By Irene Lagan
Herald Staff Report
(From the issue of 6/12/03)

Rain could not dampen the spirits of more than a hundred St. Raymond of Penafort parishioners in Fairfax Station last Thursday as they gathered to witness the long-awaited groundbreaking ceremony for their new church.

The church, which will become the new spiritual home for more than 2,000 families, will be located on Pohick Road in Springfield, not too far from the parish rectory that serves as the parish center.

Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde, joined by Father James F. Gould, pastor of St. Raymond Parish, presided over the late afternoon ceremony. The St. John Bosco Council No. 12846 of the Knights of Columbus led a small contingent to the site where Bishop Loverde, Father Gould, Architect Roger Bass, parishioner William Burdock, and Father Richard Martin, pastor of the Church of the Nativity in Burke, shoveled the first spades of dirt that marked the beginnings of a new parish complex.

"We gather today with gratitude and joy. This day has been a long time in coming," said Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde. "The parish is where the Church finds its most immediate and visible presence. It is the place where we are nourished by God’s word, guided and directed by the teachings of the Church, learn to love one another and are missioned forth to share the good news.

gather today with gratitude and joy. This day has been a long time in coming," said Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde, Father Gould, Architect Roger Bass, parishioner William Burdock, and Father Richard Martin, pastor of the Church of the Nativity in Burke, shoveled the first spades of dirt that marked the beginnings of a new parish complex.

"We gather today with gratitude and joy. This day has been a long time in coming," said the bishop. "The parish is where the Church finds its most immediate and visible presence. It is the place where we are nourished by God’s word, guided and directed by the teachings of the Church, learn to love one another and are sent forth to share the good news.

"We need structures in which to express our faith and hear the word proclaimed," he added.

St. Raymond of Penafort Parish was established on July 5, 1997, the last parish to be founded by the late Arlington Bishop John R. Keating. The parish is named for a Spanish saint who died in 1275 and who is the patron of canon lawyers.

In honor of his predecessor, Bishop Loverde wore a Celtic cross that was given to the late Bishop Keating by the priests of the diocese.

"Bishop Keating is present with us from his home in heaven," Bishop Loverde said.

For the past six years, parishioners have worshiped in a temporary rectory, school buildings, a United Methodist church and a Springfield fire hall.

The $10.5 million project is being funded by donations from parishioners and other benefactors, as well as money from the diocesan Capital Campaign. The Chantilly-based Dietze Construction Group expects to complete the church in mid to late 2004.

"This church will be God’s new home in this community, a marvelous expression of God’s presence here," said Father Gould, who has led the parish since 2000.

Father Gould acknowledged the presence of several priests and ministers from neighboring parishes who attended the ceremony. Included among the parishes represented at the ceremony were St. Mary of Sorrows in Fairfax, St. Bernadette in Springfield, the Church of the Nativity in Burke and St. Veronica in Herndon. Rev. Wayne Jenkins from the South Run Baptist Church in Springfield and Rev. John Speight from the Christ United Methodist Church in Fairfax Station, were also present.

In addition, Senators Ken Cuccinelli, R-37, and Jay O’Brien, R-39, both members of St. Andrew Parish in Clifton, participated in the ceremony and reception held at the Springfield Fire Hall.

"This is going to be the solution to all our problems," Cuccinelli said. "About one-third of this parish is in my district."

St. Raymond’s will be built in a traditional cruciform design with a bell tower, a Gothic-style pitched roof and Romanesque round stained-glass windows. The exterior will be of granite. The church will have 850 seats in the sanctuary, plus eight classrooms and a meeting room for 250 in the basement. A rectory with living quarters for three priests and space for parish offices will be located next to the church.

Domenique Murray, a parishioner who also served as the principal designer for the project at Bass Architects, said the groundbreaking is a "wonderful step in the right direction."

Murray, who is a homeschooling mother of three, said designing the church has been a "labor of love."

"It is like watching a child grow," she said. "You mold the child for a couple of years, and then, all of a sudden, the child is in full bloom."

Stephen and Alyce Horwat, who were present at the very first parish Mass at Springfield High School, said the beginning of the parish coincided with the discovery that they were expecting their first child.

"We found out we were expecting at the same time," the Horwats said. "That was six years ago in July. It is exciting to see this finally coming together. We have been very happy here. This is a good, close community."

Contributing to this article was parishioner Alan Fogg.