A day to celebrate the Eucharist, source and summit of the Christian faith, will be held for parishioners and community members who live in or are staying in the towns of Our Lady of the Lakes Parish (Our Lady of the Lakes Church, Oquossoc; St. Luke Church, Rangeley; St. John Church, Stratton; Bell Chapel, Sugarloaf Mountain).

The celebration will be held from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 21 at Our Lady of the Lakes Church on 43 Rangeley Ave. in Oquossoc. The event will begin with an outdoor Mass followed by a picnic at the Mary Shrine in the field across from the church. The parish will provide the music and dessert, and all participants have to do is bring a picnic lunch and a lawn chair, according to a news release from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland.

The Catholic Church is currently participating in the Eucharistic Revival, which aims to renew the church by enkindling a living relationship with the Lord Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. Sponsored by the U.S. bishops, the three-year revival will inspire people to encounter Jesus in the Eucharist and is meant to show everyone what wonders the True Presence of Jesus can do to heal the soul. Through a carefully planned timeline of events, the U.S. bishops hope to change the lives of many Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

Attendance is expected to be strong in this small, but close-knit community. The population of greater Rangeley, of which the village of Oquossoc is a part, numbers less than 2,000, but the special pride displayed by those who live there could exceed the biggest of cities. Our Lady of the Lakes Church was built in 1908, primarily through the efforts of Cornelia “Fly Rod” Crosby, a legendary Maine outdoorswoman who was the state’s first licensed guide. A convert to Catholicism after convalescing in a Catholic hospital, she was authorized by letter from Bishop William H. O’Connell to accept donations “with a view to a chapel in the Rangeley Region.” It was the funds from residents and tourists and land donated by the railroad company that enabled Crosby to raise $5,000 and to see to the construction of the church.

The parish is asking for volunteers to help set up, clean up, and organize the celebration on Aug. 21. Those who can assist in any way can call 617-921-1867 or 617-957-6776.

 

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