St. William of York Parish Rooted in Family History

By Irene Lagan
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the issue of 1/23/03)

STAFFORD — Parish history is family history at St. William of York Parish in Stafford. As with other Catholic communities in Virginia that began in the days of settlers, St. William of York can be traced back to a small group of families that fostered and nurtured a faith community by opening their homes.

The Catholic community that came to be known as St. William of York began when Sir Giles Brent, an English Catholic nobleman who once served as governor of Maryland, moved from Baltimore to the Virginia wilderness in 1647 to escape religious intolerance. Despite ongoing religious persecution, Giles Brent and his family continued to practice their Catholic Faith and became the first prominent Catholic family to permanently settle in Virginia.

Years later, in 1686, King James II of England granted 30,000 acres of land between the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers to Captain George Brent, issuing with it a royal mandate assuring settlers free exercise of their religion. In addition to the inhabitants of the pioneer settlement, records indicate that as early as the 1570s, a group of Spanish Jesuit priests were martyred for the Faith in their attempts to convert the local Native Americans to Catholicism.

In 1785, the town of Brenton, later known as Aquia, reported a Catholic population numbering 200. Little more is known about the community’s history until the 1897, when the Brent Family Cemetery from the lost town of Aquia was rediscovered. Today, the cemetery is the property of the Arlington Diocese.

In the 1920s, Bishop John J. O’Connell of Richmond purchased the land with the cemetery and charged the Richmond Catholic Women’s Club with the task of restoration. On Oct. 6, 1929, the first field Mass was celebrated on a newly built altar at the cemetery, and one year later, a crucifix was dedicated that still stands on Route 1 at the entry to the Widewater District of Stafford County. In addition to occasional field Masses, visiting priests from Fredericksburg celebrated Mass in the home of Anna and Richard Mountjoy, where Anna also held weekly catechism classes for children.

The parish itself began as a mission of St. Mary Parish in Fredericksburg in 1943. Masses were celebrated at the Midway Island Government Housing project near Quantico until a church was built in 1965 and dedicated by Richmond Bishop Peter L. Ireton. It became a separate parish with only 25 families in 1971, three years before the Arlington Diocese was established.

In the 1980s, the number of families grew to about 600 and a new activities center was built to accommodate parish functions, including religious education classes and parish gatherings. The center was expanded in 1985 and 1992 to include classrooms and administrative offices.

In recent years, the parish has seen another growth spurt and now registers 1,800 families. As a result, the parish has recently added nine new classrooms and a gym, as well as 150 parking spaces and the county’s largest playground.

According to Father Michael R. Duesterhaus, administrator, the number of registered families accounts for roughly half of the actual number of people who attend Mass and parish functions on a regular basis.

"Our parish is growing exponentially," he said. "I would guess that there are closer to 4,000 families who attend Mass on a typical weekend."

Father Duesterhaus explained that many of the parishioners serve in the military, as police officers, contractors and government service workers. Many parishioners, he said, commute to Washington, traveling an average of 80 or more miles a day.

Despite the transience of military families, Father Duesterhaus said parishioners are extraordinarily committed and have a strong sense of community. Many parishioners make sacrifices of time, as well as material goods to serve the parish and the community. "People come here because they believe in the faith, not because of social pressure," he said. "The people here are here because they want to be here, and they step up to the plate when it comes to participation and service."

Among the groups that are active in the parish is the St. Vincent de Paul Society which assists the poor in Stafford County. Last year, the parish contributed over $35, 000 in direct assistance, not including food and clothing donations.

Parish programs frequently are held later in the evening or on weekends to accommodate parishioners with long commutes and working hours.

In addition to four choirs — Spanish, adult, teen and a children’s choir — RCIA classes are held twice each year. People are received into the Church both in September and during the Easter Vigil. On Sunday evenings, RCIA, CYO and religious education classes for children take place in the evening after Mass and a Sunday supper that is open to all.

"This is a close-knit parish," Father Duesterhaus said. "Most people in this area do not have extended family, so people find a social and family network here, and support each other when needs arise."

Church and Rectory:

3130 Jefferson Davis Hwy.

Stafford, Va.

Phone: 540/659-1102

Fax: 540/659-5637

Web site: www.stwilliamofyorkparish.org

Administrator: Father Michael R. Duesterhaus

Parochial Vicar: Father Paul M. Eversole

In residence:

Father Joseph C. Howard

Father Anthony J. Pinizzotto, O.S.F.S.

Deacon: Richard P. Smith

Convent:

Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Infant Jesus

13 Emerson Ct.

Stafford, Va.

Phone: 540/288-0201

Masses:

Saturday: 9 a.m.; (vigil) 5, 7 p.m. (Spanish)

Sunday: 7:30, 9, 10:30 a.m..; noon, 5 p.m.

Mon – Fri.: 7:30, 9 a.m.; 7:30 p.m.

Holy Days: 7:30 p.m. (vigil); 7:30, 9 a.m.; 6, 7:30 p.m.

Confessions: Mon. – Fri: 7-7:30 p.m.

Saturday: 8 -9 a.m.; 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.

Eucharistic Adoration: Mon. – Sat.: 8–9 a.m.; First Friday, following 7:30 p.m. Mass until Saturday morning Mass.

School:

3130 Jefferson Davis Hwy.

Stafford, Va.

Phone: 540/659-5207

Principal: Claire Dougherty

Grades: Pre-K – 8, Extended Day

Students: 220

DRE: Sr. Clare V. Sabini F.M.I.J.

Phone: 540/659-5705

Parishioners: 7,600

Read Other Diocesan Parish Profiles

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