Blessed Sacrament Parish: Firm in Spirit, Finances

By Alfonso Aguilar
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the issue of 8/22/02)

Blessed Sacrament Parish in Alexandria always looks tranquil and pleasant. A tall, white bell tower announces its existence up close and from afar, and its green gardens are an invitation to meditation. The bell is the audible symbol of the community and the most visible symbol of the parish. The bell even has its own name, Emma. About 76 years old, it was originally cast for a church in Ohio.

Just inside the entrance of the church, a statue of the Virgin Mary is an invitation to pray, or to deposit a flower, as many parishioners do.

This parish is among the largest diocesan congregations, with nearly 7,500 parishioners,  including many members of the Armed Forces. Father John C. Cregan was a Marine Corps colonel before he entered the priesthood.

Father Cregan brought his experience and discipline to the clerical life of the parish. Over the last six years he has put the parish on a firm financial footing and achieved a more active involvement of lay people in the parish’s social programs.

"We are a very lively community, very open to welcoming people," said Father Cregan, a priest of few words and much action. "Now we are in the process of finishing a master plan to continue repairs and make the needed changes for more comfortable facilities." Father Cregan was proud to display a sample of the new religious symbols that will be placed around the parish.

"The hospitality of this church is one of its hallmarks," said Colette Ellis, director of Religious Education, who has seen a "growing number of young parishioners with strong, family-oriented values."

Father Tarsicio Buitrago, who served this parish for six years before being transferred to St. Anthony of Padua Church in Falls Church, said Blessed Sacrament "is a very well-organized and disciplined parish, blessed with a good staff and a very active congregation which is doing just fine under the guidance of Father Cregan."

Although Father Cregan mentioned that the parish has already made "modest changes," Blessed Sacrament has embarked on substantial and much-needed changes in the facilities, including the rectory, gym and kitchen.

The altar will have a new look. The Old Rectory building will reopen this year and its basement will be used for youth activities while the upper floor will be for visitors. New carpets and modern air conditioning systems in many areas are under consideration.

Parishioners, including Onofre Gutierrez, feel that the church has dramatically improved its facilities, particularly areas that were abandoned or without specific purpose. "It is not that we weren’t a modern parish, it is that our pastor has put into function areas that were unused so now we look very modern,", Onofre said. Onofre has seen the growth of Blessed Sacrament over the past 17 years.

Blessed Sacrament was established in 1946 by the Diocese of Richmond under the leadership of founding Pastor Msgr. Martin T. Quinn, "a person wise enough to plan ahead and acquire the resources that have allowed us to construct a parish facility such as this one being dedicated," reads a document marking the 40th anniversary.

While the new church was being built, Masses were celebrated in Fairlington School and Center Theater, but the parish soon turned into a "typical post-war, suburban American parish" with a school and a convent. In 1948, the school building was completed.

Msgr. Quinn retired in 1973 and was succeeded by Father Anthony Justs (now a bishop in Latvia). In 1979 Father Austin Ryder came to the parish, but he had to resign in 1981 because of ill health. At that time, the parishioners openly discussed the future of Blessed Sacrament, expressing their dream for a more social-oriented church with more help for the poor, the elderly and the homeless. They also expressed a desire for more beautiful and functional facilities.

The fourth pastor, Father Thomas A. Casey, agreed and put hands to work. In 1982, Blessed Sacrament opened a 25-bed winter shelter in its basement. Soon the shelter served 50-60 men. Another example of the new social-orientation was the parish’s grant to renovate properties to be purchased by low-income individuals in Alexandria.

The school reopened the same year after having been closed for many years. Currently, it offers classes from kindergarten through eighth grade and has an Early Childhood Center for young children ages 3 to 5. Numerous new activities enlightened the life of the parish through programs such as Sunday Outreach, Community Life and Nursery Care.

A few years later, in 1986, parishioners celebrated two important events — Msgr. Quinn’s 60th anniversary as a pries, and the groundbreaking for a new church, which already had 1,800 families.

In April 1987, Father Quinn died. The parish he founded expressed these words: "The community stopped its work to mourn this marvelous man whose vision and devotion to Blessed Sacrament enabled it to flourish and whose greatest wishes was to have the new church built and see its completion."

The dedication of the new church occurred Sept.10, 1988, a year before Father Cregan was ordained a priest. In June 1996, he was named pastor of Blessed Sacrament, a parish that, in addition to its demanding work, now has a sister parish in Honduras, one of the poorest countries in Latin America.

"We are both enriched from our relationship and have many thing to learn from each other," said Father Cregan, who has twice visited the sister parish with a group of parishioners.

AT A GLANCE

Blessed Sacrament Parish

Alexandria, Va 22302

703/998-6100

www.blessedsacramentcc.org

Pastor: Fr. John C. Cregan

Parochial Vicars: Fr. Michael J. Dobbins, Fr. Bryan Belli

School: 1417 W. Braddock Rd.

Alexandria, Va 22302

DRE: Colette Ellis

YM: Fr. Michael J. Dobbins

Sat: 8:30 a.m.; 5 p.m.

Sunday: 7:30, 9, 11 a.m.; 12:30, 2 p.m. (Spanish), 5 p.m.

Weekdays: 6:30, 8:30 a.m.; 7 p.m. (Wednesday only)

Parishioners: 7,419

Boundaries: Beginning at I-395 and Four Mile Run-South on I-395 to Gunston Rd.—Southeast on Gunston Rd. to Valley Dr.—South on Valley Dr. to Braddock Rd.—South on Braddock Rd. to Oakland Terrace—West on Oakland Terrace to Ivy Hill Cemetery—West along the northern boundary of cemetery to King St. —Southeast on King to Jonneys Ln. —West on Janneys Ln. to Quaker Ln. —South on Quaker Ln. to Duke St. —West on Duke to Holmes Run—Northwest on Holmes Run to N. Pegram St. —North & east on Pegram to N. Pickett St. —Northeast on Pickett to Seminary Rd. —Northwest on Seminary Rd. to Colfax Ave. —East along the Alexandria City-Fairfax City line to Chesterfield Rd. (in Arlington County) —Northeast on Chesterfield Rd. and a direct line east to Four Mile Run—Southeast on Four Mile Run to I-395. 

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