St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Fredericksburg

What’s distinctive about your parish? What is your parish’s charism? St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church and its school, Holy Cross Academy (pre-K-8), are large and dynamic. With more than 18,000 parishioners, it’s a unique parish with a small-town feel. Located in the historic town of Fredericksburg, the community is vibrant and filled with many programs created to assist folks in the city and the surrounding counties of Stafford and Spotsylvania. The parish’s charisms are service and prayer, which are powerfully witnessed by their collaborations with, and support of, the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank, Thurman Brisben Homeless Shelter, Micah Ecumenical Ministries, Catholic Charities Migration and Refugee Services, Mary’s Shelter, Birthright of Fredericksburg and St. Vincent de Paul Society, to name a few. Increased adoration and confession hours and opportunities for more frequent reception of Holy Communion add zeal to an already active parish.

Is there a special way your parish encourages and supports faith formation? An intentional emphasis on cultivating and supporting marriages and families, as domestic churches, has begun to grow over the past several years with the creation of new ministries: Marriage Ministries in both English and Spanish; That Man is You (stressing the role of fatherhood/manhood); the Cana Family Group (small communities of families gathering to share the Gospel and encourage family life); and Special Blessings (specific support/activities for families with special needs children). The surge in family ministries has added to the more than 80 ministries that already exist and make St. Mary’s a place where everyone’s gifts are needed and welcomed.

What’s the one unique thing visitors to your parish should do or see while there? Our pastor, Father Jon P. Mosimann, has an impressive collection of more than 900 crucifixes from around the world. He began collecting interesting crucifixes from his travels. Over the years, parishioners caught on, gifting him crosses from their homelands and travels. They are displayed in our Courtyard Meeting Room and throughout the parish offices. One can easily spend hours gazing at Our Lord and appreciating the various cultural expressions that depict him.

With 11 Masses celebrated every weekend, and the church’s proximity to I-95, we have many visitors visiting the charming town of Fredericksburg. They often remark how friendly our greeters and parishioners are. We are proud of our southern hospitality.