Our Parish mailing address is:
195 Amicks Ferry Road, Chapin SC 29036
Sign-up HERE for all Liturgical Ministries
If you need help please contact the parish office at 803.345.3962
or Fr. Dennis Willey at 843.834.5447.
Dear Friends,
This Sunday is the Second Sunday of Advent.
My annual Pastor's Christmas Wish List is now available. Over the years this list has been very successful in bringing much needed items to the parish that otherwise might be overlooked. Thank you for your generosity.
There ARE Morning Faith Formation Classes, EDGE, and LifeTeen on Sunday, 07 December.
This Sunday is the 1st Sunday of the Month. I will offer a special Blessing at the end of Masses for all those celebrating a December Birthday. The 10:30AM Sunday Mass is the monthly Children's Mass.
There is a First Friday and First Saturday this week. Confessions will be from 10:00AM until 11:30AM on both days followed by Mass at 12 Noon. Adoration on First Friday, 5 December, begins after Mass and ends with Benediction at 11:45AM on First Saturday, 6 December. Please sign up for Adoration HERE.
Monday, 8 December 2025, is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This IS a Holy Day of Obligation. As there is NO Vigil Mass on Sunday for the Holy Day, Fr. Dennis will celebrate Mass on Monday at 7:00AM and 12:00 Noon. In the United States, the Immaculate Conception is one of the Holy Days that is always observed, even if it falls on a Saturday or Monday. Fr. Morey will celebrate the Mass in the traditional Latin Rite for the Holy Day on 8 December at 6:30PM. The Parish Offices will be closed on Monday in observance of the Holy Day.
ON THE PLAZA this weekend:
Knights of Columbus for their Keep Christ in Christmas Campaign!
Members of WinGs taking orders for their 2025 Christmas Ornament, the 6th in the series of ornaments that are replicas of the stained glass windows in our church. This year’s ornament is The Agony in the Garden.
Advent Confessions
There will be NO Communal Advent Penance Service at OLL this year.
Fr. Dennis and Fr. Morey will hear Confessions during the following times so that the faithful will have the opportunity to make a good confession prior to Christmas and the Christmas Season:
Wednesday Confessions from 6:00PM-7:30PM:
03 December
10 December
17 December
First Friday & First Saturday from 10:00AM-11:30AM:
5 December, First Friday,
6 December, First Saturday,
Saturday Confessions from 3:00PM-4:30PM:
6 December
13 December (Fr. Dennis ONLY)
20 December
27 December
The Men's Club invites all families to the Annual Christmas Family Dinner, Saturday, 13 December, from 6:00PM to 7:30PM in the Family Life Center. Please bring a dessert if able! Sign up to attend by 11 December so that we can ensure enough food is prepared. See signup sheets and Poster in the Narthex after Masses this weekend.
Are you interested in becoming a Catholic? If you are unbaptized; or were baptized in a Protestant church; or were baptized Catholic but never fully catechized (Holy Communion/Confirmation); and want to come into Full Communion in the Catholic Church, please email me at pastor@ollchapin.org!
Are you interested in helping people become Catholic? I have multiple volunteers so far but I need more! I'm still looking for volunteers to form a committee to revitalize the RCIA, now known as the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), in our parish. The OCIA was recently updated and we need to expand the program to a full year and more. I envision four teams ultimately running the OCIA in our parish. I need help to develop the program. If you are interested in joining this effort please email me at pastor@ollchapin.org!
Our December Via Fidelis activity for the Diocesan Year of Evangelization is EVANGELIZE WITH SYMBOLS OF OUR FAITH. Use Church seasonal symbols to invite someone to parish events, such as Our Lady of Guadalupe, Las Posadas, Nativity plays or other parish festivities.
Natural Family Planning: To learn more about the CrMS Natural Family Planning System contact: Courtney Webber, FCPI, at courtney.nfp@gmail.com or (760) 415-3465. The next scheduled Introductory Session is: 10 December.
GIVING TREE 2025. A sincere thanks to all who helped provide Christmas gifts to our neighbors in need this year!
Many thanks to all who provided TURKEYS for the Thanksgiving Dinner at the HUB! The HUB asked OLL for 25 turkeys and in total the church ended up providing 35 (28 from the church narthex list, including some from Men's Club members, plus 7 extras cooked by the Men's Club). The HUB put together and delivered 615 Thanksgiving meals that were delivered to the needy! Truly remarkable!!
