BERRYVILLE — The first Catholic church in Clarke County was dedicated by Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde on Trinity Sunday, May 25. At St. Bridget "Chapel in the Field," in Berryville, a mission of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Winchester, attendees filled the 400-seat building to capacity for the Mass.

Beforehand, Bishop Loverde blessed the chapel cornerstone outside, then came indoors for the "handing over of the building" from Barbara White, chapel building committee chairperson; Chet Hobert, the oldest living member of the Berryville mission; and Carl Hales, longtime chapel supporter.

"Why have we gathered here, in such a special and solemn way this afternoon, much like the people described in our first reading from the Book of Nehemiah?" asked Bishop Loverde, beginning his homily. "Words you will soon hear me pray will form a response to this question. For today, we come before you, O God, to dedicate to your lasting service this house of prayer, this temple of worship, this home in which we are nourished by Your word and sacrifice.

"The home is more than a house. The home is where the family lives and grows in mutual love; where the family is nourished and strengthened not only by food and drink, but also by forgiveness and patience; by sacrificial love. This community of faith in Berryville is truly a visible expression of the Church … part of God’s family … in this church building dedicated to St. Bridget of Ireland."

The chapel building fund began as a legacy of Father Paul Stragisher, a former pastor of Sacred Heart Parish. It continued through subsequent pastors Father Daniel Spychala, Father John Kelly and Father Stanley Krempa.

All the priests who have served St. Bridget’s community were invited to the dedication, along with the priests of the deanery and the cloistered Trappist monks of Holy Cross Abbey in Berryville. Father Robert Barnes, abbot of the abbey, joined Bishop Loverde at the altar during Mass. They were assisted by Sacred Heart Parish’s permanent Deacon Edward Christianson and Father John Heisler, parochial vicar of St. Bernadette Parish in Springfield.

A choir of glorious-voiced members performed most of the music for the Mass. Bishop Loverde wore the vestment, given by the Holy Cross community to the church of St. Bridget. Five monks standing in a small circle near one of the stained-glass windows, their voices blending beautifully, chanted the responsorial psalm and the dedication hymn during the Mass. The ceremonial honor guard of Sacred Heart Parish’s Knights of Columbus led the procession in and out of the chapel.

Also in attendance were Sacred Heart Parish’s parochial vicar, Father John Ziegler; Third Order Regular Father Aidan Mullaney of Sacred Heart Friary in White Post; and Father William Ruehl, pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish in Front Royal and dean of Deanery IV; and several other priests.

Later in his homily, Bishop Loverde told the congregants that they must be like the patroness of the St. Bridget mission.

"Her extraordinary spirituality, her boundless charity, her compassion for those in distress made her a true herald of the Good News, a real evangelizer in her day," he said. "You must imitate her example of faith, because like her — you, we — were baptized into Christ Jesus to proclaim His Gospel to the ends of the earth."

Afterwards, following the prayer of dedication, Bishop Loverde anointed the altar with chrism, followed by Father Barnes and Father Krempa anointing the church’s walls.

At the Mass’ conclusion, Bishop Loverde mentioned that the chapel originated through the vision of the late Arlington Bishop John R. Keating. After his death, when Msgr. James McMurtrie, pastor of St. Theresa Parish in Ashburn, became diocesan administrator and episcopal vicar for parish development, he brought Bishop Loverde out to the then-undeveloped chapel site, soon after the prelate’s arrival as new shepherd of the diocese.

Denelle Kubovcik and her family attended the ceremony last Sunday. Her husband, Mark, made many of the pieces of furniture in the chapel at the request of Father Krempa. His work included the altar, baptismal font, tabernacle, celebrant’s chair, crucifix cross, candle stands and poor box, and finished the confessionals. He learned the craft from his father, who was a devout Catholic.

Though the Kubovciks are members of Sacred Heart Parish, and Denelle and Mark are on staff there, she said that "after seeing the bishop consecrate the altar," which she said was "a real honor," they may attend St. Bridget’s more often. The couple’s grandchildren, Isaiah Shawn Smith and William Joseph Kubovcik Jr., were baptized at the chapel later that afternoon by Father Krempa.