Holy Spirit Church in Annandale has embraced the six pillars of the Diocesan Strategic Plan with a series of new and growing initiatives, according to Father John O’Donohue, pastor, and Director of Parish Operations Patty Tang.
Under the plan’s first pillar, Reflecting Evangelization and Faith Formation, the church reorganized its St. Vincent de Paul Society conference to provide handouts and teach the Catholic faith to those receiving support. They were able to reach 1,200 households, have 700 conversations and net 25 new parish registrations. The same initiative is planned for this fall.
To promote marriage through the Parish and Family Life pillar, Father O’Donohue led a three-part series about marriage, annulment and convalidation, leading to six convalidated couples.
The parish welcomed the Eritrean community and began recruiting extraordinary ministers of holy Communion with various ethnic backgrounds under Pillar 5, One Community of Many Cultures.
For Pillar 6, Charitable Works, the parish provides meals for the homeless and serves at diocesan Catholic Charities Christ House in Alexandria. They also integrated a prison ministry in collaboration with Catholic Charities. Their “snow angels” program helps clear driveways and sidewalks for the elderly.
