Mercedarian Fathers celebrate Our Lady of Mercy feast day at Our Lady of Lourdes Church

Mercedarian priests and religious members celebrated the feast of Our Lady of Mercy with a vigil Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Philadelphia’s Overbrook section on Sept. 23.

The parish has observed this solemnity since the Mercedarian Fathers arrived in 2004, continuing a tradition linked to the Sisters of Mercy who operated the former parish school. Pastor Matthew H. Phelan presided over the Mass, which was offered for all Mercedarian priests and religious.

The parish choir, directed by Becky Ostermann, provided music for the service. Father Phelan noted that the parish celebrates this feast, also known as Our Lady of Ransom, either on the actual feast day or during Sunday Mass depending on the availability of the music ministry.