MEET PARISHIONER ADRIANA ADLER: Building Community, Serving Christ and His Church

Raleigh and the Triangle area have several Catholic churches. When Adriana Adler first moved here from New York State about three years ago, she searched for a church that felt like home. What drew her to Our Lady of Lourdes was Eucharistic Adoration. She visits the chapel as much as possible, even though she and her husband, Gary, live in Zebulon. Gary and Adriana were married here at Our Lady of Lourdes in 2019.

Adriana also serves as a lector for Spanish Mass. She is so thankful to Fr. Patrick Keane for starting the Spanish Mass.

“Being a lector gives me the opportunity to meditate on the readings and be part of the Mass,” Adriana says. “I love being close to God’s Word as a lector.”

In addition, Adriana is an aide for fifth-grade Faith Formation.

Growing up in Mexico and having been raised in a devout Catholic family in Mexico, Adriana had a firm faith foundation. She continued to practice her faith during her 20 years living in New York. When she moved to Raleigh, it was only natural for her to get involved. Church has always been a place for Adriana to build community and find a family.

Adriana does cleaning work and also babysits. When she’s not working or praying at the chapel, she can be found making rosaries as part of the Rosary Makers Ministry. When she gets together with friends, they use the time to make rosaries. The group makes rosaries for any group at Our Lady of Lourdes that needs them. They are also donated outside the parish.

“As soon as people learn how to make the rosaries, they love it,” Adriana says. “It’s relaxing to make them.”

Not keeping her faith just within the walls of our parish, Adriana also has a prayer group of women from outside our parish whom she meets with weekly. She appreciates having a group that can celebrate the good with her and pray for her when she’s in need. She is always willing to give people advice and pray for them.

“When you pray in the morning, your life is totally different,” Adriana says. “It will help how you feel. It doesn’t have to be anything big.”

To show the power of prayer, Adriana offers the example of when she went to the Our Lady of Lourdes Adoration Chapel to pray for a job. She walked out, and someone asked her if they knew anyone who did home cleaning — Adriana had her first cleaning job right there!

Putting everything into her faith, Adriana can’t imagine not knowing Jesus and having Him beside her during life’s challenges.

“God has been so good to me,” she says. “If I didn’t have Jesus, I would be empty and lonely.”

Adriana and Gary Adler