deacon Dave at (937) 209-9258 or dbezusko@columbuscatholic.org.

Dcn. Dave Johnstone joined Dcn. Dave Bezusko at the RCIA class on Tuesday, January 30th. The topic of discussion was the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Dcn. Johnstone spoke to the class about his journey.

PARISH YOUTH CATECHESIS (PYC)

PYC/CGS classes will not meet on Wednesday, February 14th. Please attend an Ash Wednesday service with your family.

 CONFIRMATION PREPARATION

Please pray for our youth as they prepare for Confirmation. Students in first-year preparation will be spending the afternoon of February 10th in retreat, ending with attending the 4:30 p.m. Mass together. Second-year preparation students will have an afternoon of reflection with their sponsors on February 24th, ending with attending the 4:30 p.m. Mass together.

WINTER WEATHER REMINDER

If the Union County Sherriff declares a Level 2 or 3 Snow Emergency, all PYC and CGS classes are cancelled. Families travel from locations outside of Union County as well. Please always use your best judgement when traveling to PYC/CGS. When classes are cancelled, we make every effort to reach families via text or email.



VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

Mark your calendars for VBS - June 24th - 28th, 2024. This year we are going on a Wilderness Adventure through the Sacraments. Look for more information about volunteer opportunities and donation requests in the March Grotto.

LIFE TEEN YOUTH GROUP



Calling ALL 8th-12th Graders! Want to know what the fun is all about at Life Teen? We continue to meet weekly, with a flexible schedule to allow more participation options. Come for the FOOD and FUN and learn what God has in store for you! 

Upcoming Calendar of Events for the month of February:

Tuesday, February 6th: 5:30 p.m. Mass followed by Taco Tuesday and Small group (Choir practice to follow)

Sunday, February 11th: 12:30-2:00 p.m. – Forever Young - Pasta Party

Friday, February 16th: 6:00-8:00 p.m. – Valentines Party - Pizza and Cookies

Sunday, February 25th: 12:30-2:00 p.m. – Get Rich Quick - Ham and Cheese Sliders

For past weeks fun and materials, visit our website HERE.

If you have any questions about the program – or would like to sign up – please contact Greg at greg@gertenfarm.com or Angelina Gerten at angelina@gertenfarm.com.

ST. VINCENT de PAUL

BOLOGNA SANDWICHES

In January, 720 sandwiches were delivered to three locations. Thank you, Mike Myers, for making the delivery. If you would like to help deliver sandwiches to the three locations in Columbus on the Monday mornings after we collect sandwiches at church, please call Kelly Kirk 380-235-1102.

NEW PROJECT-IMPACT STATION

As you may be aware, Impact Station, a short-term emergency shelter run by Family Promise of Delaware is reopening. They are located next to the YMCA at 1140 Charles Lane, Marysville. They closed last fall because of some issues with their interior construction. They plan to house homeless families and assist them in becoming financially stable enough to move into housing. They also need to provide those residing there with meals. The Hope Center Community kitchen operating at the Nazarene Church will provide the meals on Mondays through Fridays, but Impact Station will still have need for meals on the weekends. St. Vincent de Paul will be providing meals on the last Sunday of each month. We don’t yet know all the details as they are still getting restarted. However, in the meantime, we are creating a list of volunteers who would like to prepare a meal or part of a meal for up to 27 people. As we receive more information, I will be sharing that with you.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER TO COOK A MEAL FOR THE NEW HOMELESS SHELTER (IMPACT STATION), PLEASE CALL ME AT 380-235-1102 or EMAIL ME AT kakirk56@outlook.com by Feb 17th. IF THERE IS A PARTICULAR MONTH THAT YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO HELP, PLEASE LET ME KNOW THAT. Once I have the names of all those interested in cooking a meal, I will make out a schedule and send it out to those who volunteered. Hopefully, we will have enough volunteers that two to three people will make one food item each for the shelter as opposed to one person preparing the entire meal. The goal is also to have enough volunteers so that no one will have to do it more than twice a year.  

IMPORTANT DATES

• February 10th and 11th - Bologna sandwich collection in the entrance of the church (please place sandwiches in the coolers).

• February 12th - Monthly St. Vincent de Paul meeting, PLC room 16, 7:00 p.m.

