The Parish Staff

Sister Joan Sobala – Pastoral Administrator

Sister Joan serves as Pastoral Administrator this year beginning July 2007; she
has been a Sister of St. Joseph of Rochester, NY for 48 years. She has been an
educator at the secondary and collegiate levels, a campus minister, social justice
advocate, retreat director, pastoral minister and vice president of her order. She
comes to us after serving as Pastoral Administrator of St. Felix Parish in Clifton
Springs and St. Francis Parish in Phelps.

Fr. Robert Lujula – Sacramental Minister

Fr. Robert has resided at the parish during his time of studies at St. John Fisher College from which he obtained a Master’s degree in Human Resource Development (May 2007). Fr. Robert came to us in 2005 from the diocese of Kahama, Tanzania. Since 2006 Fr. Robert has been responsible for the liturgical and sacramental celebrations in the parish.

Sr. Sheila Geraghty - Pastoral Minister

Sister Sheila is a native of Rochester. As a Sister of Mercy she has dedicated her life to the care of the poor, the sick and uneducated as a teacher, a pastoral and social minister in the rural areas of Tioga County and as a congregational formation director. She lives in community with other sisters and has ministered at Our Lady of Lourdes since 1989. Sister ministers with the seniors, homebound, hospitalized and their families, helping them feel at home with God no matter where they live.

Donald Smith - Youth Ministry & Faith Formation Program Coordinator

Ministry with the Youth and Co-coordinator of Faith Formation of young people Don grew up in Montezuma, NY, and received a bachelor’s degree in Theology from St. Bonaventure University. While at college he was involved in the ministries of RCIA, Music Ministries, and a student retreat group called Students for the Mountain. He came to Lourdes in 2002 and has served in ministry with youth from grades six through twelve as well as Confirmation preparation. He also helps coordinate the faith formation program for children in grades one through five and the preparation for First Reconciliation and First Communion.

Karen Luke – Co-coordinator of Faith Formation for the children

Karen received her undergraduate degree from Nazareth College and her Masters degree in Theology from St. Bernard Institute of Theology and Ministry (May 2007). She has served as coordinator of Faith Formation and Youth Ministry at St. Anne since 2003, and began a part time position at Lourdes in 2006.

Kathryn Weider – Director of Music

Kathy grew up in Buffalo in a staunchly Lutheran and musical family, but as a teen, after having studied at a Catholic high school, she became a Catholic. After graduation from Nazareth College, she continued advanced studies in music. Since the mid 1970s Kathy has been involved in music at Lourdes as an organist, a teacher of music at the school, and as founder of a year-round children’s choir. She uses her energy and gifts in working with the parish cantors, student instrumentalists, the adult choir, Resurrection choir, children’s choir, boys’ choir, and Hand bell choir so that all enjoy contributing to the parish music ministry.

Sarah Goldman – Parish Secretary, Receptionist, & Bookkeeper

Sarah grew up in Rochester; she is married and has one daughter. Before coming to Lourdes in 2005 she had been employed in a variety of fields such as accounting clerk, data entry clerk and receptionist.

Assisting Clergy:

Fr. John Orenge Omboga

Fr. John, from the diocese of Ngong, Kenya, is residing at Our Lady of Lourdes while pursuing his graduate studies in Human Resource Development at St. John Fisher College. Fr. assists with daily and weekend Masses.

Fr. Edward Salmon, SJ is on the faculty of McQuaid Jesuit High School. Father assists on the weekend monthly.

Deacon Bob Schrader is a parishioner of Our Lady of Lourdes and coordinator of the RCIA program; Occasionally he assists as a homilist.