Mercedarian Fathers Celebrate Feast Day at Our Lady of Lourdes Church

Our Lady of Lourdes Church in the Overbrook section of Philadelphia held a vigil Mass on Sept. 23 to mark the feast of Our Lady of Mercy. The Mass, which was offered for all Mercedarian priests and religious, was presided over by pastor Father Matthew H. Phelan.

The parish has a long history of celebrating this solemnity, also known as Our Lady of Ransom, because its former school was operated by the Sisters of Mercy. This tradition of observing the feast together continued when the Mercedarian priests took over the parish in 2004. Father Phelan noted that the celebration is a long-standing part of parish life.

While the parish sometimes celebrates the feast on the actual day or during Sunday Mass depending on the availability of the music ministry, the vigil Mass included music from the parish choir directed by Becky Ostermann. Selections included "Salve, Mater Misericordiae" and "Mother of Mercy."