8616 N.

Dixie Drive

Our Lady of Good Counsel Church

Dayton, OH 45414

8616 North Dixie Drive Dayton, OH 45414

Our Lady of Good Counsel Church

937-890-2111
ologccdayton@yahoo.com

December 2013

www.Ourladyofgoodcounselchurch.net

Dear Friends and Benefactors,

As a new Liturgical Year
approaches, we are delighted to
present our first newsletter to
you! There is perhaps no better
time to commence such a task
than the seasons of Advent and
Christmas. With our monthly
newsletter, we intend not only to
provide you with articles
regarding Catholic faith, life and
culture, but simply to send our greetings to friends and future parishioners.
Our Lady of Good Counsel Chapel

Introibo ad altare Dei.

Served by the priests of the Society of Saint

Pius X, Our Lady of Good Counsel Church is a
Roman Catholic, missionary chapel, located in a
quieter part of North Dixie Drive in Dayton, OH.
Originally built in 1847 for a Christian Church
Denomination, it belonged to Murlin Heights United
Church of Christ until its shrinking congregation
forced its pastors to sell the property in the summer of
2011. By the grace of God, the building underwent a
gradual transformation, now befitting a Catholic
chapel. The main design of the church and the stained
glass windows remain. Yet, the subtle changes
create an enormous effect, exuding that traditional,
Catholic atmosphere. Smooth wooden floors replaced
blue carpets; pews took over the nave and an altar has

now occupied the sanctuary. The Church coordinator, Mr. Kolb, has also placed
magnificent statues for the interior, whose presence throughout the chapel is almost as
ubiquitous as they are inviting
for contemplation.
The Blessing
It was almost two years
later on the feast of Our Lady
of Good Counsel herself - that
the chapel was officially blessed
on April 26, 2013 by Father
Rostand, the District Superior of
the Society of Saint Pius X. He
was assisted by Father Adam
Purdy (former prior of the parish
in Walton, KY) and Father Michael McMahon (headmaster of La Salette Academy in
Georgetown, IL) in the Solemn High Mass, who also brought students from their
respective schools to help with serving and singing. Around one hundred and twenty
guests came too, many of whom came from long distance for the special occasion. The
parishioners in Dayton had been praying for this blessing, and God rewarded their
patience with the benediction which, we pray, can lead more souls to Him.
Parish Life
Our Lady of Good Counsel
Church leads a quiet yet youthful future,
with a solemn Catholic life. Priests visit
once or twice a month and say Masses.
By the grace of God, the faithful group
of parishioners who comes, also
maintains the parish life by daily rosaries
and frequent visitations of the Blessed
Sacrament.
Thursday nights are especially
important too. A group prayer, followed
by a potluck, is customary on Thursday
nights, during which we can eat and
socialize together, but most importantly,
pray together in a more parochial setting.

Undoubtedly, parishioners
observe Feast days also, and have
celebrated those days with traditional
fervor. For All Saints Day, for instance,
it is a common practice among Catholics
that children dress up as their saints of
choice. Here, they have observed such
tradition, presenting their monologues
before Father and ardent watchers.
Moreover, the chapel carries out
rummage sales twice a year. Once
during Spring and Fall, the rummage
sale is a team effort which pays off as
soon as people come. Potential buyers start pouring in as early as 8 am, searching,
calculating, pondering, and bargaining. Though bartering proves to be an intense practice
while cleaning and packing/repacking are an exhausting chore, nonetheless, the rummage
sales have provided the consolation that something is earned for the church.
In the two year history of Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, we have one
Christmas Mass, two funerals ones and two Easter ceremonies. Perhaps none of these are
possible without the kindness of our visiting priests. Father Muscha (prior of parish in
Walton, KY) and Father Horvath (assistant priest in Walton, KY) make time out of their
busy schedules to come. Sometimes, visiting priests en route have stopped by so the
faithful can hear Mass closer to home. Father Pezzutti, for example, came back from
Lithuania while vacationing in Columbus, OH with his family, while Father Macmahon
and Father Themann also passed by from Illinois and Minnesota respectively. We pray
that in the near future, their visits become more frequent and Sunday Masses regular.
Perhaps through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, God may grant such request.
We are grateful to you for your prayers, support and spare time to read our first
newsletter! Be assured that we include you in our rosaries and Mass intentions also. May
you have a blessed Advent and Christmas! Thank you!
Our Lady of Good Counsel Church
***
The parish meets every Thursday at 6:00 pm for Rosary and potluck, with the last Thursday of the month
reserved for Mass at 6:30 pm. Confessions are held before each Mass. Please check the website or call the
Chapel for changes. Additional Masses are announced by phone tree and email. If you wish to be notified
of the Masses and other parish events, please contact us at 937-890-2111.

Our Lady of Good Counsel Church

8616 N. Dixie Drive
Dayton, OH 45414
937-890-2111
ologccdayton@yahoo.com
www.Ourladyofgoodcounselchurch.net

Our Lady of Good Counsel Church

8616 North Dixie Drive Dayton, OH 45414
April 2014
Dear Friends and Benefactors,

Novena to Our Lady of Good Counsel

(April 17 25)
Holy Virgin, moved by the painful uncertainty we experience in seeking and acquiring the true and the good,
we cast ourselves at thy feet and invoke thee under the sweet title of Mother of Good Counsel. We beseech
thee: come to our aid at this moment in our worldly sojourn, when the twin darknesses of error and of evil
that plots our ruin by leading minds and hearts astray.
Seat of Wisdom and Star of the Sea, enlighten the victims of doubt and of error so that they may not be
seduced by evil masquerading as good; strengthen them against the hostile and corrupting forces of passion
and of sin.
Mother of Good Counsel, obtain for us from the Divine Son, the love of virtue and the strength to choose, in
doubtful and difficult situations, the course agreeable to our salvation. Supported by thy hand, we shall thus
journey without harm along the paths taught us by the word and example of Jesus Our Savior, following the
Sun of Truth and Justice in freedom and safety across the battlefield of life under the guidance of thy
maternal Star, until we come at length to the harbor of salvation, to enjoy with thee unalloyed and
everlasting peace. Amen. ~ B y Pope Pius XII, January 23, 1953