• February 15th - Fresh Produce Distribution in the parking lot. Repackaging of food 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Distribution 9:30-11:30 a.m. Volunteers are always welcome!

MUSIC ON THE HILL CONCERT

Join us Sunday, February 11th at 3:00 p.m. in the Church for our next concert featuring the Faculty and Students of Red School of Music.

This concert will feature music in the spirit of Valentine’s Day. Bring your loved ones along to enjoy this special performance with you.

SEMINARIAN FUNDING EFFORT

The Diocese of Columbus has a GOOD AND GROWING NEED by virtue of 16 ADDITIONAL young men interested in the priesthood. A contribution from you will support this immediate need to fund future priests throughout our Diocese!

There will be a second collection throughout the Diocese the weekend of February 24th/25th dedicated to supporting these seminarians in their discernment process. 

You can give then or donate now to the Seminary Support Fund by visiting the Diocesan website HERE or scanning the QR code below.

PRAY FOR PRIESTS

The Pray for Priests initiative created by Our Lady of Peace Parish continues for February. This initiative is to encourage parishioners to pray for a different priest or seminarian of our Diocese every day. Please click HERE to view the full calendar for the month of February.

EASTER FLOWER DEADLINE

If you wish to remember loved ones, and/or contribute to the purchase of Easter altar flowers, please put your “Flower Envelope” in the collection by Sunday, March 10th.

COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE

Attention all graduating high school seniors! Our Lady of Lourdes is offering two (2) $1,000.00 scholarships this year. If you are interested, please stop by the parish office to pick up your application. Applications need to be returned by Friday, March 22nd. All children of actively participating parishioners are welcome to apply. Winners of the scholarships will be notified in May. For more information, please call the parish office at 937-644-6020.

2023 TAX CONTRIBUTION STATEMENTS

Parishioners who wish to receive a statement of 2023 parish contributions for tax filing purposes should call the parish office or email joni@olol.cc. Only requested statements will be printed. Statements can be found in a box outside the sacristy door and picked up during regular office hours or before/after Mass. The church is open weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and statements can also be picked up then.

KAIROS PRISON MINISTRY

The Kairos Prison Ministry will be hosting a free seminar in Dublin, OH on Sunday, March 3rd from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. The focus will be on sharing why cookies are made but why this important ministry is so much more than cookies. Music will be provided by our own Steph Frantz with Deacon Dave as one of the key speakers. Please mark your calendars and look for more details next month.

WELCOME NEW PARISHIONERS!

OLOL's Welcome Committee will host the next Pastries with Parishioners on Sunday, February 18th between the Masses to welcome all new parishioners. All parishioners are invited to attend, both new and current! Feel free to bring a pastry to share. We hope to see you there!

BERNADETTES AND SQUIRES (OLOL YOUTH)

CIRCLE OF MARY BERNADETTES

Our next meeting will be held on Sunday, February 18th at 12:30 p.m. in the PLC room 16/18.

Contact Lisa Melish at themelishfamily@gmail.com or Caroline Keiderling at cjkeiderling1@aol.com with questions or for more information.

BLANKET COLLECTION

The Bernadette’s are once again collecting blankets and blanket fabric. If you would like to help with this effort, donations will be accepted for NEW or GENTLY USED, CLEAN blankets and blanket fabrics. Donations will be collected before all Masses February 3rd/4th and 10th/11th. Thank you for your generosity!

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS SQUIRES

Our next meeting will be Sunday, February 18th at 12:30 p.m. in the PLC room 15/17.

Please contact Scott Carter at (740) 803-1207 or at sjpii5710@gmail.com with questions or for more information.

SENIOR GROUP MEETING

Are you around 55 years of age or older and interested in socializing and meeting other parishioners? If so, we welcome you to join our group at one or more of these activities. To join our email distribution list, send your contact information to: seniorsolol@outlook.com.

LENTEN BIBLE STUDY

The senior group is offering a 5-week bible study during Lent titled No Greater Love: A Biblical Walk Through Christ's Passion. The study will be offered in the Parish Life Center room 16/18 on Thursdays from 10 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. The course will begin February 22nd and meet February 29th, March 7th, March 14th and conclude on March 21st. There is no cost and no homework. The format will be a video followed by discussion. We are blessed to again have Sharon Walls lead this bible study. Sharon is an OLOL parishioner and convert to Catholicism. She has a master's degree in Clinical Pastoral Counseling from Ashland Theological Seminary. 

