What’s distinctive about your parish? One of the striking things about Holy Family Church is that it is a hidden gem amid a busy, well-traversed area. Prince William County near Potomac Mills is a well-known traffic route. Despite this, you can find a quiet, wooded area shielded from that traffic maelstrom. It is sort of an oasis.
Another great aspect is our school. Most kids in our parish are actually from the Dale City area, rather than surrounding towns.
People know each other very well and form lifelong friendships through fellowship, such as the parish festival we celebrate the second weekend of September. We have many people from all parts of South and Central America, Africa, Europe and Korea.
What’s something visitors to your parish should see while there? Many are drawn to the image of the Blessed Mother in the front garden. It is not unusual to see people speak to her and touch her hands.
We now have a wonderful rosary walk with lights and benches in a wooded area. The teachers love to take the children there to pray.
What is a new ministry that you’ve started? Or, alternatively, share some recent activities of longstanding ministries. Our new Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court launched this year. More than 40 women actively participate. The Friday meetings of the Spanish-language Charismatic Renewal Group attract more than 150 people. Our bilingual young adult group Agape includes a music ministry that has performed at diocesan events.
Is there a special way your parish encourages and supports faith formation? We recently introduced the Evangelical Catholic program, which has great potential. Both the English-speaking and the Hispanic communities participate, and it has been amazing to see these people on fire for the faith. Some teach in our Faith Formation program as well.
How are you supporting the faith journey of particular cultures represented in your parish? We are one of the few parishes offering a Mass in Spanish on Sunday mornings, at 8:30 a.m. We did not want to relegate the Hispanic community to the afternoon Mass times. Additionally, once a month, we say the Prayers of the Faithful in languages that our different cultures understand, such as Tagalog, Spanish, Italian, French, German and Mina. We encourage different liturgical celebrations from various cultures.
How do new parishioners get involved? We have a Welcoming Sunday for new parishioners every two months. Our Parish Council calls each new family to welcome them to our parish.
What’s something we should know about your clergy? We have two very new priests, Father Daniel A. Rice and Father David Witherow, who were ordained in 2022 and 2023, respectively. They are extremely energetic, interact a lot with the young people of the parish, participate in the life of our school, and love to play soccer.
Is there a standout or longtime staff member or volunteer you’d like to tell us about? There are so many! Jan Clark is a full-time volunteer who works in our office on finances. She also helps with ordering liturgical items and is the president of our Legion of Mary.
Quick facts
Holy Family Church
14160 Ferndale Rd.
Dale City
703-670-8161
Website: holyfamilycatholicchurchdalecity.org
Social media: facebook.com/holyfamilycatholicchurchva
Pastor: Fr. Ramon Baez
Parochial vicars: Fr. Daniel A. Rice, Fr. David Witherow
In residence: Fr. Christopher F. Tipton
Deacons: Helio Gomez, Joseph L. Santiago
Mass schedule: Saturday vigil: 5 p.m., 6:30 p.m. (Spanish); Sunday: 7 a.m., 8:30 a.m. (Spanish), 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m. (Spanish); Monday-Saturday: 9 a.m.
Confession: Wednesday 6:30-7:30 p.m.; Saturday 8:30-9 a.m. and 4-5 p.m.
Year established: 1970
Total parishioners: 2,300 families
Holy Family School
Pre-K to 8th grade
14160 Ferndale Rd.
Dale City
703-670-3138
Principal: Sarah J. Chevlin
