Natives of Potomac Falls remember the construction of Our Lady of Hope Church well.
Originally an empty, rolling field along Algonkian Parkway, the 12-acre plot slowly transformed into a towering church whose steeple soon became a landmark in the sleepy suburb.
The church’s dedication in 2006 was preceded by years of tight-knit parish community whose members still actively serve today.
Our Lady of Hope commemorated its 25th anniversary with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Michael F. Burbidge and concelebrated by Father Anthony J. Killian, pastor, and Father Jonathan M. Smith, parochial vicar, on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Jan. 12.
“My friends, it’s always a great joy to visit your parish to celebrate Mass, but especially today, as we gather around this altar and celebrate God’s many blessings upon your parish community for the past 25 years,” Bishop Burbidge said. “I remember being here just before this church was to be dedicated — Father (William P.) Saunders had hosted our class reunion, and he wanted to show us this new church that was about to be completed.”
Then-Bishop Paul S. Loverde tapped now-Msgr. William P. Saunders March 29, 2000, to be pastor of a new parish in Potomac Falls. Unlike parishes that developed from missions, Our Lady of Hope faced the challenge of years without a church building and met at Potomac Falls High School for Mass during construction. The church was dedicated Jan.17, 2006, and Msgr. Saunders continued to serve as pastor for the next 14 years.
In his homily, Father Killian reflected on the significance of the Jan. 12 feast day and the parish’s own baptismal history. “The first Mass was celebrated on Aug. 6, the Feast of the Transfiguration, and then six days later, the first baptism in our parish was on Aug. 12. As of today, there have been 1,743 souls baptized,” he said. “Isn’t that beautiful?”
Before the final blessing, Bishop Burbidge reminded the faithful of the Holy Year 2025 Pope Francis recently opened with the motto, “Pilgrims of Hope.”
“For us, we believe that hope is a virtue. It’s not just a dream, it’s not just optimism, it’s not just wishful thinking,” he said. “Please continue to travel through your anniversary year, in this jubilee year, joyful in hope and confident in God’s divine providence.”
Our Lady of Hope is one of eight diocesan pilgrimage sites for the Holy Year. Individuals from around the diocese may receive an indulgence by traveling to one of the sites, participating in a liturgical celebration such as the Mass, and completing the necessary requirements for an indulgence.
Father Killian plans to continue the double-jubilee celebration all year long. With the help of parishioner Dave Crew, he founded the parish Jubilee Committee, which has planned a variety of parishwide excursions, pilgrimages and events. The events range from a parish pilgrimage to Italy to a Forty Hours devotion to a special Mass that Msgr. Saunders will celebrate June 28.
But the parish jubilee celebration began even earlier with a parish pilgrimage to France in April 2024. “We actually visited the Basilica of Our Lady of Pontmain, which commemorates the apparition of Our Lady of Hope,” Father Killian said.
Father Killian described the parish community as vibrant. “I would say that in the aftermath of COVID, the parish has come back very well. And I think that’s principally due to the enthusiasm and the support of our Knights of Columbus and our women’s group,” he said.
Parishioners remembered the roots of their parish community.
Founding parishioner Barbara Principe recalled that one Sunday in 2000 at Christ the Redeemer Church in Sterling, Msgr. Saunders was invited to address the congregation at the end of Mass. He announced that Bishop Loverde had created a new parish in Potomac Falls and invited residents within the new boundaries to attend Mass at the fledgling parish.
Principe and her husband, Frank, began attending Mass at the high school and volunteered as a lector and extraordinary minister of holy Communion.
“People just came out of nowhere wanting to help and do things for the parish,” Principe remembered. “Everybody knew everybody.”
Founding parishioner Mary Beth Pittman, who served as principal of Our Lady of Hope Catholic School from 2007 until her retirement in 2021, said that the talented staff and students at the parish school inspired her. “It was so rewarding to see them handing on and teaching the Catholic faith each and every day to our students,” she said.
Pittman said that a highlight from her career at the school was receiving the National Blue Ribbon Award in 2015. “It’s such a privilege to work in a Catholic school environment and community because you’re practicing your faith each and every day,” she said.
Longtime parishioner Viviane Castaneda raised her family at the parish. She relocated nationally and internationally with her husband several times for work. But with every move back to Northern Virginia, the family resettled at Our Lady of Hope.
Castaneda delved into parish life. Currently the president of the women’s group, over the years she served as a CCD instructor, a staff member at the school, a volunteer for the parish’s altar society, and an active member in the parish’s homeschool group.
“I did a little bit of everything,” she laughed. Her desire to serve comes from a desire to give back to the Lord, she said, a desire that the parish community exemplifies often.
“If I can offer my best to serve those in my parish, even though it’s just a small little piece of the world, then I’m going to do that,” she said. “And if that makes the Lord happy, that’s what I want to do.”
