Bishop Establishes Sixth Deanery for Diocese

Herald Staff Report
(From the issue of 8/22/02)

Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde announced last week the establishment of a new deanery for the diocese, bringing the total number of diocesan deaneries to six. At the same time, the bishop announced the appointment of four new deans.

Father Donald Greenhalgh, pastor of St. Mary of Sorrows Parish in Fairfax Station, will serve as dean of the newly created Deanery VI, which consists of parishes in the Vienna, Fairfax, Chantilly and Clifton areas of Fairfax County (see complete list of the deaneries and their parishes below).

A deanery is a section of a diocese made up of several parishes and other ecclesiastical institutions. The parishes usually are located within the same geographic area.

A dean is the priest appointed by the bishop who has limited canonical authority over the common pastoral activities of the deanery. The canons state that the dean is to perform a supportive role to other clerics in his territory, to see that the liturgy is properly celebrated and to assist clerics when they are ill. Traditionally, the dean represents the bishop in rural or outlying areas of the diocese. He also is known as the vicar forane.

Following is the list of diocesan deaneries, parishes and deans:

Deanery I: Father Robert J. Rippy

Cathedral of St. Thomas More Parish, Arlington

Holy Martyrs of Vietnam Parish, Arlington

Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Arlington

Our Lady, Queen of Peace Parish, Arlington

St. Agnes Parish, Arlington

St. Ann Parish, Arlington

St. Anthony Parish, Falls Church

St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Arlington

St. James Parish, Falls Church

St. John Parish, McLean

St. Luke Parish, McLean

St. Philip Parish, Falls Church

Deanery II: Father John C. Cregan

Blessed Sacrament Parish, Alexandria

Good Shepherd Parish, Alexandria

Holy Spirit Parish, Annandale

Nativity Parish, Burke

Queen of Apostles Parish, Alexandria

St. Ambrose Parish, Annandale

St. Bernadette Parish, Springfield

St. Joseph Parish, Alexandria

St. Lawrence Parish, Alexandria

St. Louis Parish, Alexandria

St. Mary Parish, Alexandria

St. Michael Parish, Annandale

St. Raymond of Penafort Parish, Fairfax Station

St. Rita Parish, Alexandria

Deanery III: Father William P. Saunders

Christ the Redeemer Parish, Sterling

Our Lady of Hope Parish, Potomac Falls

St. Catherine of Siena Parish, Great Falls

St. Francis de Sales Parish, Purcellville

St. John Neumann Parish, Reston

St. John the Apostle Parish, Leesburg

St. Joseph Parish, Herndon

St. Stephen the Martyr Parish, Middleburg

St. Theresa Parish, Ashburn

St. Thomas a Becket Parish, Reston

Deanery IV: Father William F. Ruehl

Our Lady of the Blue Ridge Parish, Madison

Our Lady of the Shenandoah Mission, Basye

Our Lady of the Valley Parish, Luray

Precious Blood Parish, Culpeper

Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Winchester

St. Isidore the Farmer Parish, Orange

St. John Bosco Parish, Woodstock

St. John the Baptist Parish, Front Royal

St. John the Evangelist Parish, Warrenton

St. Peter Mission, Washington

Deanery V: Father Robert C. Cilinski

All Saints Parish, Manassas

Holy Family Parish, Dale City

Holy Trinity Parish, Gainesville

Our Lady of Angels Parish, Woodbridge

Sacred Heart Parish, Manassas

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Lake Ridge

St. Elizabeth Parish, Colonial Beach

St. Francis de Sales Parish, Kilmarnock

St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Triangle

St. Mary Parish, Fredericksburg

St. Matthew Parish, Spotsylvania

St. Patrick Parish, Fredericksburg

St. William of York Parish, Stafford

Deanery VI: Father Donald C. Greenhalgh

Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Vienna

St. Andrew the Apostle Parish, Clifton

St. Clare of Assisi Parish, Clifton

St. Leo the Great Parish, Fairfax

St. Mark Parish, Vienna

St. Mary of Sorrows Parish, Fairfax

St. Paul Chung Parish, Fairfax

St. Timothy Parish, Chantilly

St. Veronica Parish, Herndon

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