Greetings! As some of you may know, the

month of April is a special one for us.
Besides the anticipation for Easter, we also
dedicate this month to our patroness, Our
Lady of Good Counsel, whose feast falls on
the 26th of this month. This year is a
memorable one as well, since it marks the
1st anniversary of the chapels blessing. We
invite you to join us and celebrate her feast
with a High Mass on Sunday, April 27,
2014 at 9 am, followed by a potluck. In
preparation for this, we will also start a
novena on April 17th (the novena prayer is
printed at the back of this news-letter and is
posted online also), following the Churchs
tradition of novenas for forthcoming feasts.
History of Our Lady of Good Counsel
What is the origin of the image of Our Lady of Good Counsel? There were two
accounts regarding the holy fresco. The first one recounted that the image came directly
from heaven to the city of Genazzano only to remind the people of their Christian duties
and to favor her devotee.
On the other hand, a confraternity in Genazzano named the Society of Holy Mary,
recounted a longer and more detailed story. This organization stated that the fresco of Our
Lady came from Scutari, Albania to Genazzano, Italy, as it fled from the Turkish invasions
and religious laxity of the country. Tradition held that the image, whose author was
unknown, was carried by angels from the East two hundred years before settling in Scutari.
The shrine [of the image] became the center of pilgrimages in the small country, poured
out abundant graces over the population.

Iskender Bey
Before leaving for
Genazzano, the image of
Our Lady of Good
Counsel had protected
Albania from Turkish
onslaughts. The Turks
had made successive
attacks on the country
and the Mohammed held
the four sons of Prince
John Castriota as hostages, hoping to indoctrinate the young princes with his religion.
Steadfastness to the one true Faith led the three older brothers to their slow deaths in
prison. On the other hand, the youngest one, George, was spared by the confident hope of
the Moslems that the boy would convert one day. Nicknamed Scanderbeg for his courage,
talents, and mastery of the art of war, he became the general of the Ottoman armies and
defended the Turkish Empire. Although he had been a captive for twenty years and had
been fighting on behalf of the Turks, Scanderbeg had neither denied the Faith nor forgotten
his devotion to The Lady of Scutari. He saw in the Battle of Nish an opportunity to
liberate himself and other Catholics (enslaved under forced Moslem regimentation) from
the Turks. Instead of battling the opposing Catholic army under Magyar Hunyadi,
Scanderbeg and his Catholic men had fought side by side with Hunyadi against the Turks
whom Scanderbeg was supposed to be protecting. Victory propelled the prince to enter
Kroia and, ever invoking the protection of Our Lady of Good Counsel, he was able to
regain the territories which were his by right. As Scanderbeg persisted in defending the
Faith and venerate the image, so did Our Lady continue to safeguard Scanderbeg against
the attacks of the Moslems and grant him multiple victories throughout his life. Scanderbeg
became the champion and the shield of Christendom, while the Blessed Virgin watched
over him in battle and reconquered his kingdoms.
De Sclavis and Georgio
However, in 1467, weak health and exhaustion overcame Scanderbeg. When he died,
so did Albanias devotion, ardor and firmness in the Faith. Handicapped without the strong
leadership of Scanderbeg, Albania could not resist the infiltration of the Turkish armies and
religion. Due to this decay of Christianity, many decided with heavy hearts to abandon
their country to seek new homes. Two of those were soldiers, De Sclavis and Georgio, who
departed under the direction of Our Lady herself. She appeared to Georgio in a dream,

ordering that he and his friend must leave Albania forever and that she herself, in her holy
image, would also leave Scutari in order to escape the sacrilegious hands of the Turks. By a
miracle, the fresco smoothly detached itself from the wall before their amazed eyes and
enveloped itself within a luminous white cloud, through which the smiling image of the
Virgin with the Divine Infant in her arms could be clearly seen. ( The Mother of Good
Counsel Of Genazzano, Joao S. Cla Diaz)
To be continued
***
On March 7th, Our
Lady of Good
Counsel Church
celebrated the feast
of Saint Thomas
Aquinas with games
for the children, such
as Capture the Flag
and Telephone. The
weather was
wonderful too!

***
Our Lady of Good Counsel Church will have an Easter Mass on Sunday, April 20, 2014 at12:30
pm.

***
Our Lady of Good Counsel Church would like to help St. Casimir Priory in Kaunas, Lithuania by
offering rosaries for its intentions. If you are willing to offer your prayers on its behalf by praying
at least one rosary a day, please email your name, address and phone number at
ologccdayton@yahoo.com and we will forward the list of these names to Fr. Pezzutti, the prior.

***
The parish meets every Tuesday at 6:00 pm for Rosary and potluck, with the last Tuesday of the
month reserved for Mass at 6:30 pm. Confessions are held before each Mass. Please check the
website at www.ourladyofgoodcounselchurch.net or call the chapel for changes. Additional Masses
are announced by phone tree and email. If you wish to be notified of the Masses and other parish
events, please contact us at 937-890-2111.