VIENNA — The crowd cheered as shovels dug into the dirt last Saturday evening on the site of the new Christian Formation Center (CFC) at St. Mark Parish in Vienna. The building, a 52,000-square-foot addition to the current parish facilities, will include classrooms, a gymnasium, library, computer center, conference rooms and offices. Playing fields and a tot lot will be outside. The CFC will be used as an elementary and middle school during the academic-year weekdays, and open to the entire St. Mark community at other times.

"This is an incredible journey for this parish," said Eric Peterson, co-chair of the parish Capital Campaign. "We’re thrilled to be at this point, and we have far to go." He and co-chair Sharon Cantwell had been working on the CFC in different capacities for more than three years. The project was launched by Father Stewart Culkin, pastor at the time, who died last fall after a medical leave from his ministry.

"We’ve waited patiently and faithfully," said Kurt Dieterle, president of the parish Pastoral Council. "God had other plans for Father Culkin, but his vision was so strong it stayed with us." One of the shovels was designated in memory of the late priest.

Father Patrick Holroyd, pastor since June 2001, said that when Father Culkin began working on the project, he invited the participation and support of the two neighboring Reston parishes. Oblate Father Bob Brown, pastor of St. John Neumann Parish in south Reston, and Father Holroyd, who was pastor of St. Thomas á Becket Parish in north Reston, told Father Culkin that they would be happy to support him with prayer, but could not contribute financially since they both had their own parish building projects.

"I didn’t realize that God wanted more of me than prayer," said Father Holroyd. He said that though they had reached a long-awaited milestone, "there is still a lot to be done, practically and prayerfully."

The parish, established more than 35 years ago, added the last building 18 years ago. St. Mark Parish membership was then 1,600 families. Currently there are more than 2,400 registered families and many new programs to serve the parishioners, surrounding communities and even ministries worldwide.

For more than 30 years, St. Mark parishioners were able to enroll their children in the Catholic elementary/middle schools at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Vienna and St. Leo the Great in Fairfax. However, with the large increase in the school-age population in the area there are very few openings at these neighboring schools.

Dr. Timothy McNiff, diocesan superintendent of Catholic Schools said Saturday that much of the credit for getting to the groundbreaking milestone goes to the local parish community, which he said does most of the work in such endeavors.

"We have a wonderful Catholic educational system in this diocese," McNiff said. "The one weakness I see is the waiting list of thousands of children" for enrolling in a diocesan school.

"We want our children to be able to receive a Catholic education if that is their desire and the desire of their parents," said Peterson. "We envision the school at St. Mark’s as an outstanding institution, one that embodies the best of Catholic education that the diocese can offer."

The school will have an initial enrollment of 400 students in grades K-eight. It is expected to be ready by late summer 2003. Fairfax County Board of Supervisors chairperson Kate Hanley and Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins also attended the ceremony. Peterson told the HERALD that neighbors’ opposition to the CFC has been addressed by several meetings with them and the establishment of an ongoing liaison committee.

Office space currently occupied by parish staff in the church building’s lower level will be used for pre-school and kindergarten classrooms. Personnel and attendees of the parish youth and religious education programs will be housed in the new CFC.