St. Clare of Assisi Continues to Expand

By Irene Lagan
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the issue of 1/9/03)

Father Paul Dudzinski, pastor of St. Clare of Assisi Parish in Clifton, is "chief, cook and bottle washer," the first resident pastor of the parish set in a wooded area that looks like a New England town. St. Clare of Assisi, which was established originally as a mission of St. Timothy in Chantilly, is located on 15 acres of land on Henderson Road. Because the area is a watershed area of the Chesapeake, strict zoning laws restrict building in the town. Houses are fewer and farther between than in more urban settings, and there is a distinctive absence of apartment and condominium complexes. As a result, the area retains an idyllic atmosphere.

At its inception in 1980, then-Arlington Bishop Thomas J. Welsh established the St. Clare of Assisi mission to accommodate the growing population of Catholics in the area. The mission was placed under the patronage of St. Clare of Assisi to honor a group of Poor Clare nuns who had established a monastery in Alexandria.

Sunday Mass celebrated initially at the Clifton First Presbyterian Church, moved to the Old Clifton Fire House, where they were held for 10 years between 1981 and 1991. In 1989, the St. Clare of Assisi Mission was reassigned as a mission of St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in Clifton. Then-Arlington Bishop John R. Keating charged Msgr. John P. Hannan, pastor of St. Andrew, with the unusual task of building two churches, St. Andrew and St. Clare of Assisi, simultaneously.

Bishop Keating dedicated St. Clare of Assisi Church on May 12, 1991, and established the mission as an independent parish in 1996 with Msgr. Frank E. Mahler as its founding pastor. Because there was no rectory at St. Clare, Msgr. Mahler continued to live at St. Andrew the Apostle Parish for the duration of his time as pastor.

In 1998, Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde assigned Father Dudzinski to St. Clare of Assisi as administrator, and named him pastor in 2000. Father Dudzinski served as administrator from 1998 until 2000. When he was named pastor, he moved into a house that serves as a rectory, located several miles from the church on Maple Branch Rd.

A native of Wisconsin, Father Dudzinski is at home amidst the horse farms and families and enjoys the "awesome responsibility" of caring for his parish. Because St. Clare of Assisi is still relatively small, with 450 families, the community is close-knit with a distinct sense of unity.

Father Dudzinski relishes the community atmosphere and the opportunities for teaching and preaching it affords. "Over time, I have come to know what people need to hear," he said. "As I see people week after week, I have come to know them as family. I especially enjoy the opportunity of getting to know the children when I hear their confessions each month." With a licentiate and passion for philosophy, Father Dudzinski finds his philosophical training a great help in structuring educational programs and in his work in marriage preparation.

Since his installation as pastor, Father Dudzinski said the parish has grown in terms of its activity and as a community. In years past, parish activities were often limited to weekends due to circumstances. Now, parishioners enjoy having a priest who resides in the parish and they have become more involved in parish programs, such as the annual giving tree at Christmas and various social activities. In addition, parishioners have taken on a more active role in religious education and more attend daily Mass and other devotions.

With plans in place to build a parish center and rectory adjacent to the church, Father Dudzinski expects to see an even greater increase in parish activity during the coming months and years. "Building a parish center will draw people together even more," he said. "Already people are getting excited about it."

Pastor: Father Paul L. Dudzinski

Church:

12409 Henderson Rd.

Clifton, Va. 20124

Rectory and Mailing address:

7616 Maple Branch Rd.

Clifton, Va. 20124

Phone: 703/266-1310

Fax: 703/266-7011

Web Site: www.wtclare-cliftonva.org

E-mail: stclareva@aol.com

Mass Schedule:

Saturday: 8 a.m., 5 p.m. (vigil Mass)

Sunday: 8, 10 a.m.

Monday-Friday: 8 a.m.

Holy Days: 7:30 P.m. (Vigil) 8 a.m., 7:30 p.m.

First Friday/Saturday Devotion:

Friday: 7:30 p.m., Mass; Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament until Saturday: Friday, 8:30 p.m. to Saturday, 8 a.m.

Saturday, 8 a.m. Benediction, Mass

Confessions: Saturday: 3:30 — 4:30 p.m. and by appointment

DRE: George Alexa

Phone: 703/266-1310

Youth Ministry: Jason Seiler

Phone: 703/383-0825

Parishioners: 1,600

Parish Founded: 1996

Boundaries: Beginning at the junction of Braddock Rd. and Clifton Rd. proceed east on Braddock Rd. to Piney Branch Creek — South on Piney Branch joining Popes Head Creek at Fairfax Station Rd. – South to ‘southern RR Tracks — Southwest on RR tracks to Glencove Rd. — South by stream to Yates Ford Rd. — South on Wolf Run Creek Rd. to Clifton Rd. —east on Clifton Rd. to Amkin Rd. — South to include Amkin Development — West to Maple Branch at Wolf Run Creek — South on Wolf Run Creek to Fairfax County /Prince William County lines — Northwest to Popes Head Creek to Compton Rd. (excluding Balmoral Development) — east on Compton Rd. to junction of Clifton Rd. — North on Clifton Rd. to junction of Braddock Rd.  

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