Located at the top of Beacon Hill, St. Louis Parish in
Alexandria marks one of the highest points in Fairfax County.
But don’t be fooled by its million-mile view. With its
welcoming atmosphere, which makes room for all people in the
ethnically and economically diverse areas surrounding Route 1
in Alexandria, the parish is far from being above it all.
Instead it serves all area Catholics, from Spanish-speaking
to military families, to retirees and children with special
needs.
“If you look at any group in the parish, if you look at the
Knights of Columbus, the Legion of Mary or some of our other
groups, they are like a snapshot of the world. Certainly at
Mass, you see that,” said Father Richard Mullins, who has
served as parochial administrator since 2009.
The parish dates back to 1925, when it was founded as a
mission of St. Mary Church in Alexandria. Originally, the
congregation worshipped in a schoolhouse, transported by mule
to its current location and converted into a chapel. In 1949,
St. Louis was declared a parish and dedicated to its patron
saint, Louis IX.
“St. Louis is the perfect saint for families,” Father Mullins
said. “Everyone focuses on the fact that St. Louis was a
king, but more than that, he was a father, a husband, a man
of faith. He led two crusades to the Holy Land, ran France
and still had time to raise his children. He’s the patron
saint of no excuses for family life.”
For a while, parishioners celebrated Mass in the cafeteria of
St. Louis School, founded in 1956. Then, in 1962, the current
church was built. Inspired by the French king, the church
roof is shaped like the top of a fleur-de- lis, a symbol of
the French monarchy.
Father Mullins describes the parish as a place of joyful
outreach and faithful tradition or, more simply, “a happy,
growing family.”
(Find out more about Father Mullins.)
The parish, a spiritual home to more than 1,500 families,
offers all manner of ministries and organizations, including
a St. Vincent de Paul Society, a St. Joseph Covenant Keepers
group, a women’s guild, youth ministry and scouting groups.
The parish has many educational opportunities for adults,
including enrichment programs and Bible studies.
“Our goal is to increase evangelization, to find those who
are unchurched and bring them to the Faith, to find those who
are lukewarm and make them fervent and to take the fervent
and make them saints,” Father Mullins said.
There are multiple religious education programs for children.
Approximately 225 students are enrolled in the parish
religious education program and another 53 are enrolled in a
Montessori-style program that gives hands-on lessons about
the sacraments for students in preschool through second
grade.
“It’s very experiential so kids get to see things hands-on,”
Father Mullins said. “There’s a little altar, a tabernacle
and vestments, but they get to play with it and touch it.”
Recently, the parish added specialized religious education
classes for children with special needs and intellectual
disabilities, in order to prepare them for the sacraments and
participating in the Faith.
(Read more about the religious education programs for
children with intellectual disabilities.)
St. Louis School also is thriving, with 420 students in
kindergarten through eighth grade.
“So much of the life of the parish comes from the school,”
Father Mullins said. “One of the neat things (the principal)
does is stresses apologetics and catechesis. Kids learn from
a very young age to be able to defend their faith.”
Father Mark Carrier, parochial vicar, agreed.
“For me, the school is a very important part of the parish,”
he said. “The school moms and dads are the backbone of the
parish.”
Spirituality and prayer play a vital role in parish life. For
the past three years, the parish has been home to a perpetual
adoration chapel.
“It’s really just a regional powerhouse of prayer,” said
Father Mullins. “The nice thing is that people of all ages
participate. We have young people that go, old people that
go, families that come together and members of the Spanish
community.”
(Read about the parish’s Prayer Line ministry.)
More prayers come from the cloistered monastery of the Order
of St. Clare sisters located only a block away from the
church.
“It’s what they do. They don’t make bread or vestments, but
they pray for us,” said Father Mullins. “They’re storming the
gates of heaven.”
“They’re a throbbing spiritual heart,” said Father Carrier.
“It’s good to go to bed knowing they’re praying. I’d rather
be by a Poor Clare house than a firehouse.”
Spirituality is also lived out through a dedication to the
sacraments, including confession, which is offered every day.
“The focus is really on bringing people to the Word,” Father
Mullins said. “There’s nothing more profound than having
someone come back to the Church after several years. To watch
the parish grow provides immense satisfaction.”
In the past few years, work has been done to upgrade the
parish grounds. A new roof has been installed, the drainage
system has been fixed and school bathrooms have been updated.
But even with the outside work, the No. 1 goal of the parish
is the same.
“Our primary goal is to get people to heaven,” Father Mullins
said. “We want to take them from the highest point in
Northern Virginia to the kingdom of heaven, by any means
necessary.”
Quick facts
St. Louis Church
2907 Popkins Ln.
Alexandria, Va. 22306
703/765-4421
Parochial administrator: Fr. Richard A.
Mullins
Parochial vicar: Fr. Mark F. Carrier
In residence: Fr. Paul L. Dudzinski and Fr.
Joseph Tatro
DRE: Patrick Krisak
School:
St. Louis School
2901 Popkins Ln.
Alexandria, Va. 22306
703/768-7732
Principal: Daniel Baillargeon
Students: 425
Mass schedule:
Sat.: 8:45 a.m., 5:30 p.m. vigil
Sun.: 7 a.m. (chapel at Poor Clare Monastery), 7:30 a.m.,
8:45 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 5 p.m. (Spanish)
Weekdays: 6:30 a.m., 7 a.m. (chapel at Poor Clare Monastery),
8:45 a.m.
Thursday: 7:30 p.m.
Parishioners: 5,037
Website: saintlouisparish.org
