Editor's Desk: Moving Day

By Michael F. Flach
^{HERALD Editor}

The moving trucks will be rumbling across the diocese June 28 when the majority of the 36 clergy appointments announced by Bishop Loverde this week become effective. Included in the bishop’s first group of changes are the establishment of two parishes — St. Veronica and St. Matthew — and the retirement of two priests — Msgr. John T. Cilinski and Msgr. R. Roy Cosby.

The annual changes always attract much speculation and interest, even for those not impacted by the moves. This year’s announcement were even more eagerly anticipated due to their release in mid-June rather than late May.

As the diocese prepares for its 25^th anniversary, it now has 65 parishes and five missions. Fifteen parishes have been established since the diocese started on Aug. 13, 1974.

The change in status for St. Matthew from a mission of St. Patrick to an independent parish should be an easy transition for the 600 families in southern Spotsylvania County. Father Philip Majka, pastor of St. Patrick Parish, instituted a separate envelope system for the two churches more than two years ago.

Father David Meng, newly appointed administrator of St. Matthew Parish, will find upon his arrival near Spotsylvania Courthouse a beautiful country church and rectory already in place. Much of the credit for this stability should go to Msgr. Cosby, who built both churches.

Father Majka and his parochial vicar, Father William Aitchesion, now will be able to devote their pastoral time and energy toward the fast growing parish and school in the northwestern part of Spotsylvania County. They will be moving into a new rectory in two weeks.

Father Marcus Pollard, administrator of St. Veronica Parish, will find a slightly different scenario as he begins formulating plans for his new congregation. He still has to find a place to live and celebrate Mass for Catholics living in the shadow of Dulles Airport.

He will draw his congregation from the neighboring parishes of St. Timothy in Chantilly, St. Joseph in Herndon and St. John Neumann in Reston. The future church will be located at the intersection of Barnsfield and Centreville Roads in the Franklin Farm area of Fairfax County.

The void left by the retirement of Msgrs. Cilinski and Cosby will be hard to fill. They contributed nearly a century of priestly experience to the Dioceses of Richmond and Arlington. Msgr. Cilinski’s service spanned six decades. As natives of Virginia, they know the Commonwealth and its Catholic population as well as anyone. They also were serving as deans of their respective deaneries, lending their counsel and wisdom to the pastors in surrounding parishes.

They will not disappear completely from the diocese. Msgr. Cosby will reside at Msgr. Cilinski’s old parish, Our Lady of Angels Parish in Woodbridge. Msgr. Cilinski will be in residence at St. Agnes Parish in Arlington with another retired diocesan priest, Msgr. Thomas Scannell. The HERALD will reflect on their year’s of service in its June 24 edition.

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The HERALD also is planning a special issue for Aug. 12 to mark the silver anniversary of the Arlington Diocese. Since the paper did not start publishing until 1976, there is an 18 month gap in our photo files. We are in need of photos from Bishop Welsh’s installation at the Cathedral or other historic photos from the early years of the diocese. Send them to: ACH "Silver Anniversary," 200 N. Glebe Rd., Suite 607, Arlington, Va. 22203. All photos will be returned.

— M.F.F.

Herald editor Michael F. Flach recently received his second consecutive award for editorial writing at the annual Catholic Press Association convention in Chicago. His editorial "Where's the honor?" appeared in the Aug. 27, 1998, edition. It received honorable mention for best editorial on an international or national event.

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