The nearly two dozen Catholics gathered for daily Mass at St. Francis de Sales Church in Kilmarnock April 13 greatly outnumbered the traffic lights on the final 20-plus miles of state highways and roads from cities such as Fredericksburg and Richmond to reach this small, Northern Neck town. They would not have it any other way. The slower pace of life is part of what attracted them from Northern Virginia and elsewhere in the first place.
“We’re an older group of people,” said Father Michael T. Orlowsky, who has been pastor for more than 10 years. “It’s a parish made up of people who are above the age of 60. A new parishioner is just signing up and she’s 93.”
“People come here because it’s an out of the way place,” he said “They don’t want to deal with the traffic. They don’t want anything to do with the city life. This is their escape from all of that. That’s the major draw down here.”
Locals are not rushed, and they savor conversations, many involving the Catholic faith. The peaceful town and retired life foster introspection among parishioners, Father Orlowsky said, allowing people to sort through what they believe, why they’re Catholic and, at times, how to draw back relatives who left the faith.
The worship during Mass reflects these nuances. Parishioners enthusiastically recite the opening and Communion antiphons. During the prayers of the faithful, several congregants shout out their personal petitions. In the narthex, a book of prayer intentions is available for all to add what’s on their mind.
Over coffee and baked goods at the nearby Kilmarnock Inn after Mass, one parishioner after another said that, when retirement called, its voice came from here.
Shawn and Sandy Donahue, the proprietors of the inn, were regulars at St. James Church in Falls Church and part-time parishioners at St. Francis de Sales before they retired in Kilmarnock approximately 20 years ago. They later opened the charming bed and breakfast adorned with political memorabilia, Christian accents and rooms named after Virginia-born U.S. presidents. Shawn was elected mayor last year.
Air Force veteran Wes Werling, who moved here from Fairfax with his wife, appreciates the parish’s intimate nature.
“Everybody knows everybody,” he said. “You become very close to everybody. You make a lot of good friends.”
Kilmarnock is 125 miles from Arlington, near the southeastern tip of a peninsula surrounded by the Rappahannock River to the south, the Potomac River to the north and the Chesapeake Bay to the east. Warmer weather brings an additional 80-100 people combined to the three weekend Masses now through Columbus Day, according to Father Orlowsky. They are a combination of boaters, fishers and family members reconnecting with their retired loved ones in the area. The parish was formally established in 1966, eight years before the Arlington diocese was founded.
Love of neighbor has inspired a range of philanthropic efforts.
The parish women’s group is the engine behind activities including a bereavement ministry, which prepares meals and provides support for those mourning the loss of a loved one, according to volunteer Alice Imbur. It is especially valuable to those who drive several hours to attend a funeral Mass there before turning around and making the return trip home, Father Orlowsky said. Ted Barna and his wife, Mary, organize regular food drives that generate 4,000 pounds of contributions annually to alleviate regional food insecurity. A college scholarship program funded by parish donations awards financial aid each year to approximately 20 student parishioners from St. Francis and St. Paul Mission Church in Hague, according to Paul Carey, who has chaired the initiative for the past 11 years.
For nearly 60 years, the parish has participated in a consortium of six churches that fosters ecumenical relations. Each Lent, a different church hosts an interfaith luncheon with a Scripture reading and homily. Palmer Hall, the original parish church dedicated in 1885, hosts regular Alcoholics Anonymous meetings for people of all faiths.
After the daily 9 a.m. Mass, on the first and third Mondays of the month Eucharistic adoration is held until 6 p.m., concluding with evening prayer. A First Saturday devotion features prayerful meditation followed by the rosary. Members of the women’s group bring a Virgin Mary statue to homes upon request to foster devotion to Our Lady of Fatima and also participate in the Seven Sisters ministry to pray for priests.
In his homily, Father Orlowsky reflected on the day’s reading from the Gospel of John about the third time Jesus reveals himself to the disciples following his Resurrection. When we are overly preoccupied with small matters instead of the great work we are called to do, he said, “The Lord helps us get past that little snag.”
Sandy Donahue called Father Orlowsky a quiet giant who wears many hats at the small parish. “We are eternally blessed that Father does Mass every day for us.”
“Everything is stripped away at this parish,” she said. “We’re very simple and you get to appreciate the Mass, the Eucharist (and) the prayer life that is here. We’re quiet but devout Catholics. And a lot of those quiet, devout Catholics do an awful lot under the radar, and that’s the way they want it. No one is standing out blowing their horn. They just do it and they take on so much.”
Schweers can be reached at [email protected].
