Our Lady of Lourdes — Attraction in Daytona Beach

I attended service for the first time today at Our Lady of Lourdes after reading both the negative and positive reviews. I found the church beautiful, but different than the standard church, notably, there were an absence of Saints along the walls as in most traditional churches. However, that didn’t dissuade me from liking the building and its presentation. The service was actually traditional (which I found surprising after reading the negative comments about the liberal take of service). I also found it quite educational and interesting. Fr Phil explained about the importance of Samuel and the division of how time was thereafter experienced after Samuel (as in B.C vs A.D., as example). I’ve read the bible several times in my life yet didn’t know this. It gave me a depth of understanding as one does when learning of one’s own ancestors in a family lineage. Some things just click into place. Anyway, I appreciated the overhead projection of the words to the songs and the responses to the service as it’d been a while since I’d been to church. I felt comfortable and felt part of the congregation, which, was a full house! I saw joy in the faces of those present, a comfortable community and a focus towards service as a form of worship. I read how some commenters in these reviews found the structure and presentation basically disrespectful. I beg to differ. Fr Phil has taken this congregation and the concept of service and has allowed the evolution of Faith in a modern world. Jesus was not a conformist. He came to stir the pot and allow for a new evolution of how to see God and how to worship and how to better serve one’s brethren. In nature, that which doesn’t change, dies. Faith, I believe, is the same. We live with a love for a God we cannot see and live in a universe where most is still unknowable by humanity. It stands to reason that just as Earth itself evolves and changes, perhaps God also evolves through our evolution, through experiencing what His Creation lives through, thereby allowing for infinite love to also evolve to greater depths in us (this is my thought, not the church’s). It’s all a bit mysterious, really. But I digress. In conclusion, I found the service wonderfully appropriate and I noted (as one who is attuned to spiritual healing), that when everyone stood to pray, there was a light that filled the church that went beyond the light from the building. It happened every time there was prayer. So my conclusion is, something is being done right at this church. There was a cafe with food for those wishing to partake after service and again, I was simply impressed by the friendliness and connection of those present. If I had anything negative to say (which I don’t), I’d say Fr. Phil looked tired (and who wouldn’t with so many responsibilities!), and sitting in the back, I wished that one of the screens (both gave a Spanish translation of the service), would have been in English as it was a bit difficult to hear. But I got the gist and that was good enough. I will most definitely be returning and I will see where I can be of most service within this lovely...

We drive 25 miles each way to attend church here. Can no longer attend our former parish because it’s reverted to Pre-Vatican 2 customs, attitudes and ideas, and feels like the 1950s there! We should be moving forward not backward. So we registered here instead. The preaching is excellent and relevant, and presented by a very personable and approachable pastor whose biggest goal is to connect people as a CHURCH community. I appreciate his honesty and candor and his challenging attendees, regardless of their faith affiliation, to think hard about decisions being made in this country. I applaud him for speaking out on current events and issues. He never endorses or condemns any politicians by name!!! Some will say he’s “too liberal” but that’s exactly why there are several other churches in the area where you can go if his delivery method and theological message isn’t your cup of tea. Go where you feel comfortable... we feel comfortable and welcome here. So much so that when we attend, we always invite friends and family visiting from out of town to go with us. My parents weren’t big fans( ages 79 and 76) but we ourselves are late middle age, lifelong Catholics who attended Catholic schools from Kindergarten through college graduation with adult children, and this church is exactly what we were looking for: a breath of fresh air!!! We’ve been attending here for a year now and plan...

Considering 12 years of Catholic school, two priests in the family, service as an altar boy and years of serving in various church functions you’d think I’d be fired up by the traditional approach of Catholic churches. But over the years I found myself fulfilling my “obligation” but not fulfilled. Several years ago my wife and I found our way to Lourdes because we were not going to make our usual mass at another church on time. My wife grew up mostly Baptist so, between the two of us, we were pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome we received and, as the mass started, the energy of the mass itself. It was funny as I can recall other churches reminding us to maintain “reverent silence” while talking about “joyful noise” during songs. A bit of a dichotomy. That aside, it’s not just about the mass itself. It’s the weekly homily that we look forward to more than anything else. Fr. Phil is not just a preacher, he’s a teacher. I’ve learned more about my faith and how to practice it in the several years we’ve been going to the church than I did in 12 years of Catholic School. We’re now firmly ensconced in this parish looking to give more than we ever get from it. If you’re stuck in the old Catholic mass way of doing things I’d suggest you open your mind and your heart….you’d be surprised what time at this church...