Will you follow Jesus to Calvary? To register, please contact Sharon via email: solsrgn1@gmail.com or call/text her: 614-580-4910. Ascension Press offers optional study sets for this bible study. Sharon can help you order if interested. The study set includes the book, workbook and year-long access to the videos.

Filmed on location in the Holy Land, No Greater Love is a biblical pilgrimage that reveals Christ's amazing love for us.  Best-selling author Edward Sri guides you through the last hours of Christ's life. You will walk step-by-step with Jesus from the garden of Gethsemane to Mount Calvary. Every step of the way, Old Testament prophecies, messianic expectations, biblical symbolism and historical context shed light on the mystery of Christ's suffering and death. Experience a deeper understanding and appreciation of God's immeasurable and unconditional love for you and grow closer to Jesus than you ever have before. The study also features Fr. Mike Schmitz, Jeff Cavins, Jennifer Fulwiler, Curtis Martin, Teresa Tomeo, Fr. Josh Johnson and Elizabeth Sri.  

BOOK CLUB

Book club meets the second Tuesday of the month from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the PLC, room 16/18.

Our February 13th book is "Out of the Easy" by Ruta Sepetys. Our March 12th book is "Ordinary Grace" by William Kent Krueger.

BREAKFAST AFTER MASS

Breakfast at Boston's is the first Wednesday of the month following the 8:00 a.m. Mass. Meet in the back of the church to see how many are attending or just meet at Boston's in Marysville. This month we will meet February 7th. Next month we will meet on March 6th.

GAME DAY

Game day is the last Wednesday of the month from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the PLC, room 16/18. Upcoming dates are February 28th and March 27th. Please bring your favorite game and a snack to share.

WALKING ROSARY

Walking Rosary is every Thursday after the 8:00 a.m. Mass. Bring your walking shoes and pray the Rosary as we get some exercise.

LINE DANCING

Line dancing is every Monday from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the PLC commons.  

PARISH LIFE COMMITTEE

PARISH CHILI COOK-OFF AND FAMILY FUN NIGHT

The Parish Life Committee and Hospitality Crew will host the Parish Chili Cook-Off and Family Fun Night at the Parish Commons on Saturday, February 10th. Join fellow parishioners in selecting who will have the annual bragging rights as having the parish’s favorite chili recipe. If you wish to join the “competition”, bring a crock pot of chili. Bring a deck of cards and/or your favorite board games and enjoy an evening of fun and fellowship with other parishioners. Also new this year – we are having a parish KARAOKE night! Sign-up sheets are located in the church vestibule and PLC vestibule, or sign up online using this link HERE.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

The Parish Life Committee and Hospitality Crew will once again host annual activities in March. Please mark your calendars and join us for these upcoming events that we hope will help foster fellowship and provide fun for our parish families.  

THAT MAN IS YOU

Tuesday nights at 6:15 p.m. OR Saturday mornings at 7:15 a.m.

Start the New Year off right and join us for a new season of "That Man is You!" The Spring semesters start this week. "That Man is You!" honestly addresses the pressures and temptations that men face in our modern culture, especially those relating to their roles as husbands and fathers. The program harmonizes current social and medical science with the teachings of the Church and the wisdom of the saints to develop the vision of man fully alive!

Tuesdays we are running Year 1 of the Program from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. in the Parish Life Center. Saturdays, we are running Year 6 of the Program from 7:15 to 8:30 a.m. in the Parish Life Center. Learn more at this link HERE.

Please reach out to Deacon Dave for more information at (937) 209-9258 or via email at  dbezusko@columbuscatholic.org. 

SAINT MARTHA'S MEALS

The Women’s Ministry is pleased to announce that we are ready for our official launch of St. Martha’s Meals. We have a wonderful group of parishioners who are able to deliver meals to your family as you welcome a new baby into your home.

