Father David A. Whitestone, pastor of St. Leo the Great Parish in
Fairfax, rummaged through several scrolls in the church
rectory after a recent Thursday morning Mass. He selected and
unrolled one to reveal plans for an architecturally
traditional church, then held up an image of a church
depicted in bold, geometric shapes. The first was a blueprint
for St. Leo pre-Vatican II; the second was the Vatican
II-inspired vision ultimately adopted for the church
building. The current structure was dedicated in 1966, a year
after the conclusion of the Church council that led to, among
other changes, a new Catholic aesthetic.
The older plans for St. Leo – which began as a mission of St.
Mary of Sorrows Parish in Fairfax in 1956 and became a
diocesan parish in 1957 – were discovered recently in the
rectory as an exciting artifact of parish history, said
Father Whitestone.
With the two drawings in hand, Father Whitestone offered an
image of the parish: a community that embraces Catholicism’s
classic and modern traditions, unified by joyful faith.
Though there are more than 26 parish groups, including an
active St. Vincent de Paul Society that Father Whitestone
calls “one of the shining stars of the parish,” the community
is not unique because of “how many activities we have.”
“What is unique is the pervasive love of the Church and joy,”
Father Whitestone said. “My responsibility is not to impose
particular traditions, but to call people to deepen their
faith in Christ, and everyone is touched in a different
way.”
Father Whitestone, pastor for the last four years, said
parishioners’ exuberant faith is expressed through a variety
of liturgical styles, from praise and worship at the 5 p.m.
Sunday Mass to Gregorian chant at the 7:30 a.m. Latin Mass,
celebrated the first Sunday of the month.
For longtime parishioners Robert and Therese Downey, praise
and worship is spiritual sustenance, as well as a ministry.
Together they lead the music group, a form of worship that
especially “speaks to youth, to high schoolers,” said
Therese.
Vision, a smaller group of praise and worship singers, shares
faith-filled music at the parish every first Saturday of the
month at 7 p.m. The evening also features eucharistic
adoration.
Father Whitestone said that in addition to the groups and
liturgies, St. Leo the Great Catholic School is thriving.
Since its establishment in 1955, the school has been staffed
by Benedictine Sisters, School Sisters of Notre Dame from
Baltimore and Sisters of Notre Dame of Chardon, Ohio,
successively. It is now lay-staffed.
Father Whitestone said the school does more than share the
same parking lot – it is “an essential element of who we are,
of our outreach.”
Mary Adams, a parishioner since 1974 and parish coordinator
since 1990, said the parish community of about 11,000 is “a
unique blend of ages.” Some parishioners live in low-income
apartments, while others live across the street in
million-dollar homes. The parish includes Vietnamese,
Koreans, Africans and Hispanics, said Adams, but “we make up
a community, all trying to get to God together.”
Although modern trumped traditional in the design of the
church, the spacious building reflects the old and the new.
The church, along with the school, underwent major
renovations, completed in 2003 under the guidance of
then-pastor Father John D. Kelly, 1999-2007.
Father Whitestone said the church received “a facelift” that
included new skylights and the reconstruction of the roof,
walls and bell tower. The tabernacle also was moved to the
center of the altar and above it a cross depicting the
resurrected Christ was replaced with a crucifix. The latter
two changes reflect a more traditional altar arrangement, but
the church maintains a modern feel, “with a sense of devotion
and warmth,” said Father Whitestone.
Construction continued at the parish this summer, as
Providence Hall, frequently used by the Knights of Columbus,
underwent renovations.
Parishioner Jane Fedor, 87, converted to Catholicism at age
18 and attended the first Mass on the site of the new church,
in what is now the basement. She said sawhorses served as a
makeshift altar. From Mass in the basement to those in the
remodeled building, she said being a Catholic and a
parishioner of St. Leo “gets better every year, the older I
get.”
This enthusiasm for St. Leo and the Faith, said Father
Whitestone, “is evident, especially after Mass on Sunday.
“There is a very tangible sense of joy here,” he said. “And
it is love of the Church and fidelity to the sacraments that
nourishes that joy.”
Quick facts
St. Leo the Great Parish
3700 Old Lee Hwy.
Fairfax, Va. 22030
703/273-5369
Pastor: Fr. David A. Whitestone
Parochial vicars: Fr. Ramon A. Baez, Fr. Robert J.
Wagner
In residence: Fr. Joel D. Jaffe
Deacons: Nicholas J. LaDuca, Noel Vivaldi
DRE: Lee Cena
Mass Schedule:
Sat.: 9 a.m., 5 p.m. vigil
Sun: 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. (Spanish), 5 p.m.
Weekdays: 6:15 a.m., 9 a.m.
Parishioners:10,360
School: St. Leo the Great Catholic School
3704 Old Lee Hwy.
Fairfax, Va. 22030
703/273-1211
Principal: David DiPippa
Students: 446