A heartfelt thank-you to everyone who supported our LifeTeen group on #iGiveCatholic this week. Thanks to your kindness, we raised $4,000 to support retreats, youth nights, and opportunities that help our teens grow in faith! Although online giving has closed, donations can still be made in person (cash or check) through Sunday, 7 December. If you would like to contribute, please drop your gift by the parish office or contact Megan at youth.ministry@ollchapin.org. Thank you for your continued support of the young Church at OLL! Your generosity truly makes a difference.
Christmas Poinsettias can now be ordered for our Altar this Christmas Season by using the Forms found on the Offertory Table in the Narthex. You may use the envelope marked “Flower Donation” that can be found on the table or in your monthly packet of offertory envelopes. These can be placed in the Collection Basket, given to any Usher or brought to the Parish Office.
Catholic Appeal of South Carolina (CASC) 2025:
(As of 28 November 2025)
2025 Goal: $57,941.
Total Raised to date: $146,746.
Percent of Goal: 253%.
Pledged - not yet received: $3,732.
334 Families have made one time gifts and/or pledges. To date, 165 NEW families have contributed to the CASC this year from OLL. There are 76 families who contributed in the past but have not yet done so this year. Many families wait until the end of the year to make a gift.
Participation Rate: 33.85% (Catholic Appeal Solicitor's Report as of 30 September 2025)
Congratulations - we have exceeded our 2025 Goal for the CASC! You can learn more about the CASC and make a donation or pledge online by following this LINK.
Bicentennial Campaign
The Bicentennial Capital Campaign (BCC) will close at the end of 2025. This means that any BCC donations received by the parish must be received by the Stewardship Office for processing no later than 8 January 2026. This includes all donations — no matter the form: cash, check, credit card and auto draft. The books close on 9 January. Please ensure that you stop any online auto drafts to the BCC on 1 January 2026! Please also consider, should you wish to continue auto draft donations, that you may re-direct your payments to another fund — for example: our parish building fund, or the Seminarian or Retired Priest funds or the Catholic Appeal of South Carolina, etc.
THANK YOU for your support and collaboration with the diocese to bring forth great fruit for South Carolina through the BCC! The gifts to the campaign are at work, bringing parish projects to life, providing services to neighbors in need, and strengthening various Catholic ministries across the state. Truly, God’s kingdom is growing here!
Time is almost out. If you made a pledge, please check to see if your pledge has been fulfilled. Currently, there is $13,752 in unpaid pledges to be redeemed. If you can't fulfill your pledge please let me know so that we can update our records. If you did not give to the Bicentennial Campaign but would like to do so we can still accept one time gifts -DONATE HERE! We thank all those who made one time gifts or pledges to the Bicentennial Campaign.
Some brief reminders:
There IS 8:00AM and 10:30AM Hospitality this weekend hosted by the 8:00AM Bakers of Fellowship and the Bereavement Ministry respectively.
As we expand, our Bakers of Fellowship Ministry is looking for more Bakers to join us. If you attend the 8:00AM Mass and would like to make home-made desserts for Hospitality, we would love for you to join us on a 6-week rotation. Contact Darcy Assemany, Coordinator, if you have any questions or would like to volunteer.
Phishing Scams Alert: Please be aware, you will NEVER receive an email or text from me or any of the parish staff requesting donations, gift cards, or similar items.
Pray for peace in the world and for protection from storms and other natural disasters.
Peace and all good,
Fr. Dennis
PADRE'S PICK
A weekly series of videos to watch (or listen to) that I recommend for every parish household and family! This week's Word on Fire video is the last in a series of videos on Priest, Prophet, King:
The entire Word on Fire Library is also available. Just click the white "play" arrow to begin or follow the link to access the library.
PARISH FINANCIAL UPDATES
This past Sunday's collection was $14,918. It is typical for the last weekend of the month to be a smaller collection!
Our weekly goal for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 is $20,823. The Finance Council and I remain confident in our budget projections for this fiscal year and believe that we can achieve our goals due to the continued growth of our parish. Nevertheless, your support is essential to the success of our parish mission and ministries. Thank you for your continued support.
The weekly financial report is available HERE. We remain deeply grateful for your generosity.
Many of our parishioners give yearly from investments that have Required Minimum Disbursements. There is a significant tax advantage when RMDs are given directly to a charity like the Church. Check with your financial advisor if you have RMDs and would like to reduce your tax burden.