If you are expecting, please contact Becky Elchert or Jennifer Schafer at ololmeals@gmail.com.  We would love to hear from you a month or so before the baby is due. This will allow us to send a questionnaire about your food preferences in advance. We will wait until you let us know that the baby has arrived before we schedule the meal deliveries.  

BOOK COLLECTION



For the month of February, we invite you to donate new or gently used children’s books, targeted from preschool through middle school age reading levels. 

All books this month will be donated to the Women’s Care Center on Broad Street. Please place them in the marked box in the Bride’s Room. 

Thank you for helping OLOL minister through literature! 

SACRED HEART PRAYER GROUP

All are welcome to join The Sacred Heart Prayer Group the First Friday of each month. We will meet in the church Friday, February 2nd, after the 8:00 a.m. Mass. Our prayer will be The Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes. The prayer intention is for the members of our parish. Our Saint of the month is St. Ignatius Loyola.

PRAYER SHAWL

Whether you know how to crochet or knit or want to learn, we encourage you to join us! We make shawls, have them blessed, and package them with a prayer card for the recipient. Shawls are available in the church, the parish office or from Pam Gibson. Please contact Pam with any questions at (937) 578-3139.

MONTHLY MEETING

The Prayer Shawl group will meet Tuesday, February 6th, at 7:00 p.m. in the PLC, room 22. All are welcome regardless of skill level.  

SEND A SMILE

We are a group of volunteers who share the love of Christ through caring cards. We will send cards to anyone of any age group and for any occasion. To learn more about the card ministry or to submit a card request, email cardsolol@outlook.com or call/text Phyllis at (937) 707-0902. 

RESPECT LIFE

MEMORIAL GARDEN ROSARY

On Thursday, February 1st, at 6:00 p.m. Father Kavanagh will lead us in the rosary for the protection of the unborn at OLOL's cemetery. All are welcome. Please bring candles or flashlights and bundle up. If the weather is untenable, we will meet in the warmth of OLOL church instead. 

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS MARYSVILLE COUNCIL #5534

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY SUB SALE

Thank you to all parishioners who continue to support the Knights of Columbus Marysville Council 5534 with its fundraising efforts through their orders for subs in the upcoming Super Bowl Sunday Sub Sale. Any last minute orders may still be accepted but only until this weekend (February 3rd and 4th) as we have to finalize our order for the bread, meats, cheese and veggies for these subs by Monday. Any orders placed beyond this coming weekend might not be honored. We suggest you use this link HERE to place your orders immediately. Again proceeds for this sub sale will be given to our seminarian, Deacon Dave Johnstone, as he completes his studies prior to his ordination as a priest for the Diocese of Columbus this coming May. We appreciate all your support. God bless!

LENTEN FISH FRY DINNERS

It's back - so mark your calendars! We are excited to have our annual Lenten Fish Fry Dinners back at the Parish Life Center. Dinner and carryout will start at 5:00 p.m. and go on through 7:00 p.m. Dinner patrons not only get to enjoy a good Lenten Friday meal, but also some wonderful fellowship as well. Proceeds from these dinners help the council fund activities that support our parish, our community, our families and our youth. All are welcome to these dinners, Catholic or otherwise – so bring your families, friends, neighbors, co-workers and the guy who lives down the street. Please watch for announcements regarding these dinners (particularly regarding pricing) as they will be back during the Fridays of Lent (February 16th and 23rd, and March 1st, 8th, 15th and 22nd). Contact Dale Proshek or Tim Cordonnier for details. We look forward to seeing our fellow parishioners there.

JOIN US

The Knights of Columbus Marysville Council invites all practicing male Catholics, 18 years or older, to prayerfully consider joining the Order. You can join by clicking on this URL link HERE or by scanning the QR code on the graphic below. Please enter "5534" as the council you wish to join and "JCUMMONS" as the agent referral code to obtain free membership.  

BLOOD DRIVE

OLOL will be hosting a Red Cross blood drive on Thursday, February 15th, from 12:00 - 6:00 p.m. in the Parish Life Center, Commons Room #2. Walk-ins are welcome, however, appointments are recommended.

Please call 1-800-733-2767 for an appointment or schedule online HERE, sponsor code LourdesCC.

Stay tuned for the next edition of The Grotto, in your inbox Friday, March 1st!