A Juggling Act at Holy Trinity Parish

By Irene Lagan
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the issue of 4/3/03)

GAINESVILLE — "Building a new parish from scratch is both exciting and challenging," said Father Francis J. Peffley, pastor of Holy Trinity Church in Bristow. "The support and great response of the lay people has made the challenge much easier and more joyful. And, once you get the right people in place, things begin to grow and flourish."

As administrator of the newly created parish, Father Peffley’s initial task was to build a faith community and initiate traditional parish ministries and committees such as Eucharistic ministers, altar servers, lectors, Knights of Columbus and Legion of Mary.

As the parish approaches its second birthday, it has become rapidly a community where faith and life flourish. The parish has more than tripled in size with over 900 families registered and an average of 34 new families each month, as well as approximately 25 active ministries.

Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde created Holy Trinity as the 67th parish in the diocese on June 27, 2001, the feast of the Sacred Heart. The parish, named in honor of the Great Jubilee Year 2000, serves the growing Catholic population in Gainesville, Bristow, Haymarket and Nokesville. At its founding, the Arlington Diocese provided a gift of 21 acres of land for the church and parish school.

"There is a wonderful spirit here," Father Peffley said. "People recognize the privilege they have in being involved in a parish from the beginning. They have the rare and unique opportunity to build a church, parish center and school."

Among the many challenges of a new parish was finding a place to call home until parish facilities are established. The rectory and parish offices are located in one of the many new neighborhoods in the area. Masses are celebrated on weekdays at the Benedictine Sisters Monastery and Sunday Masses are held at Brentsville High School in Nokesville.

"The sisters have been very helpful and generous," Father Peffley said. "We hold RCIA at the monastery on Tuesday evenings, confessions on Saturdays and have baptisms twice a month." Pastors from neighboring parishes have also been accommodating, opening their churches for funerals and weddings.

"This parish has been blessed from the very beginning. I have no doubt that it is due to the prayers of the Blessed Mother, but also the excitement of Catholics in the area to have a parish nearby," Father Peffley said.

By all accounts, participation in parish life is extraordinary. Michele Leary, director of religious education, said enrollment in religious education classes nearly doubled in one year and parishioners regularly volunteer their time and talents. Within one week of the parish’s opening, parents and others called to volunteer as teachers. Many teach religious education out of their homes, and last year several people initiated the staging of an Epiphany play.

Leary herself was one of the first in the parish community to take initiative. After learning that Holy Trinity was to be established, Leary contacted Father Peffley to inquire about serving as a director of religious education.

"I knew of Father Peffley through his Web site and was excited at the prospect of helping build a new faith community," Leary said.

Parish Secretary Margaret Flores took a similar "leap of faith." Prior to moving from Charleston, W. Va., Flores read about the new parish in the HERALD and called Father Peffley to volunteer her skills and experience. "I was open to the Holy Spirit," Flores said. "I would not have called unless I was really listening. It is a great privilege and blessing to be here at this parish."

Parish participation registers more than 50 percent. "Our goal is to have each person belong to something, so that everyone here is involved in parish life," said Betty Childers, who co-chairs the capital campaign with her husband Kevin. "Father does a great job in encouraging people to volunteer. He is truly a father to people in the parish."

While some credit active parish involvement to Father Peffley for his extraordinary gift of "connecting people" and remembering parishioners by name, Father Peffley credits the thriving community to the prayers of the Blessed Mother and devotion to the Eucharist.

"Devotion to Our Lady is very strong. There is also a great love for the Blessed Trinity and a strong devotion to the Eucharist," Father Peffley said. "Our Knights of Columbus Council is named for Our Lady of the Rosary, and we have four Legion of Mary groups."

Last year, the Legion of Mary went door-to-door, visiting more than 3,000 homes in the Gainesville area. The results were tremendous, drawing inactive Catholics and non-Catholics alike. Father Peffley said that many RCIA candidates were drawn to Holy Trinity at the invitation of Legionaries who visited their homes. Others have had marriages validated or their children baptized.

Father Peffley’s involvement with the Legion of Mary began 30 years ago, when, at age 10, he joined a Junior Praesidium in his home town of Philadelphia.

"It is a big part of my life and ministry as a priest, and a wonderful Catholic organization," he said. Every major Legion council tries to send a mission team out for a week every summer, he said.

Father Peffley was ordained for the diocese in 1990. One of his greatest joys and blessings as a priest is bringing people who have been away from the Church back into the fold, and teaching those who want to learn more about the faith. He has written more than 150 articles, posted on his Web site, on a range of topics including spirituality, catechesis, prayer, the saints and apologetics. In addition, he is known as the "juggling priest" and frequently entertains both adults and children in his charge with flying tennis rackets, balls, machetes and fire sticks.

Social concerns and evangelical outreach are also at the heart of parish life. Eucharistic Ministers take communion to home-bound parishioners, many of whom are "seasoned citizens" residing at one of the local retirement to communities. Coffee and donuts are served after Sunday Masses and new-comers to the parish are welcomed. In the spring and summer months, parishioners host cookouts for their neighbors, and invite fellow parishioners and Father Peffley.

"It helps to promote friendships and a connection to the parish," Childers said. "We really are building a parish family. Many of the friendships that develop are life-changing It helps people grow closer to God and fosters a love for the Eucharist. There is a lot of excitement and hope for the future."

Childers said the capital campaign efforts reflect the vibrancy of the parish. The parish exceeded its $2 million goal in six weeks and went on to raise more than $5 million by the end of January.

Vinny Velotta, business manager, said the warmth and spirited nature of the parish makes the atmosphere a happy and busy one. "I manage the business functions so Father can concentrate on the spiritual," he said. "But we keep him busy. Typically, he puts in 12 to16 hour days." Velotta said that in the beginning they had to "wing everything." With help from colleagues at St. Andrew Parish in Clifton and others, the administrative and business functions have fallen into place. Communication within the parish is excellent and people are open, cooperative and welcoming. Velotta said that social events, such as the May 12 golf tournament, are designed to bring people together and foster community.

The "accelerated goal" for the parish is to break ground for a church by fall 2004 according to Father Peffley. However, the real mission and vision for Holy Trinity is "to lead each parishioner to heaven."

Rectory and Mailing Address:

Holy Trinity Parish

13260 McCartney Court

Bristow, Va. 20136-1707

Phone: 703/753-5700

Fax: 703/753-6286

Web site: holytrinityparish.net

Pastor: Fr. Francis J. Peffley

Mass Schedule

Weekdays: Monday-Friday: 9 a.m., Benedictine Monastery, 9535 Linton Hall Rd., Bristow

Saturday: 6 p.m.(vigil) at Benedictine Monastery

Sunday: 8:15, 9:30, 11 a.m., at Brentsville H.S., 12109 Aden Rd., Nokesville

Holy Days: As announced

Confessions: Saturday, 4:30-5:30 p.m., Benedictine Monastery

DRE: Michele Leary

703/395-8634

Parishioners: 2,400

Boundary of the Conway Robinson Memorial State Forest, proceeding North along that boundary to Little Bull Run, East along Little Bull Run to Catharpin Run, West along Catharpin Run to Catharpin Road, South on Catharpin Road to Little Bull Run, West along Little Bull Run to James Madison Highway (U.S. Route 15), then, South on James Madison Highway (U.S. Route 15) to I-66, and West on I-66 to the Fauquier County line, and southeast along the Fauquier County line to the point of beginning. 

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