Arlington Bishop Michael F. Burbidge visited every corner of the
diocese over a two-week period as he celebrated Mass and held receptions at
churches in each of the seven diocesan deaneries.
The first Mass was celebrated Jan. 9 at Sacred Heart of Jesus
Church in Winchester. The final Mass took place Jan. 23 at St. Bernadette
Church in Springfield.
“It was a great joy to celebrate Mass in our deaneries these past
few weeks and to meet so many of the faithful at the receptions that followed,”
said Bishop Burbidge. “I deeply appreciated the warm and hospitable welcome I
experienced at every deanery Mass — in Arlington, Ashburn, Fredericksburg,
Manassas, Springfield, Vienna and Winchester.
“In my homilies,” he said, “I tried to convey at this joyful time
in the Diocese of Arlington, we are invited to renew our commitments to be
grateful, to be faithful and to ‘walk humbly with our God.’”
Bishop Burbidge said generations have gone before us in this
diocese marked with the sign of faith and we are ever mindful and thankful for
their witness.
“Now, in God’s divine plan, it is our privileged moment to build
up the Body of Christ in our diocese united always as members of God’s holy
family,” he said. “With the help of Mary our Mother, may we respond generously
to the call we have received and continue to pray for one another.”
The visits gave diocesan Catholics the opportunity to meet their
new shepherd, who was installed at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More Dec. 6.
The other Masses were celebrated at: the Cathedral of St. Thomas
More in Arlington Jan. 10; All Saints Church in Manassas Jan. 11; St. Theresa
Church in Ashburn Jan. 13; St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in
Fredericksburg Jan. 17; and Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Vienna Jan. 18.
