OUR LADY OF LIGHT FAMILY OF PARISHES | DAYTON, OH
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Stories of Light

What's in a Name?

6/30/2024

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Written by Sarah Seckt, with insight from Fr. Brian Phelps and Debbie Field
When it was determined a parish family name was needed to describe our new Beacons of Light family more, we all wondered... Can we? How will we? Who will dream the name we will all learn to love as a parish family?
 
Well, “yes, we can”, “together we will”, and “our dreamer gave us a name”.

The Process
When it was opened to parishioners to submit names for our family of parishes, our review team received an influx of possibilities, and tallies were made of the many suggestions. The review team recalls the name “Our Lady of Light” speaking profoundly to their hearts, although just one person submitted it. The parishioner, Christine Winters, supplied a lovely description of how and why Our Lady of Light spoke to her. She wrote, “As we seek to become beacons of light in our community, it seems fitting to call on Our Lady of Light to unite and guide us. She formed Our Lord, the Son of God, in her human image. Now let us pray to her to form us in His image. Devotion to her leads us to Jesus, the Light of the World.”

Even though she was singular in providing this submission for “Our Lady of Light,” God spoke to the review team, and the name became one of three finalists for the parish family to be voted upon. The team’s rationalization was that if Our Blessed Mother was calling and the name was to be God’s plan, then the hearts of the parish family would vote, and it shall be God’s Will. And so it was!!

Confirmations & Connections
Confirmation #1 | Sarah Seckt, Director of Finance
The list of proposed parish family names was finalized just before the Thanksgiving holiday. During the holiday period, my family & I traveled to visit with other family members in Sandusky. Standing at the counter in my parents’ kitchen, I noticed a prayer card on the top of the pile of prayer cards my parents saved from funerals. The card was “Our Lady of Light”, specifically from Our Lady of Light Ministries in Cincinnati. I asked my mom where the prayer card came from.  She was unclear but supposed that maybe I had given it to her, which I had not. At that time I had not heard of the purported apparitions. Coincidence or providence?
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Confirmation #2 | Fr. Brian, Pastor
Monday following holiday weekend. Sarah spoke with Fr. Brian about the “coincidental” prayer card story. Fr. Brian added that his grandmother attended the apparitions of Our Lady of Light in Cincinnati back in the 90’s.

“My grandmother went to Falmouth, KY multiple times. On the night of the purported apparition, she came back with a picture that she took. I still remember those pictures. They had struck me because I still remember seeing what seemed to look like a form of the Blessed Mother. She would also go to the Holy Spirit Center every year for the annual Mass with those who also went to the purported apparitions.  The last one I remember that she went to was during the first weekend I was in seminary in 2007.  I went with her that time as well.” 

Since the announcement of the parish family name, several parishioners & staff have come forward with their own personal story of previously observing, reading, or hearing of Our Lady of Light. 
Confirmation #3 | The Logo
After the parish family name was voted on and chosen, a small team formed within the parish staff to work on a potential branding/logo design. Their preliminary design was revealed to staff at the beginning of March 2023.

Let’s now fast-forward to March 26, 2023. A donation of new office guest chairs was received. Tall blue chairs were replaced in the pastoral office reception area with the new chairs. As several staff members were standing in the reception area, Sarah looked over at the wall and noticed the picture below hanging on the wall. With the high back chair gone, the picture was now visible. Look familiar? Logo…BINGO! Our Lady of Light was with us the whole time! 

Messenger from God
Private revelation is not required to be believed.  Pope Francis said, “A prophet, brothers and sisters, is each one of us.  A prophet is he who, by virtue of baptism, helps others read the present under the action of the Holy Spirit," which helps people "understand God's plans and align yourselves" with them.  And clearly the Holy Spirit visited the review team when choosing the name submitted by only one person.  The Holy Spirit’s guidance, through each one of us, pointed us to the most perfect messenger from God…Our Blessed Mother, resulting in a most wonderful parish family name…Our Lady of Light Family of Parishes.

Come, Holy Spirit, and continue to fill the hearts of our family of parishes as we look to Our Mother to guide us and pray for us as the “Our Lady of Light” family of parishes, to forever rejoice in the love of Jesus, our Everlasting Light.  Amen.

And that is ‘what’s in a name’!
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Our Blessed Mother: An Anchor Throughout Generations

5/23/2024

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by Sarah Chivers
Standing at the edge of the rectory yard on the St. Francis of Assisi campus is a beautiful, weathered statue of our Blessed Mother. Though one may pass by this statue on the way into Mass without a second thought, her storied history is one that everyone should know as she has been a part of Fr. Brian Phelp's family for over forty years.

This Blessed Mother originally graced the yard of Fr. Brian's grandmother. She heard many prayers for healing and for family over the years. Every time that she would move, she ensured that she could see Mother Mary from the window in her home. Towards the end of her life, Fr. Brian's grandmother would pray three rosaries a day, looking out at Mary from her chair inside.

When his grandmother passed away, Mary found a new home at the childhood home of Fr. Brian. Years later when his parents decided to move, they drove Mary to Fr. Brian at St. Francis where he was serving his first assignment as pastor. 

After prayerful consideration of where to place this sentimental representation of our Blessed Mother, Fr. Brian knew he had to place her where she could look out for all who entered into Mass. Parishioners will often leave flowers before her. 

Throughout Covid, Mary became an anchor for Fr. Brian, and while she served him as an anchor spiritually, he also noted that she was a physical anchor on the St. Francis of Assisi grounds. Throughout the years that Mary has resided at St. Francis, she has weathered many storms. Fr. Brian recalled in his youth that the statue had a tendency of tipping over in the wind and rain, but has noted in the past few years that even through bad storms and heavy rains, Mary has not moved an inch or fallen over. It was a sense of security that the Blessed Mother was always one to turn to.

​Over the years, the idea has been suggested to paint and refresh the weathered statue. At one point, Fr. Brian considered it, but even the artist after reviewing the statue said that it was too beautiful the way it is. It's weathered state illustrates just how many rosaries have been prayed before it and how Mother Mary hears them all.
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  • Welcome
    • Become a Parishioner
    • How Do I...
    • What to Expect
  • About
    • About Us
    • Meet Our Team
    • Our Campuses
    • Our History
    • Development >
      • Feasibility
    • Calendar
    • Media >
      • Bulletin
      • myParish App
      • Stories of Light Blog
      • Social Media >
        • OLL Facebook
        • OLL Instagram
        • OLL Youth Instagram
        • OLL Spotify
        • OLL YouTube
      • Weekly Emails
    • Resources
  • Worship
    • The Mass >
      • Mass Times
      • Daily Readings
      • Watch Online
      • Presider Schedule
    • Prayer + Adoration
    • Liturgical Ministries >
      • Incarnation Mar 5 - Jun 1
      • Incarnation Jun 7 - Jul 6
      • St. Francis Mar 5 - Jun 1
      • St. Francis Jun 7 - Jul 6
    • Sacraments >
      • Anointing of the Sick
      • Baptism
      • Confession
      • Confirmation
      • First Communion
      • Marriage
    • Funerals
    • Vocations
  • Connect
    • Adults >
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      • Sacramental Prep
      • Become Catholic
    • Youth >
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      • Sacramental Prep
      • YF Summer
      • Serve Our Youth
      • SafeParish
      • CYO Athletics
      • Boy Scouts
    • Serve
  • School
  • Give
    • Incarnation Church
    • St. Francis of Assisi Church >
      • Legacy Fund