Throughout the now-concluded Diocesan Golden Jubilee year, Catholics across the diocese found a plethora of reasons to rejoice.
The Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist celebrated their order’s 50th anniversary, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge ordained 12 men to the transitional diaconate, and more than 250 adults received the sacrament of confirmation. Thousands gathered in Front Royal for a family festival celebrating the diocesan Golden Jubilee Year, complete with a concert and fireworks. The Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington opened its doors after nearly two years of renovations. It would later host a Mass in honor of Black Catholic History Month. Before the calendar year concluded, a 130-year-old statue of Mary at the Basilica of St. Mary in Alexandria was coronated.
In 2024, diocesan parishioners also went on pilgrimage, first to the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis in July, and later to the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington in October.
Several groups participated in international mission trips. A group of diocesan young adults and a group of high schoolers from Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington traveled to serve at a mission in Piura, Peru, while students from Christendom College in Front Royal dedicated their spring break to volunteering at a mission near Bánica, Dominican Republic.
To commemorate the diocesan anniversary celebration, the Catholic Herald published a special, magazine issue.
