Latest Parish News
In solidarity with all of the dioceses in the United States and in response to the devastation wrought by Hurricane Ian, please consider making a donation to "Bishops Disaster Relief". These resources will be utilized as a response to immediate emergency needs for such necessities as water, food, shelter, medical care, and aid in long-term rebuilding and recovery efforts.
Checks should be made payable to Catholic Diocese of Arlington, identifying it as “Bishops Disaster Relief Fund” in the memo field, and mail to:
Catholic Diocese of Arlington
PO Box 1960
Merrifield, VA 22116
Thank you for your generosity.
"Our parish has about 60 homebound members who are unable to join us at mass this weekend. St. John's Care Ministry would like to connect with these brothers and sisters in Christ. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Information on volunteering can be found in the bulletin and at the table outside of church this weekend. There is no minimum commitment. Just help as you are able. In addition to visiting, making meals, running errands and making phone calls, we are looking for a few folks to help manage ministry emails. This is a job that can be done from home in about one hour a week.
Please pray that St. John's Care Ministry can uplift parishioners who are homebound, as well as folks going through a challenging time, and people caring for family members with dementia and illness."
Looking for something Catholic to read or watch?
Looking for you Advent supplies? Looking for Christmas gifts or Nativity Sets?
Swing by the Sacred Heart Gift Shop!
We have statues, Rosaries, books, DVD’s, Rosary repair service and more!!
If we don’t have it, we can do our best to order it for you!!
UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE:
GIFT SHOP ACCESSIBLE DURING BUSINESS HOURS OR BY APPOINTMENT
Questions: Call Patti Spencer 571-221-2619 or email: [email protected]
Donations are always welcome!
Council 5561 is, once again, sponsoring a spiritual retreat at the San Damiano Spiritual Life Center, 125 Old Kitchen Road in White Post, Virginia. The theme for this retreat is from Psalm 46, "Be still and know that I am God! We will be examining how to more effectively incorporate the discipline of Silence in our prayer life, and how we can better center our spiritual lives and our relationship with Our Blessed Lord through the practice of Befriending Silence. To lead us in this journey, we have secured a Friar from the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC. One of the Dominican Friars will serve as our retreat director over the Memorial Day weekend beginning on Friday, May 26 at 6:00 pm thru Sunday 28, 2023 ending at 1:00 pm. This retreat is open to all parishioners of St. John's, 18 years of age and older. The cost is $ 270.00 for single occupancy and $ 440.00 per couple. PLEASE REGISTER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AS THE SLOTS WILL FILL QUICKLY. The retreat begins with check-in at 4:30 pm on Friday followed by dinner at 6:00 pm. Once you register, a concise schedule will be sent to you well in advance of the retreat. Please contact our Church and Religious Programs Director for more information on the background of the retreat at: (571) 421-5466 or [email protected].
Bishop Burbidge publishes instruction for the use of the Traditional Latin Mass in the Diocese of Arlington
July 29, 2022
On July 16, 2021, Pope Francis published Traditionis Custodes, an apostolic letter issued motu proprio, by which he created new norms on the use of the Mass celebrated according to the Missal of 1962 (often referred to as the Traditional Latin Mass, the Extraordinary Form, and the usus antiquior). This was preceded by an international assessment and consultation of bishops regarding the application of motu proprio Summorum Pontificum. Following that consultation, the Holy Father established several directives aimed at providing ecclesial communion and unity with regard to the celebration of the Mass.
Upon receiving Traditionis Custodes and the subsequently released Responsa ad Dubia, Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge, Bishop of the Diocese of Arlington, convened a group of pastors in the Diocese whose parishes offer the Traditional Latin Mass, as well as experts in the liturgy and canon law, to study the motu proprio and to discern how it may be best implemented in the Diocese. This group offered recommendations to Bishop Burbidge. Consequent to these recommendations, Bishop Burbidge is now publishing an instruction that ensures regional availability of the Traditional Latin Mass in the Diocese of Arlington.
Since the publication of Traditionis Custodes, Bishop Burbidge has consistently emphasized two points. First, the Diocese of Arlington will be obedient to the Holy Father's directives, working toward unity in our use of liturgical rites. Second, the diocesan instruction related to Traditionis Custodes would be sensitive to those who attend the Traditional Latin Mass. This has been evidenced by Bishop Burbidge submitting a request for dispensation from Traditionis Custodes to the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. Consequently, three parishes were granted permission to continue celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass in their parish churches for a term of two years.
In total, eight of the 21 current locations throughout the Diocese of Arlington will have the Traditional Latin Mass available for the approximately 2.5% of local, Mass-attending Catholics who prefer this liturgical form.
The Traditional Latin Mass will continue to be celebrated in the following locations in the Diocese of Arlington:
Saint John the Baptist Church, Front Royal (in Chelsea Academy)
Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Winchester (in Sacred Heart Academy)
Renaissance Montessori School (Nokesville, VA), located within the parish boundaries of All Saints Church, Manassas
Saint John the Apostle Church, Leesburg (in the Historic Chapel)
Saint Patrick Church, Fredericksburg (in the former church building)
Saint Anthony Mission, King George (in the main church)
Saint Rita Church, Alexandria (in the main church)
Saint John the Beloved, McLean (in the main church)
The promulgation of Traditionis Custodes recalls for all of us, Christ's faithful, the Second Vatican Council's teaching found in the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium: “Liturgical services are not private functions, but are celebrations of the Church, which is the 'sacrament of unity,' namely, the holy people united and ordered under their bishops” (No. 26). For this reason, we ask the Holy Spirit to increase his gifts of unity and peace within the universal Church and within our local church. Let us pray with ever greater fervor that God Our Father will be pleased to grant her peace, and guard, unite and govern her throughout the whole world.
St John’s is in urgent need of volunteers to serve as Lectors. Lectors enjoy the privilege of proclaiming the Word of God through the Old and New Testament scripture at all weekend and Holy Days of Obligation Masses. Initial training is available for those who have not previously served as a Lector. If you are interested in serving as a lector for St. Johns, please contact Bob Beecher (Lectors) at (703) 577-1964 or [email protected]. Thank you.