We are still planning to host a Planned Giving Seminar that will give you information on how to plan your estate and ensure the mission of Our Lady of the Lake far into the future! You can also visit Stewardship & Mission Advancement - South Carolina Catholic at the Diocese of Charleston's website to learn more.
Please remember that every gift to the church helps, no matter the amount. We emphasize equal sacrifice - NOT equal giving! We ask that all registered households give what they can to support the ministry of the Church. We are always THANKFUL for your generosity and support!
THANK YOU!!!
Do you give online using your credit card? If so, our vendor now allows you the option to add the processing fee to your gift. Please consider making this change and strengthen the power of your gift.
CHILDREN'S ENVELOPE ARTWORK
We encourage all our parish children to use their envelopes at the Sunday Morning Masses. Children can make a monetary donation or just write something on the envelope; a good deed, a prayer, artwork, etc. Father Dennis will hold a basket and invite the children to come forward at the appropriate time. If you have forgotten an envelope or need more, they are available in the Narthex.
CAMPUS CONSTRUCTION UPDATES
We are now selling pavers for the plaza around the fountain in front of the Church! PLAZA PAVERS is up and running for you to use to make your purchase(s). There are plenty of paver options for every family to consider. Funds raised from the sale of pavers will enable us to complete this project. Pavers may be inscribed with family names, in honor of, or in memorial.
Through the generosity of the Women's Club, we are substantially finished with the remodeling of the kitchen in Saint Ignatius Hall! See pictures HERE!! Thank you, ladies, for making this remodel happen for the benefit of our parish family!!!
The stage in the Family Life Center is also being updated. No pictures this week. Still more work to be done.
JUBILEE OF HOPE
The Year 2025 is a Jubilee Year in the Catholic Church. Pope Francis declared the Jubilee of Hope on 9 May, 2024. He invited all the faithful to be Pilgrims of Hope during this Jubilee Year. You can learn more about being a Pilgrim of Hope at the USCCB Website. I encourage you to read about Indulgences for the Jubilee Year. “Hope does not disappoint” (Rom 5:5)!!!
Jubilee Pilgrimage Sites in the Diocese of Charleston:
As the Church celebrates the Jubilee Year of Hope this year, Bishop Fabre announced that our diocese has four parishes designated as pilgrimage sites. They are:
Cathedral of St. John the Baptist – 120 Broad St. in Charleston
Basilica of St. Peter – 1529 Assembly St. in Columbia
Old St. Mary Help of Christians – 125 Park Ave. SE in Aiken
St. Mary – 111 Hampton Ave. in Greenville
Basilica of St. Peter – 1529 Assembly St. in Columbia
Old St. Mary Help of Christians – 125 Park Ave. SE in Aiken
St. Mary – 111 Hampton Ave. in Greenville
Pilgrims can receive a plenary indulgence by visiting one of these churches in addition to the normative requirements for obtaining such an indulgence. For more information, please visit https://charlestondiocese.org/jubilee2025/sc-pilgrimage-sites/.
“Be kind to your servant that I may live, that I may keep your word. Open my eyes to see clearly the wonders of your law. I am a sojourner in the land; do not hide your commandments from me” (Ps 119:17-19).
DIOCESAN NEWS
Province Statement on Dilexi Te
The Catholic Bishops of Georgia and the Carolinas have issued the following statement on Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic exhortation Dilexi Te (“I have loved you”).
The Catholic Bishops of Georgia and the Carolinas gathered recently and reflected on Pope Leo XIV’s first apostolic exhortation Dilexi Te (“I have loved you”). The heart of his message and the fruit of our conversation is to call Catholics beyond simply believing in Jesus, to the deeper relationship of being his disciples in service to the poor by fully implementing the mind and heart of Christ in every human endeavor.
We, your shepherds, invite all Catholics and people of goodwill to prophetic acts to reach that goal. Many of us fall short of this invitation by not fully infusing the mind and heart of Christ into every aspect of the human endeavor, especially as it relates to the fullest respect for the dignity of every human person. We do this when we do not see the face of God in the unborn, the poor, the migrant, the incarcerated, the aged, the undereducated, the unloved, the ill, and those with whom we disagree. We nine bishops would like to raise a greater consciousness of all Catholics in Georgia and the Carolinas to bring the communion we share at the altar of Christ to our world in need.
We are called to ensure that the flesh of Christ, whom we encounter in the Eucharist, is seen and revered in the faces of all God’s children as expressed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1397): “The Eucharist commits us to the poor. To receive in truth the Body and Blood of Christ given up for us, we must recognize Christ in the poorest, his brethren.” As disciples seeking the fullness of life, we must unite ourselves with, advocate for, and care for those who are cast aside: the poor among us.
How can the insights of Pope Leo XIV move the hearts of the faithful to further embrace the values of the Gospel by engaging those who feel distanced by the Church and excluded from society? How can we change ourselves and spur systemic change?
We are committed to further exploration of bringing this vision of Jesus to open hearts and deepen our desire for the lead of the Holy Spirit over the views of the world and invite everyone to join us in this conversation.
Archbishop Gregory Hartmayer, OFM Conv., Archbishop of Atlanta
Bishop Joel Konzen, S.M., Auxiliary Bishop of Atlanta
Bishop Bernard Shlesinger, Auxiliary Bishop of Atlanta
Bishop John Tran, Auxiliary Bishop of Atlanta
Bishop Jacques Fabre-Jeune, CS, Bishop of Charleston
Bishop Stephen Parkes, Bishop of Savannah
Bishop Luis Zarama, Bishop of Raleigh
Bishop Michael T. Martin, OFM Conv., Bishop of Charlotte
Bishop emeritus Robert E. Guglielmone, Retired Bishop of Charleston
Year of Evangelization
Bishop Jacques Fabre-Jeune, CS, kicked off the five-year plan for the Diocese of Charleston, called Via Fidelis, at the beginning of Advent, 1 December 2024.
Our first year's theme is Proclaim the Faith - a Year of Evangelization!
The bishop has given each month a focus to challenge us to grow in our faith. As we prepare ourselves to enter deeper into this evangelization year of Proclaim the Faith, we are asking all the faithful to keep in prayer Via Fidelis, your parish and the entire diocese as we work to spread the Word of God in our state.
You can read more about Via Fidelis in our monthly articles in The Catholic Miscellany: Via Fidelis. Attached are the monthly activities calendar for 2025 and our prayer card.
Additional resources and videos may be found online at charlestondiocese.org/via-fidelis.
Check it out!
VISIT the Catholic Miscellany
For the most up-to-date information from the diocese visit: charlestondiocese.org/events.
Read the DECEMBER CARITAS; the Diocesan Monthly E-Newsletter.
HEALTH PROTOCOLS at OLL!
If you are feeling unwell we ask that you stay home and watch Mass through our Parish Live Stream. If you are unsure please wear a Mask to spare others from possibly sharing your germs. We are asking that shaking hands, hugging, or kissing be reserved to immediate family members only. Please continue to smile and wave to non-family members around you in the pews rather than extending your hand for the Sign of Peace.
We live stream the Sunday 10:30AM Mass using BOXCAST and FACEBOOK-LIVE. Links are also provided on our parish web site and in the
Weekly Reminder.
Prayer of Spiritual Communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen
NOTE: BOXCAST has the best streaming!
Look for our parish channel on BoxCast Apps
in Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV
for a direct link. You can find us listed as
Our Lady of the Lake, Chapin SC.
Weekly Bulletin, Calendar and Mass Schedule:
Our Parish mailing address is:
195 Amicks Ferry Road, Chapin SC 29036
Are you interested in becoming a Prayer Warrior? We are starting a Prayer Ministry in our parish. If you are interested contact me at pastor@ollchapin.org! The button below is an example of how prayer requests will be submitted and received through Flocknote.
How does the Prayer Requests Button work?
To make a Prayer Request: If you hit the button below, you can make a prayer request and send it to our Parish Flocknote page. Prayer Warriors will then pray for the specific request you made. You will not receive any notification that your prayer request has been fulfilled - although some Prayer Warriors may contact you privately. Be assured however, that your request is being fulfilled and Warriors are praying!
If you want to be a Prayer Warrior: You need to request to be added. Fr Dennis can add you. Just send him a text or email and he will do so.
If you are signed up as a Prayer Warrior: Click on the Prayer Requests button on the left side menu of the Parish Flocknote page when you log into Flocknote. You’ll see a list of requested prayers. When you offer a prayer for a specific request, mark it as completed. You can also check a box on this page to receive email notifications when prayer requests are submitted by others.
If you want, you can then reach out to the individual who requested the prayer privately. This is not required but can be very meaningful.